1

I have a USB KVM switch. I also have a Roccat mouse and keyboard. However, these don't work with the KVM very well. If they're plugged into the keyboard & mouse ports, the extra features of the devices no longer work. If I plug them into the KVM's USB hub pots, they work fine, but I lose the keyboard switching ability. If I split the USB into two plugs, with one going to the Keyboard port and the other to the hub port - so the KVM can see the keystrokes it needs for switching, while still passing the full USB signal through the hub to the computer - would this work?

7
  • it's not absolutely necessary but it may help if you can you include some pictures taken from your phone?
    – barlop
    May 29, 2015 at 23:44
  • also, besides the pics.. What extra features are you referring to that you say you lose from the keyboard and mouse?
    – barlop
    May 29, 2015 at 23:46
  • you could contact roccat and asked them if they know of any kvm switches that are compatible..
    – barlop
    May 29, 2015 at 23:54
  • I am not sure what you are talking about re keyboard port and hub port.. The KVM Switch has the controlling keyb and mouse ports that send to the KVM.. And the other keyb/mouse ports send it out to the comps.. What you could do though, is get a reverse kvm switch, that allows you to use one keyboard with multiple computers.. you plug the keyboard into the reverse kvm, and the reverse kvm into each computer. You can push a button on the kvm switch to flick between computers
    – barlop
    May 29, 2015 at 23:56
  • 1
    @barlop "get a reverse kvm switch, that allows you to use one keyboard with multiple computers.." -- You are describing an ordinary KVM switch, not a "reverse" one. You don't even need a "switch" to connect multiple USB keyboards.
    – sawdust
    May 30, 2015 at 1:44

1 Answer 1

2

That can't work. There's no multipath support in USB and it's absolutely impossible to use a device with multiple hosts at the same time. Because there's bidirectional communication involved in essential processes like device detection, a device can only talk to one host.

The KVM switch is a host, otherwise it couldn't (efficiently) intercept keystrokes.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .