You will save space, and productivity will get a massive boost, avoiding constant switching. Plus, it’s super flexible to choose between the software and hardware sharing options. Especially the software ones don’t even cost you a penny for personal use. USB switches are another KVM alternative, of sorts. They look just like KVMs, and will likely show up in the search results if you're hunting for a KVM from a retailer. But they have one critical difference: no video support. They will only allow for switching of a keyboard and mouse. That means you can switch between computers with a keyboard and mouse, but a standard, inexpensive USB switch will not pass through a video signal. If your monitor has dual video inputs (most do), and you can attach a system to each, that arrangement can work as a KVM surrogate along with a USB switch, but you'll have to switch the display input via the monitor OSD and the peripherals via the USB switch separately. That's a much less elegant solution than a "true" KVM. Share Mouse is a premium software that comes as a limited-features freeware for personal use. Straightaway, this is one of the few options which works among Macs too, or between a Windows PC and a Mac.

When the button on the switch is pressed, the net effect is essentially the same as if you were to unplug the storage device from one system, and then plug it into the other. As such, the same same storage removal precautions and “best practices” must be followed to minimize the risk of data loss or corruption. The switching can be done by dragging the mouse pointers across the monitor edge or pressing ctrl+ mouse drag, as per the configuration. One can also enable/disable screen corners to prevent accidental transitions. Finally, keyboards follow the mouse and work with the active display. As a matter of fact, 48% of the US and Canada residents have multiple PCs. And that was in 2010, so the number at present would be much higher.Multiplicity is compatible with Windows operating systems and offers a 30-day free trial for its top-of-the-line subscription. Universal Control If you're looking for a four-PC-capable KVM switch and choosing between this one and the Tcnewcl, the biggest difference is that this one has four USB ports for peripherals instead of the Tcnewcl's three. That's a lot of additional value for only a few extra dollars.

This two-PC-capable KVM switch uses HDMI for the connection to the primary monitor's input, as well as to the outputs from your connected systems. (Credit: Kyle Cobian) It is also the very reason we generally do not recommend using storage devices with this switch. If control of the storage device were to be switched between systems while the storage device was being accessed, there would be the same potential for data corruption. Our testing gear comprised a Viotek GNV27DB curved gaming monitor, two Windows 10-based desktop mini-PCs we recently reviewed (the Geekom IT8, and the Beelink GK Mini), and a standard wired gaming keyboard and mouse from Logitech. In turn, we set up each KVM device and switched between or among PCs 10 times, using a stopwatch to measure the switchover time and then averaging the results. To test the audio and video quality, we played a 4K HD movie (our old testing stalwart, Tears of Steel) on each PC through each KVM switch in turn to our Viotek monitor. We also watched the same video with the PCs direct-connected to the monitor to see if any perceptible difference. Most of us begrudgingly accept that switching between or among several computers requires some amount of cable swapping, moving devices around, or other general awkwardness. But with a KVM switch (the KVM short for “keyboard, video, mouse”), you can leave those bothers behind and save time, space, and money. Not to mention, a whole lot of hassle. You can connect the keyboard and mouse to one monitor and then switch control over to another device. You can also connect multiple computers and a USB driver via a switch to share information across the devices.If this kind of teleportation magic sounds like something your home setup needs, here’s a guide to finding the right KVM switch for you. KVMs are venerable tech, but once you start shopping, you'll see a fair bit of nuance around them. We're here to help. Button and LED Design: you can easily switch between systems via press buttons with the active LED indicator. Blue LED indicator clearly shows the working status What makes this tool special is the administrative controls. For instance, there will be a master computer in the network. Questo piccolo dispositivo ha risolto un grosso problema che avevo: gestire facilmente le periferiche USB tra due computer diversi.

Extend with USB Hubs: The USB sharing switch allows you to connect with a USB hub to extend more USB ports to share multiple devices e.g. printers, scanners, etc The type of USB port supported is a consideration to make when purchasing a USB switch. It’s common for USB switches to have either USB 2.0 or USB 3.0. USB 3.0 has a greater transfer rate of 5Gbps over a USB 2.0, which has a 480Mbps transfer rate. Another thing to consider is the number of downstream ports it has. Having extra ports available can be convenient when connecting multiple USB devices. Best Overall: ABLEWE USB 3.0 Switcher ABLEWESharing USB devices between two computers can be a struggle. Plugging and unplugging devices can be a hassle, and so buying a USB switch may be a handy tool to suit your needs. USB switches allow two computers to share the same USB device at the same time. There are many different reasons why you would want a USB switch. Now the question is what should you look for while shopping for one? What should I look for in a USB switch? Once you've assessed ports and peripherals, consider your home setup. Where will you put the KVM box? How long do the cables need to be to keep your space de-cluttered? Will you be able to press a button on the KVM to switch PCs, or do you need a remote? If you need a remote, do you want a wireless one, or will a wired unit do (connected to the KVM switch by a cable)? To help walk you through it, we tested six basic KVMs for ease of use and setup. La configurazione è stata estremamente semplice e intuitiva. Basta collegare i due PC alle porte USB designate sullo switch e poi collegare le periferiche USB (come stampanti, tastiere, mouse, hard disk esterni, ecc.) alle porte rimanenti dello switch. Il passaggio da un computer all'altro è rapido e senza intoppi. Premendo un pulsante sullo switch, posso facilmente commutare tra i due PC e utilizzare le periferiche come se fossero direttamente collegate al computer attivo. Something you should consider when shopping for a USB switch is what type of USB ports it supports. The most commonly supported ports are USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. The latter is the superior version as it has a better transfer rate than the previous.

The first step to finding the right KVM switch is taking inventory of what you'll use it with: specifically, the number of computers, monitors, and additional peripherals, such as a keyboard and mouse. You may also want to hook up a direct-connected printer, webcam, speakers, or external microphone (for all the streamers and podcasters out there).Most mainstream KVM switches support between two to four computers, one to three monitors, and two to four peripherals. A software KVM can offer distinct benefits over a hardware solution. You can avoid the tangled web of cables, as well as switch between or among PCs through hotkeys or an app, rather than pressing a physical button (although some hardware KVMs offer hotkey-based switching, as well). Method 1: “Eject” the device from within your Operating System prior to switching control of the device. This is the suggested procedure to perform prior to removing/switching any storage device from your system. The process for doing so varies depending which OS you are using. You can connect four different computers to four different devices. On top of that, it works with Mac, Windows, and Linux computers. While not as robust as the previous entry, it still covers the main systems.A USB switch selector, also known more simply as a USB switch, is a small hub device that has multiple USB ports for other gadgets. For example, a USB switch can connect a webcam, a keyboard and mouse, monitor, and printer together. Also, this model has a wireless remote compared to the Tcnewcl's wired remote, meaning more flexibility and one less cable to fuss with. Your desk could be completely de-cluttered (KVM out of sight, out of mind) with only the wireless remote in view. Given the price, the remote, the number of supported PCs, and the number of peripheral USB ports, this is the highest-instrinic-value KVM we tested. It also can be controlled remotely; there are no buttons on this model. Instead, it comes with an attachment that has a button that you can press to switch computers. Besides, the features include drag-and-drop files across the network, encrypted network traffic, sync events (logouts, shutdowns, etc.), transition prevention, etc. Specifically, Share Mouse can create a wrap-around setup where one can jump from the rightmost computer to the leftmost in a single switch. This is useful in reducing the number of hops in (a rare) case of having more than a few connected PCs.