[Tfug] KVM switches and Gentoo (update!)

[Christopher Robbins]

Good news!  The switch really DOES work!

By chance, I've obtained yet another box...In the process of setting it up,
I gave the switch a try and it worked.  I've used a regular PS/2 mouse and
keyboard and it works fine.  I guess it was a bit finnicky about the USB
reciever on my Logitech board.

Thanks again

-Chris

On 8/12/06, Adrian <choprboy at dakotacom.net> wrote:
>
> On Saturday 12 August 2006 17:37, bigj at flatwan.net wrote:
> > >
> > > Some switches need to be switched to that machine before powering on
> that
> > > machine.  Some of them miss the mouse completely if it's not targeting
> > > that
> > > computer while it is powering on.
> > >
> >
> > Seriously? Yuck. One of the purposes of a KVM is to keep all ports
> captive
> > so that this doesn't happen. Get a new KVM if that is the case 'cause
> that
> > is a PITA if that is true.
> >
>
> Yes... Unfortunately he is exactly right. Many of the cheaper KVMs
> available
> (re: less than $100-150) have 2 problems that I have found. 1) Many are
> powered by the PS2 and/or monitor cables, so they suffer from lack of
> power
> problems, particularly when several machines are connected, but only 1 is
> on.
> 2) The most important, the port state is completely passive, the KVM
> itself
> does not save/replay/emulate any peripheral devices, so it must often be
> switched to the device on boot to recognize properly.
>
> I just went thru this last month, fighting with a Linksys KVM. Even with
> both
> machines on all the time, the PS2 would drop periodically and the machine
> would not re-recognize a device there (always either the keyboard or
> mouse).
> I finally gave up after a couple weeks of trying different cables/configs
> and
> just dropped 2 monitors and keyboards on the desk for the user.
>
> Adrian
>
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-- 
Chris Robbins
Dept. of English Technical Support
http://www.homerengineeringcorp.net