Can I set up two computers up with the same monitors/keyboard/mouse in a modular way?
- by CodeJunkie
I have a desktop computer computer (running Windows 7), and a laptop (running OSX Mountain Lion, and maybe Ubuntu 12 eventually). When the laptop is at home, I want both the desktop and the laptop to use the same (2+) monitors, the keyboard, and the mouse (or mice, if I add a track pad). I know about KVM switches, but I want something more complicated.
I like to use Synergy to use both computers with one keyboard and mouse at the same time. Synergy requires that the keyboard and mouse be connected to one computer (the server), which shares them with other computers (clients) over wifi. the issue is that when one computer isn't logged in, Synergy doesn't work on it. Sometimes, I want my laptop to be the server (physically connected to the keyboard and mouse), and sometimes I want my desktop to be the server. This means that I need the keyboard/mouse/other USB devices to be able to switch computers without me playing musical plugs.
To complicate things further, I don't always want the same desktop set up in terms of monitors. Sometimes, I want the desktop to have both monitors. Other times, I want the laptop to control both monitors. Sometimes I want the desktop to control one monitor, and the laptop to control the other. In any case, the keyboard and mouse need to be able to be physically connected to either computer without lots of fussing with plugs. This breaks down to at least this set of possible combinations:
Desktop controls both monitors, and has a physical connection to keyboard and mouse
Laptop controls both monitors, and has a physical connection to keyboard and mouse
Desktop and laptop each control a monitor, but the desktop has a physical connection to the keyboard and mouse (which it shares with the laptop via wifi)
Desktop and laptop each control a monitor, but the laptop has a physical connection to the keyboard an mouse (which it shares with the desktop via wifi)
some usb devices connected via a usb hub need to be able to switch physical connection between computers, ideally without the keyboard and mouse switching computer connection
There may be other combinations, but these are the main ones at the moment. Basically, I need a KVM switch which allows me to switch individual monitors/keyboard/mouse/usb hub between computers independently of each other, or a better solution.
How can I set two computers up with the same monitors/mice/keyboard/usb hub without having to switch everything to one computer or the other all at the same time?
