printers info

Can I “daisy chain” USB devices off a KVM switch?

I just bought a small KVM switch for my home office that lets me use one USB keyboard, USB mouse, and SVGA monitor between my personal desktop PC and my company’s laptop. It works great. The KVM switch specifies which USB port to put the mouse into and which one to put the keyboard into. Which surprises me. I wouldn’t have thought it made a difference, but the switch does provide feedback to the computers so they don’t go bananas when suddenly all their peripherals disappear. So maybe it does, somehow, make a difference.

My ultimate question is this – if I plugged a USB hub into, say, the mouse’s USB port on the KVM switch, and then plugged both the mouse AND my USB printer into the hub… would it work? Would it share the printer between the two?

I doubt it (as you say, the KVM switch is expecting a KB: & Mouse, not a Printer )

But you can install the printer on one PC and enable ‘Printer Sharing’ (start – settings – printers & faxes – right click the printer & select ’sharing’) on that PC.

Then on the other computers, launch ‘Add Printer’ wizard & check the ‘install a network printer or a printer attached to another computer …’

Printer Scanner Sharing Switch Hub 2 PC to 1 USB Device $7.49

Printer Scanner Sharing Switch Hub 4 PC to 1 USB Device $8.24

USB 2.0 Sharing Switch 4 Port Hub for Printer Scanner $17.99

USB 2.0 Sharing Switch 2 Port Hub for Printer Scanner $10.49

USB 2.0 Switch for Printer Hub Device Sharing w/Cables $13.95

USB 2.0 Switch for Printer Hub Device Sharing w/Cables $13.95

2 Ports USB Sharing Switch Hub for Printer Scanner $15.21

4 Port USB 2.0 PC Scanner Printer Sharing Switch Box $8.19

4 PORT USB 2.0 SHARING SWITCH SELECTOR FOR PRINTER NEW $8.44

4 PORT USB 2.0 SHARING SWITCH HUB FOR PRINTER SCANNER $7.68

4 PORT USB 2.0 SHARING SWITCH SELECTOR FOR PRINTER NEW $7.68

4 PORT USB 2.0 SHARING SWITCH HUB FOR PRINTER SCANNER $8.44

Printer Scanner Sharing Switch Hub 2 PC to 1 USB Device $8.49

Printer Scanner Sharing Switch Hub 4 PC to 1 USB Device $9.24

USB 2.0 Sharing Switch 2 Port Hub for Printer Scanner $11.49

USB 2.0 Sharing Switch 4 Port Hub for Printer Scanner $18.99

4 Port USB 2.0 PC Scanner Printer Sharing Switch Box $8.19

2 Ports USB Sharing Switch Hub for Printer Scanner $14.86

4-port USB 2.0 Sharing Switch to share printer ,scanner $27.00

NEW 4-PORT USB 2.0 SHARING SWITCH HUB FOR PRINTER PC $7.79

USB 2.0 Switch for Printer Hub Device Sharing w/Cables $13.95

USB 2.0 Switch for Printer Hub Device Sharing w/Cables $13.95

Printer + Scanner USB 2.0 PC Sharing Switch 2 Ports Hub $5.99

4 PORT USB 2.0 SHARING SWITCH HUB FOR PRINTER SCANNER $8.44

Printer + Scanner USB 2.0 PC Sharing Switch 2 Ports Hub $7.29

USB 2.0 4 to 1 Auto Printer Sharing Switch $39.99

IOGEAR GUB211 USB 2.0 PRINTER AUTO SHARING SWITCH $22.95

2 Port USB 2.0 Printer Scanner Sharing Switch Selector $8.98

4 PORT USB 2.0 SHARING SWITCH HUB FOR PRINTER SCANNER $6.44

USB 2 Port Auto Switch Sharing HUB Box Printer Scanner $1.99

USB 2 Port Auto Switch Sharing HUB Box Printer Scanner $1.99

Printer Scanner Sharing Switch Hub 2 PC to 1 USB Device $1.99

Printer Scanner Sharing Switch Hub 4 PC to 1 USB Device $1.99

USB 2.0 Sharing Switch 2 Port Hub for Printer Scanner $3.99

USB 2.0 Sharing Switch 4 Port Hub for Printer Scanner $13.99

USB 2.0 4 Port PC Printer Sharing Switch Box #5190 $6.59

2-port USB 2.0 Sharing Switch to share printer ,scanner $10.50

USB 2.0 Sharing Switch Hub 2 PC to 1 Printer/Scanner $11.75

4 Port USB 2.0 Printer Scanner Sharing Switch Selector $8.75

USB 2.0 Sharing Switch 2 Port Hub for Printer Scanner $11.70

4 Port USB 2.0 Sharing Switch Hub for Printer Scanner $8.20

2 Port USB 2.0 Auto Sharing Printer Scanner Switch Hub $11.99

2 Port USB 2.0 Sharing Switch 2 PC to 1 Printer Scanner $8.70

USB 2.0 Sharing Switch Hub 2 PC to 1 Scanner Printer $8.38

TRIPP LITE U215-004-R 4 PORT USB PRINTER SHARING SWITCH $42.95

USB 2.0 Sharing Switch 2 Port Hub for Printer Scanner $12.77

2 Port USB 2.0 Printer Scanner Auto Sharing Switch Box $6.59

4 Port USB 2.0 Sharing Switch HUB Box F Printer Scanner $1.00

USB 2.0 4 Port Manual Sharing Switch HUB Box 4 Printer $1.00

2 Port Auto Switch Sharing USB HUB Box Printer Scanner $1.99

Aluratek AUS0202 – 2-Port USB 2.0 Printer/Peripheral Auto Sharing Switch $20.03 Share your USB peripheral devices between 2 computers. With Aluratek’s AUS0202 USB 2.0 Auto Sharing Switch, you are able to share a USB device without continuous connect and disconnect cable between computers. Setup is fast and easy, just plug-in the included USB cables to the switch and computers and you are all set. You can switch by using the Push Button on top of the switch or type the HotKeys…

IOGear 2-Port USB 2.0 Printer Auto Sharing Switch $15.14 IOGEAR’s USB 2.0 Printer Auto Sharing Switch enables two PCs and/or Macs to easily share one USB printer, multi-function printer, or USB device. No more plugging and unplugging between your computers. Simply send the print job and the switch automatically makes the swap for you….

IOGear USB 2.0 Peripherals Sharing Switch GUB201 $44.99 IOGEAR’s premium USB 2.0 Peripheral Sharing Switch enables two PCs and/or Macs to share one USB device or group of USB devices through a USB Hub on one-at-a-time base. The peripheral can be assigned to a computer either manually or with hot keys (plug-n-play). Unique advanced management is available through a Windows-based application (included) that can limit or extend the sharing capabilities be…

IOGEAR GUB401 4 to 1 USB 2.0 Peripheral Sharing Switch $34.99 IOGEAR’s premium USB 2.0 Peripheral Sharing Switch enables two PCs and/ or Macs to share one USB device or group of USB devices through a USB Hub on one-at-a-time base. The peripheral can be assigned to a computer either manually or with hot keys (plug-n-play). Unique advanced management is available through a Windows-based application (included) that can limit or extend the sharing capabilities b…