KVM Switch

Hello Macsters,

Is there a such thing for a Mac like a KVM is for PCs?

The company I work with has 4 Macs with monitors taking up a lot of space. A KVM switch would tidy things up a bit.

Thanks in advance

Couriant
Newly Mac Enthusiast

Couriant said:

Hello Macsters,

Is there a such thing for a Mac like a KVM is for PCs?

The company I work with has 4 Macs with monitors taking up a lot of space. A KVM switch would tidy things up a bit.

Thanks in advance

Couriant
Newly Mac Enthusiast

Click to expand...

Absolutely. I use a Tripp-Lite USB KVM switch on my MacBook Pro and my Dell desktop at work. It works great.

Any USB KVM switch should work fine, as long as it doesn't require special software to access a console (some higher-end models actually do). I would recommend the Belkin's KVM switches, they tend to work very well.

cwa107 said:

Absolutely. I use a Tripp-Lite USB KVM switch on my MacBook Pro and my Dell desktop at work. It works great.

Any USB KVM switch should work fine, as long as it doesn't require special software to access a console (some higher-end models actually do). I would recommend the Belkin's KVM switches, they tend to work very well.

Click to expand...

wow 149.99 retail!

I saw the same model for $116 @ macconnection.com I wonder why it's more expensive for Macs than PCs...

So wait, you have both PCs and Macs together?

Couriant said:

wow 149.99 retail!

I saw the same model for $116 @ macconnection.com I wonder why it's more expensive for Macs than PCs...

So wait, you have both PCs and Macs together?

Click to expand...

Yep, it's really not a problem. You don't need a Mac-specific KVM switch, just a USB KVM switch. Belkin's are more expensive because they tend to be of higher quality. Nothing is worse than a crappy USB switch - especially if you work in multiple operating systems.

I hear that I wonder if there is an 8-port one... that would be more better for what I need here.

Couriant said:

I hear that I wonder if there is an 8-port one... that would be more better for what I need here.

Click to expand...

There are, but generally they get more expensive the more ports they have. I have a 16 port KVM in one of my server racks at work and I think that went for something like $1600.

I received my IOGEAR GCS1762 ( http://www.iogear.com/main.php?loc=product&Item=GCS1762 ) just yesterday. I have both my MBP and my AMD64 PC hooked up to it and they both share my 2407WFP and it works fine with my Bluetooth Logitech Keyboard and Mouse. What's cool about it is that you can do the switching via hotkeys and you have an option of just switching thd display and not the keyboard and mouse, or just the peripherals and a bunch of other options.

That all sounds good. I think it may be better to get one 8port for what we have here... but I will look around for some others.

Anyone of you guys know much about Mac networking?