Reddit reviews Plugable USB 2.0 Switch for One-Button USB Device Port Sharing Between Two Computers (AB Switch)

I Googled "USB switch" and the first result is a device that allows switching of connected devices between two computers.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006Z0Q2SI/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?gclid=COnFzLuvi7oCFYaDQgodbiYAKg

Would that work?

I had two towers (personal and client's machine) for quite a few years, and just used a KVM switch (mouse and monitor only, used the monitor inputs to handle video), but I already had the switch from the old days so it made sense to use it.

I think I'd just find a USB switch for the devices you need....

http://www.amazon.com/plugable/dp/B006Z0Q2SI?gclid=CPiR95GKrboCFUhk7AodaWAA0w

I haven't used this, it's just the first one I found in Google. There are probably lots of others out there.

If it uses a USB dongle, you could use something like this. But I don't think there's any way to use a switcher on Bluetooth.

> I understand that USB is master/slave, in that there's no way you can "sniff" usb lines.

Other way around, because it's M/S you can only sniff the protocol as a third party.

> However, how can I wire it up so that one can read/write to the hub at a time?

Yes, but you'll need a specific device for that. Note: mass storage is exactly the kind of thing you don't want to use this with due to file system consistency issues.

> I would imagine I would need to integrate a relay of some sort, but unsure of how this can be done, if at all

Yea, get another device that drives a relay with USB and then have that relay toggle the switch on the first device for you. Once you're tired of the frankenstein mess, you can either build your own integrated device to do exactly this, hope someone else builds one, or just share the filesystem over the network.

I use one of these USB switches to switch my USB hub between my Mac and PC. Works pretty well, press a button and switch monitor input.

Plugable Technologies on Amazon. I ordered a USB peripheral sharing switch from them. It came in this box.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

That seems like a cheap solution. There's a USB 3 version if you need it

This is the switch I use: http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419643320&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+switch

I haven't had any problem with it really. OSX seems to notice the switchover faster than Windows though. Sometimes Windows can take like 10 seconds to register that the keyboard and mouse are re-attached.

This should do the trick https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

Could go for something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1458937403&sr=1-1&keywords=usb+switch

There are ones with built in hubs and others that switch monitors with usb stuff, but you can already just change the input on the monitor. Plus, might affect display quantity. Idk. Back to work...

I haven't tried it, but this USB A/B switch should probably do the trick. https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

(E. T. A. : assuming its a USB mic)

Probably something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1497423536&sr=1-3&keywords=usb+switch

no, it wont work that way. you would need something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI/

and then you would have to push a button to make it switch between the two.

but you could use a network hard drive. pretty much all the new TVs support reading files from network hard drives. you could put the network hard drive into your tv and computer at the same time.

Edit: wait, actually, you can set your computer to use the USB drive as a network share. so it stays plugged into your computer, then its configured to share the files over the network.

First off, no matter what you do, you'll be getting some lag from the console. It may not be noticeable. You've got the right pieces for the puzzle, I just don't know how much lag that DAC will introduce. What model is your TV - does it have an analog out? RCA or headphones. That might be simpler than using the DAC.

\> And then my mic is USB and will plug into this USB switch which will then run unto my console and pc.

This part (the mic setup) should work fine. if the mic works on both platforms, the USB switch looks like a simple passive passthrough. So it will be like directly connecting to one device or the other.

If it's just the keyboard there are a lot of AB switches out there for that, example: Plugable USB 2.0 Switch for One-Button Swapping of USB Device/Hub Between Two Computers (A/B switch)

If you want to share the keyboard, mouse, and monitor then you are looking for a KVM switch: IOGEAR 2-Port USB KVM Switch with Cables and Remote, GCS22U

{no endorsement of products or sellers implied}

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006Z0Q2SI/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1425241038&sr=8-1&pi=SL75&keywords=Usb+switch

I use this thing to share the usb receiver for my Logitech touchpad/keyboard and mouse between my Pi and my PC for when I'm tinkering with the Pi. Works great, but there's not much reason to keep your Pi right where your PC is, is there?

You can also use an usb device like this that allows you to switch which pc is connected to the keyboard and mouse.

This seems dumb. The webcam still has a microphone that could be tapped into.

If you are really paranoid you should use something like https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI and just have the second switch not hook up to a computer (therefore basically acting like a USB on/off switch). I guess that is unless he is using a laptop or desktop with the integrated cam, in which case I think if they have activated your webcam that's the least concerning thing that they could do damage with.

Unfortunately, all the ones are designed to switch 1 connected device between two computers, which could work.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

https://www.amazon.com/Cute-USB-2-Port-Hub-Splitter/dp/B00A81ISJ6

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-USB-2-0-Cable-Male/dp/B00NH11KIK/

Ok, so you'd plug the USB splitter into a USB port on your computer, Then you'd run the USB 2.0 B cable into one of the USB B ports on the switcher.

Then you'd remove the adapter from the ifi, plug it into the other usb B port on the switcher, and then plug the dac into the usb A port on the other side.

The "two computers" would be the line with the ifi, and the line without.

Ah. Well something like this would probably work for you. Just don't plug in a 2nd computer and it's pretty much just a switch.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

After a bit more searching, it seems like something like this is what I need:

http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

Quick bit of googling gives this item. You cant connect two devices at once, as USB is two-way communication, between a host and a peripheral. A peripheral can not have multiple hosts. Any switch that toggles for multiple hosts should work fine though.

You could just get a dirt cheap USB switcher. $50 for a mouse to do what software or a $15 dongle can do is a bit absurd, I agree.

If you already own the wheel, you could try picking up one of these or something similar. The support page for the G29 says you need to set the switch before plugging it in, but if it's an actual physical switch (and what they show looks like one) then just powering the thing off, switching and then powering it back on ought to do it. But YMMV, I'm not liable for any powered USB damages or user error, I haven't tried it myself, and with the apparent cost of those things I'm not sure I would.

Yeah you can get one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

Just plug your mouse into it and you push a button and it'll swap between the PC's.

this might work. If not then you will be out of luck.

yeah, i just googled USB a/b switch https://www.amazon.ca/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

I've been using this for a while with a Logitech universal wireless keyboard and mouse. Works great!

http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458699539&sr=8-1&keywords=plugable+usb+switch

I have one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

Sometimes when you use the switch on the pluggable device, you have to un-plug and re-plug into the chromebook.

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI


I wonder if this would work... it's a good question for sure

Fair observation that I noticed as well, but this should work.

Or these

http://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

As /u/Astec123 said, you can use a KVM switch.

If you really just want to share a mouse and not a keyboard / monitor as well, you can also use a USB A/B Switch.

Another option is Synergy, software that you install on both computers that just shares the mouse and keyboard between them. I have used a previously available free version across 8 workstations driving 32 LCDs and it worked perfectly.

This might help

Can someone help me find a USB switch that takes two inputs and has two ouputs? I want to share my Keyboard & Mouse between two computers I have at my desk. I only will ever need to use 1 computer at a time so I don't want to use a solution like Synergy and I would prefer a physical switch. This product is almost exactly what I need but it only takes 1 input. I want to plug both the keyboard & mouse into it (and not have to buy another combiner).

So the flow would go:

[Keyboard] -> [Switch]

[Mouse] -> [Switch]

--

[Switch] -> [Comp 1]

[Switch] -> [Comp 2]

Perhaps simply using a USB 2.0 switch with the appropriate USB-to-USB-C cables would work?

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

Something like this might be what you're looking for: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

Hey, so I think this is what I'm going to go for. What KM Switch are you using?

One curiosity I have is that most of what I've found seem to have just one USB outport.. how do I plug both my mouse and keyboard into it?

ie
https://www.amazon.ca/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1475014628&sr=8-4&keywords=km+switch

So there are dual monitor KVM switches, but they seem unnecessarily expensive. Do the monitors happen to have multiple inputs? Then you could, for example, connect the laptop to the monitors with VGA, and connect the desktop with DVI, then just manually switch inputs on the monitors.

For the kb and mouse, a simple USB switch is cheap and easy.

Then the HDMI to the TV is another wrinkle...

Two ways(untested).

One way would be to connect dumb device to a smart phone that can act as USB storage. Enable Wifi file server android app and point to the folder where dumb device dumps to. Then write an rsync script. If dumb device don't see smartphone, read on.

This is another way but you're getting your hands dirty.
Get either one of these or something like this. https://www.amazon.ca/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

If you have a hub laying around test it with dumb device.

It's an A/B switch for a hub. You can either push the button yourself or get an arduino(the arduino alone could be config'd to A/B*) and mod it so it pushes that button on a script that runs every x minutes.

Script idea: x=10 1. 10 minutes up yet? 2. get USB from AB to linux. 3. sync data somewhere. 4. send USB back for 10 minutes. 5. goto 1

• /r/arduino would be better to look into that if you're interested. This method would probably work the best.

Yeah, only instead of PS/2 ports and VGA, just for USB.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

But guaranteed to work with wireless dongles for keyboard/mouse combos.

Search for "switching USB hub."

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

https://www.amazon.com/IOGEAR-Peripheral-Sharing-Switch-GUS402/dp/B00BD8I2OY

KVM switches are a thing, but you are looking more for a USB switch. Pair it up with hubs if necessary.

Here is one example:
https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

Edit: The link is A/B, but you want one that is A/A

I think you would most likely need two independent hubs, one for the HDMI/Displayport and one for the USB connection, devices such as this https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI

I think there does exist some devices which switch both HDMi and USB but are expensive, like

PS4 at least doesn't have the invite option, unless it's hidden else where. In the context menu for a chat there's every option but that, it's kind of weird because that's probably the most used feature... I've been looking into KVM switches to swap my keyboard from PC to PS4 for pure sanity lol. I'm leaning towards this: https://www.amazon.com/Plugable-One-Button-Swapping-Between-Computers/dp/B006Z0Q2SI/

So I'd just have to hit a button to go from PC to PS4 mode. I have 4 displays in my setup and the PS4 is the only one that doesn't play nice.