Does anyone USE a Belkin F1D104-USB?

[TheBigZ]

I've read the various descriptions of this USB kvm switch, and I just can't wrap my mind around something. I get how the kvm part works (I have regular Belkin kvm now), but the built in usb port on the front is what is tripping me up. Are these devices able to be shared between the PCs using the kvm? Or is this just a traditional usb port expander?

Thanks.

 

[TheBigZ]

^

 

[Zach]

I've not used one, but I'm positive it works like a regular KVM. Hitting the button to pick another computer is just a safe version of yanking out the keyboard, video, and mouse leads from one system and sticking them in another. Being USB, there's less reason to worry, but it's easier.

Think about if it were a traditional USB hub: You'd be splitting it to two computers. Even if it did work, your mouse and keybaord would have the same effect on both. Don't do a CTRL+ALT+DEL then.. that's why there's always a switch involved.

 

[TheBigZ]

I've got that part Zach. The usb ports that go to each PC are on the back. But on the front, there are 4 other usb ports for DEVICES. My question is, are those devices (like the scanner & stuff like) also somehow shared between the PCs? From some stuff I read it sounds like it, from other stuff, it sounds more like those 4 usb ports on the front are simply a way to expand one usb port to four.

 

[TheBigZ]

Well, I finally gave up & called Belkin... here's the skinny from them:

The 4 USB ports on the front of the unit ARE shared between the 1 to 4 PC's hooked up to the KVM. But they also included this word of warning... When you change to a different PC, you lose contact with those USB devices. IE: If you are doing a large printing job on one of the PC's, and you switch to another PC before the job is done, **poof**, the print aborts.

So it works pretty much the way I had hoped.