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KVM switch giving major problems...

E

Elledan

Banned
I've got a Belkin OmniCube 2-port KVM switch to switch between two systems (Win2k Pro and SuSe Linux). Now when I switch from one system to the other, there's a 40% chance that either the mouse or keyboard (or both) doesn't work. I've to physically unplug the thing and plug it in again to get it working.

With XWindows, the mouse always moves to the right side of the screen and stays there almost every single time I switch from the other system to the Linux box running KDE.

Can you keep me from throwing this stupid KVM switch out of the window? =(
 
Here is a Linux trick i learned with my Omni...

If you switch to a linux system running XWindows, and your mouse is going all crazy..

Do this:

Switch to another virutual console with just a text login on it by using the CTRL-ALT-F1 thru CTRL-ALT-F6 key combos...

Then SWITCH BACK to X-WINDOWS by going to virtual console 7... by CTRL-ALT-F7

Seems to work for me..



 

DaHitman's solution is what I have to do as well. I thought it was just my silly old mechanical 4-port KVM (the ol' beige kind with a real dial to switch between computers).
 
Does sympathy help. I suffer the same problem between my three win 2k machines.

I switch to another session then switch back. Usualy does the trick.

Can I add to this thread by saying does anyone also suffer with explorer mice. I find that if a use the wheel on the mouse the omni box does something to the input which makes some of the wheel clicks look like you have pressed the back browser button.

Very very anoying.
 


<< Here is a Linux trick i learned with my Omni...

If you switch to a linux system running XWindows, and your mouse is going all crazy..

Do this:

Switch to another virutual console with just a text login on it by using the CTRL-ALT-F1 thru CTRL-ALT-F6 key combos...

Then SWITCH BACK to X-WINDOWS by going to virtual console 7... by CTRL-ALT-F7

Seems to work for me.. >>


Nope, no such luck 🙁

I even tried a couple of different WM's, but without success...

Perhaps I'll just install some remote control software and be done with it =(
 
It's beginning to dawn on me that it could very well be bad cables. I'll try to get a replacement and see whether that fixes it.

I'll keep you guys updated =)
 
I have the Belkin OmniView 2-port, and I get the keyboard problems sometimes. I will switch to the Linux side, and the keyboard won't work, so I'll switch back to XP by pressing the button on the switch, and the keyboard works. Sometimes it happens the other way around. I'm not sure about the mouse thing because I'm using two different mice right now, because I can't find my damn USB to PS/2 adapter for my logitech optical. If you find out what the problem is, make sure to post it.
 
You can count on it, trmiv 🙂

By the way, now that I've been thinking about it some more, isn't a KVM and a remote control app like VNC the same thing?

The price of a two NIC's and a piece of Cat-5 cable is much cheaper than a KVM as well, and the software is usually free or rather cheap. Hmm....

*looks at the KVM switch on the desk with a rather cruel smile*
 
Even the high end KVM's by Belkin do not work properly. And if you ask support, you will get dumb questions like, is your cable connected?, is the mouse connected?, did you install the mouse drivers properly?, is the unit on?, did you reset it?, UNIX? ummm, uh?, we will get back to you, blah, blah. . .they would just tell you to do the obvious things you should have done before calling them. And most replies are just automated emails. Calling them is another matter. . . to be short, their support blows, just as much as NEC's.
I personally would not recommend a Belkin to anyone. Just remote console with VNC, Exceed, or whatever you like. In the end, it would be less of ahead ache.

 
Thank you, LNXman. I actually had no idea that Belkin's tech support was that horrible =( Thanks for saving me the experience 😉

Anyone here who wants to buy a hardly used Belkin KVM switch for only $100? =)
 
Ive got a 4 port kvm and I havent had these problems. On occassion the monitor would go black, but I blame that on the monitor (I think its dying since I get some funky menu-like thing I cant get rid of on the screen).
 
I haven't yet had a chance to try out new cables, but I did download and install VNC.

I'm typing this message from within VNC viewer, in Netscape under Linux (the second system the KVM switch was connected to).

I now can't help but wonder why I didn't install VNC much sooner instead of buying a KVM switch =)
 


<< 🙂 That goes to show you there are so many other, headache-free, alternatives out there. . . 😉 >>

Well, not totally headache-free, actually. Some programs, including Konqueror refuse to start (it just crashes), because there's something wrong with the colors of the display.

Weird.
 
You could try remote X connections to your other XFree86 Boxes.
But you are right, VNC has a very limited color pellete, and limited resolution handling which makes it not too "headache-free". My bad. . . 😉
 
You're excused 😛

I won't be using VNC that much, actually, since most of my systems are CLI-only, so Telnet/SSH is enough.
 
I was having the nastiest problem with my 4port belkin at work untill i noticed something today.

to switch pc's, i double tap "Scroll Lock" and then choose the number I want. Thing is... linux actually catches that first "scroll lock" and does just that. So it'll act just like your keyboard isn't working.

bart
 
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