KVM & Laptop

**mapman** · September 10th, 2005, 07:24 PM

Howdy..this is my first time posting here.

I just purchased a 2-Port KVM Switch from Belkin for PS/2 connections.

I have attached it to my desktop, an HP AMD 3000+ and to my laptop, an IBM Thinkpad P4 1600.

The laptop has a USB connector for the mouse, but the docking station has the PS/2 connections and so I made the connection there.

If I only turn on the laptop, the KVM recognizes it fine and I am able to use the mouse, keyboard and monitor.

If I then turn on my desktop, I am able to switch over to the desktop, but not back to the laptop. This is also true if the desktop is started first or if they are both started at the same time.

I am using a wireless compaq mouse with a USB connection and I have attached it to the KVM switch with a USB > PS/2 adapter.

The monitor, keyboard and mouse all work fine with the desktop.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Tech support is closed and the Belkin website is not very helpful.

**confus-ed** · September 11th, 2005, 02:56 AM

Originally Posted by mapman

..I am using a wireless compaq mouse with a USB connection and I have attached it to the KVM switch with a USB > PS/2 adapter..

Hi mapman & welcome to windrivers forums, I think you must be an optomistic soul, if you expected all of that to work flawlessly

Perhaps just try a ps/2 keyboard, first ?

**ShadowWynd** · September 13th, 2005, 08:41 AM

If you are using a USB anything you need to have a USB KVM. Using a USB->PS/2 adapter doesnt work very well on any KVMs I have seen - you have to restart the computer for it to see the mouse every time you switch away. Either get PS/2 gear or a USB KVM.

**George Arrietta** · September 21st, 2005, 11:24 AM

I had the same problem where the desktop worked just fine but not the laptop.
I fixed the problem connecting the mouse and keyboard to the ports on the laptop itself, NO the docking station.
Now, your KVM switch has PS/2 connectors, you might need adapters or I would return it and get one with USB connectors.
I hope this helps.
Regards.
G.A.

P.S. You might need drivers for your docking station. Windows XP usually detects the new hardware and prompts you to install them.
Alternatively, check the manufacturer web page.