IOGear USB 2.0 Peripherals Sharing Switch GUB201

• Device Type - Switch
• Manufacturer Warranty - 3 years
• Enclosure Color - Black
• - USB devices Hot pluggable.

I got this thing to share a keyboard and mouse (which are plugged into a USB hub) with 2 computers. I was tired of having 2 keyboards and 2 mice on my desk!

I am using a Dell LCD monitor that has a built in USB ports and supports VGA and DVI simultaneously via a built in switch.

I can now plug in all my USB peripherals (external hard drive, keyboard and mouse) into my monitor hub and at the touch of a switch can toggle between the 2 towers.

It simply works, it takes a few seconds to kick in, but it works every time. No software installation necessary.

Note: The package comes with 1 USB cable only so if you are looking to use it the way I did you would need 2 additional USB cables.

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I bought this to share a keyboard and mouse between 2 computers (a Mac and a Dell)that each have their own monitors, so I didn't need a full KVM switch. After a quick 3 minute installation, this does the trick. Bus powered, so no external power supply and there is no need to install any software for it.

Read Best Reviews of IOGear USB 2.0 Peripherals Sharing Switch GUB201 Here

I use this to use one wireless keyboard and mouse with two computers. It works fine. The only thing I don't like is that it takes several seconds for the switch to work. That's not helpful if I am doing instant messenging on one computer in which I need to switch back and forth quickly. The install CD had an error message which showed up on both computers. Fortunately I could download the program from their web site.

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BACKGROUND:

I, that is to say we, share an HP Printer/Copier/Scanner, and it works just fine. Our home office set-up on the other-hand does not work so well. As it turns out it's a Windows XP problem. You see, I set-up the computers on a network, and that works fine. With one caveat, you cannot share a scanner on XP. You can share everything else, but not a scanner.

And boy do I do a lot of scanning. So, through the network we can share the printer, but if I want to scan, I have to unplug it from the one computer, and plug it into my computer. This (as you can probably see) wasn't going to work. So, what to do? Get a USB "Resource Sharing" device.

I had purchased 2 other USB "Resource Sharing" devices, but I couldn't get either of them to work. What? A USB device that won't work? I've never heard of such a thing. And it happened twice! I was stumped. So, we went back to plugging and unplugging. Sigh...

Months later, I went hunting (again), but this time here on Amazon. I looked over all of the USB "Resource Sharing" devices, and I read all of the reviews, and then I (with trepidation, thinking back on my last 2 failed USB devices) made my purchase.

THE PURCHASE:

As it turns out, this device only comes with one cable, so I had to order another cable. Not a big deal, I needed something like a 16' cable anyway. Fortunately, a couple of the reviewers mentioned the one cable thing. I also thought it was odd that these devices cannot be sent to P.O. Boxes, but, again, no big deal.

THE PRODUCT:

With fear in my eye, I opened the package to the IOGEAR USB 2.0 Peripheral Sharing Switch, and followed the instructions. They went as follows:

1 Connect it to computer 1

2 Connect it to computer 2

3 Connect it to the "printer/scanner" (in my situation)

That was it! Our computers went ding-donk, letting us know that a USB had connected, and little bubbles came up saying that new hardware had been detected and was ready, and the little switch itself went beep a couple of times saying that is was ready.

Guess what happened? It worked! I pushed the button on the switch, and the one computer can print & scan, I push the button again, and my computer can print & scan. I was so thrilled about something that didn't require any configuring, or reboots or any bother. Phew!

Something else that I like about how IOGEAR set this product up. It came with software, but even they say you don't need it. The only thing the software does is put a switch button on your computer desktop (instead of manually pushing the button on the device itself).

Thank-you IOGEAR for making a simple device that is simple to install, and simply works.

I installed this product and now both of my computers share the same printer. Installation was quick and easy, even with my two computers running different versions of Windows.

Soooo.. If I "power on" only Computer 1, the switch automatically connects the printer to THAT computer. Of course, if I only "power on" computer 2, the switch will connect to THAT one. Could it be more simple?? By installing the supplied software [CD], I can activate switching from computer 1 to 2 or 2 to 1 simply by tapping the NUM LOCK button twice on the keyboard of the computer that I want to be switched to. I don't even have to stretch my tired body to press the button on the unit!! I repeat could it be more simple?

The unit works flawlessly.

AND.. I paid half the price of the local retail stores!