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Share a keyboard, monitor and mouse Connect your KVM switch Let's now go through the steps, one-by-one, for connecting a KVM switch. As we've done throughout this how-to article, we'll use the Belkin SOHO 4-Port KVM with audio (USB platform) as a good example of the latest type of KVM switches. Step 1 - Gather the equipment The first step is to gather the equipment you'll need. This includes the KVM switch, the power supply (although some KVM switches do not require power supplies) and the necessary, special cables. Make sure the cables work with your particular KVM switch and are the proper length to reach the computers you'll be using. For our Belkin KVM switch, we used Belkin's own OmniView KVM cables for SOHO series with audio. As you can see in the picture below, this includes a VGA cable (closet to the switch), audio cables for speaker/output and microphone (the green and pink connectors) and a USB cable. The VGA cable is high quality and Belkin recommends coaxial cables of this quality to get the best display resolution. Keep in that in mind if you try to use cheaper cables.
Step 2 - Prepare the computers This step is unique to the USB platform switch but, as Belkin points out, it is an important first step. Connect the power supply to the KVM switch and, BEFORE you remove the normal video, keyboard and mouse connected to your computer, boot your computer as you normally would. Once the operating system is loaded, connect the powered-on switch to the computer via the USB cable. The computer will detect the KVM switch and automatically load the proper drivers. Once the driver is installed, you can power down the computer. REPEAT this step for each computer that will be connected. Switches built on the PS/2 platform normally do not require this step.
Step 3 - Connect the console and computers Now, with the computers still powered off, connect the monitor, keyboard and mouse (combined this is often known as the "console") to the KVM switch. With this Belkin model, we also connected our speaker and microphone cable to the KVM switch. Next, we connected each set of OmniView cables to the four computers it would control. The VGA cable was connected to the computer's monitor out jack and the USB cable was connected to one of the two USB jacks on the back of the computer. Next, we connected the audio cables to the speaker out and microphone in jacks. And, finally, we used the Belkin's unique cable management system...essentially a top on the KVM switch...to bundle all of the cables neatly out the back. Very nice.
Step 4 - Using the switch With everything connected, we powered on the KVM switch and then powered on all of the computers connected to it. A quick push on one of the four buttons on the front of the switch, resulted in that computer being displayed on the monitor and the keyboard and mouse controlling that computer. This particular switch also allows you to use keyboard hot keys to change the computer being controlled. That's all there is to it. Welcome to the world of KVM switching!
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