How To Share Your Keyboard, Monitor & Mouse With Multiple Computers

Have you seen the prices of new computers? Some of them are really low, it’s quite tempting to have them around as backups or retire your older one as a ’server’. The one problem is, most of the computers with low prices do not come with a monitor or keyboard or mouse for that matter. But why would you need one when your existing peripherals still work? Besides, you really don’t want to have to switch between monitors and keyboards, clutters up your desktop and a big pain too.

That’s the kind of setup I have had for a long time. Whenever we get a new computer, we don’t buy the monitor it saves us money to just get the tower alone. Then the older one is set next to the new one and I will use that computer for stuff like initiating backups, running processes on auto pilot and also store files. It also serves as a fantastic backup unit if something ever happens to the main computer.

Both of these are hooked up to a KVM switch. It’s a little box or a bunch of cables if you get the smaller ones and lets you hookup two or more computers to the same monitor, keyboard and mouse. To view the other computer, you either flip a switch, press a button of hit a certain keyboard command, depending on the switch. You can get KVM switches for 2 computers and up. I have seen some for 16, but those come at a hefty price. Some also have audio cables that let you share your headset or speakers.

If you only need to hook up two computers, thankfully there are some more affordable ones like the Iogear MiniView which starts at $24.95. These are less bulky and are more like cables than switch boxes. They are a life saver. Something my home office will never be complete without.