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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Kvm Query
deoxy - Oct 24, 2005 - 12:55 pm
Hi - I have 2 macs (a g4 and g5) and 1 pc and want to share 1 monitor, keyboard and mouse and will be using a mac keyboard so would like to know what would be suitable ?(I've read that Iogear are good for mac but don't support wacom tablet)) but I would be using a mac keyboard and would my usb 2 devices operate at usb2 speed as the spec of the Iogear says usb1.1 - is this the same for all kvm?
I also use a Wacom Intuos tablet/mouse, have a belkin tetra usb2 hub and 2 usb printers, a usb scanner but i guess some of these could be directly linked to the G5
also sometime in the future i want to get a dvi monitor so what would i need for that ? I use a the G5 as my main machine...
thanks in advance...
I also use a Wacom Intuos tablet/mouse, have a belkin tetra usb2 hub and 2 usb printers, a usb scanner but i guess some of these could be directly linked to the G5
also sometime in the future i want to get a dvi monitor so what would i need for that ? I use a the G5 as my main machine...
thanks in advance...
jcgill - Oct 24, 2005 - 7:33 pm
Hi, Roger.
For the first question, I'd recommend any quality USB KVM. I say USB, because they come in two basic varieties in the PC world, USB and PS/2. I have found that most PS/2 KVMs will not work with a PS/2 to USB adapter; there doesn't seem to be enough power in a standalone unit. As for the tablet, do you use that for only one Mac or both? If only one, plug it into that one and add a mouse to the KVM. I suspect that Macs are smart enough to use two pointing devices at a time.
As for your next question, again, it depends on the KVM you select. If you're truly concerned about speed, a switching USB hub may be in order for your peripherals, though that's just one more thing to buy.
And for DVI, you'd have to use a DVI to VGA adapter with a standard, consumer grade KVM. That would also likely negate the benefit of going DVI.
I hope some of this helps.
If the G5 is your main machine and you use the other(s) for less intensive tasks, may I recommend a VNC solution instead. You could connect all of your peripherals to the G5 and share the printer, disk, etc over a network. then using same network, you could "remote control" the other machine(s) from an application on your G5.
Just a thought.
--------
-Jason
For the first question, I'd recommend any quality USB KVM. I say USB, because they come in two basic varieties in the PC world, USB and PS/2. I have found that most PS/2 KVMs will not work with a PS/2 to USB adapter; there doesn't seem to be enough power in a standalone unit. As for the tablet, do you use that for only one Mac or both? If only one, plug it into that one and add a mouse to the KVM. I suspect that Macs are smart enough to use two pointing devices at a time.
As for your next question, again, it depends on the KVM you select. If you're truly concerned about speed, a switching USB hub may be in order for your peripherals, though that's just one more thing to buy.
And for DVI, you'd have to use a DVI to VGA adapter with a standard, consumer grade KVM. That would also likely negate the benefit of going DVI.
I hope some of this helps.
If the G5 is your main machine and you use the other(s) for less intensive tasks, may I recommend a VNC solution instead. You could connect all of your peripherals to the G5 and share the printer, disk, etc over a network. then using same network, you could "remote control" the other machine(s) from an application on your G5.
Just a thought.
--------
-Jason
deoxy - Oct 25, 2005 - 4:01 am
Thanks Jason,
I have just set up a network which one of your colleagues, Michael, helped me with so I wondered about using the network myself...do you know what application I would use to remote control? I've seen there is a remote desktop client for controlling the pc from a mac but only works on Xp Pro which wouldn't be much use as I need to use the pc for testing web sites so I need to use older Os's for IE WIN 5 and 5.5...
The G5 is where I do most of my work but need to lose the other keyboards etc...
cheers
Roger
I have just set up a network which one of your colleagues, Michael, helped me with so I wondered about using the network myself...do you know what application I would use to remote control? I've seen there is a remote desktop client for controlling the pc from a mac but only works on Xp Pro which wouldn't be much use as I need to use the pc for testing web sites so I need to use older Os's for IE WIN 5 and 5.5...
The G5 is where I do most of my work but need to lose the other keyboards etc...
cheers
Roger
deoxy - Oct 25, 2005 - 4:09 pm
I took your advice and got a VPN server (OSXVnc) etc and seems to work ok - is it secure? do u recommend a vnc viewer as I've got chicken of the Vpn as the makers of the server recommend it...
Do you know much about it, how it works etc?
i will introduce the pcee into the LAN tomorrow so hopefully that will work as well...
cheers
Roger
Do you know much about it, how it works etc?
i will introduce the pcee into the LAN tomorrow so hopefully that will work as well...
cheers
Roger
jcgill - Oct 25, 2005 - 5:55 pm
Hey, Roger.
Yeah, COTvnc will work just fine. As far as security, you'll have to look at the documentation for each application. You can often trade security for performance. Keep in mind that unless your LAN is open to the Internet, you'll be relatively secure. A standard router/firewall appliance will prevent anyone on the Internet side from reaching your VNC server easily.
As far as how it works, I'm fuzzy on the details myself, but I understand this sort of thing has been done for years on end in the UNIX world. That's also a little out of the scope of this thread.
Nonetheless, I'm glad we could help.
BTW, if the PC you're introducing is running Windows XP Pro, it already has a remote desktop solution built-in. All you have to do is download Microsoft's remote desktop client for Mac and you're in. If not, RealVNC or another approriate server for Windows will work just fine with COTvnc.
Good luck!
--------
-Jason
Yeah, COTvnc will work just fine. As far as security, you'll have to look at the documentation for each application. You can often trade security for performance. Keep in mind that unless your LAN is open to the Internet, you'll be relatively secure. A standard router/firewall appliance will prevent anyone on the Internet side from reaching your VNC server easily.
As far as how it works, I'm fuzzy on the details myself, but I understand this sort of thing has been done for years on end in the UNIX world. That's also a little out of the scope of this thread.
Nonetheless, I'm glad we could help.
BTW, if the PC you're introducing is running Windows XP Pro, it already has a remote desktop solution built-in. All you have to do is download Microsoft's remote desktop client for Mac and you're in. If not, RealVNC or another approriate server for Windows will work just fine with COTvnc.
Good luck!
--------
-Jason
deoxy - Oct 26, 2005 - 3:55 am
Jason - I am using a netgear dg834gt will that be ok as it comes with firewall settings for keeping people out of the LAN - or will I need to change the setup from standard?
I thought about remote desktop for Pc but would be no good as I will be using older OS's than xp pro...I will try the RealVnc today and hopefully will go smoothly...
As I've got your ear, have you any idea why when i reboot my G5 sometimes it will change monitor profiles or sometimes delete them - same thing happens occasionally with my screen res reverts to 800x600?? and also sometimes it won't let me alter my settings at all and gives me an error noise when I try??? very confusing as I never had this with my G4...
Btw I am using a vga mitsubishi 20" diamond plus 200- I've just thought could it be because I am using a vga adapter on the g5's DVI socket?
cheers
Roger
I thought about remote desktop for Pc but would be no good as I will be using older OS's than xp pro...I will try the RealVnc today and hopefully will go smoothly...
As I've got your ear, have you any idea why when i reboot my G5 sometimes it will change monitor profiles or sometimes delete them - same thing happens occasionally with my screen res reverts to 800x600?? and also sometimes it won't let me alter my settings at all and gives me an error noise when I try??? very confusing as I never had this with my G4...
Btw I am using a vga mitsubishi 20" diamond plus 200- I've just thought could it be because I am using a vga adapter on the g5's DVI socket?
cheers
Roger
jcgill - Oct 26, 2005 - 12:15 pm
That router should be just fine.
As far as the other issues, perhaps you can submit another question.
My specialty is networking, so the monitor issues aren't familiar to me. There are other techs that can help, I'm sure.
--------
-Jason
As far as the other issues, perhaps you can submit another question.
My specialty is networking, so the monitor issues aren't familiar to me. There are other techs that can help, I'm sure.
--------
-Jason
deoxy - Oct 26, 2005 - 1:15 pm
cheers - i will do so...
Got the pc working...One thing i noticed on the pc desktop sharing on the mac vnc the cursor is slow - is this normal?
Got the pc working...One thing i noticed on the pc desktop sharing on the mac vnc the cursor is slow - is this normal?
jcgill - Oct 27, 2005 - 6:23 pm
Yes, it tends to be a little slow for PC.
If you have them, you can turn on options for higher-bandwidth connections. That may help.
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-Jason
If you have them, you can turn on options for higher-bandwidth connections. That may help.
--------
-Jason
deoxy - Oct 28, 2005 - 4:24 am
cheers ;-)
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