I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

(To avoid the new hardware pop-up.)

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave

Jim Thompson wrote:

I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

(To avoid the new hardware pop-up.)


A new KVM with USB capabilities comes to mind. maybe something like
this:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2765034&CatId=598

Some other USB KVM he

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=usb+kvm&image1.x=14&image1.y=9


--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

(To avoid the new hardware pop-up.)

If you're getting the "new hardware found" wizard pop-up after the first time
you plug the mouse in, you've got one cheap mouse -- they didn't bother
sticking an electronic serial number in each mouse, so Windows has no means of
"tracking" the mouse between insertions (and doesn't even try to do it
heuristically).

Anyway, I agree with Michael's suggestion -- a KVM switch is probably the
easiest way to "fake out" the PCs into thinking they still always have mice
connected. Ive have a couple of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817107417 ... and they
work well. Wal*Mart (at least around here) has them, so you could grab one in
Phoenix and return it easily if it doesn't work for it.

---Joel

In message , Jim Thompson
writes
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

(To avoid the new hardware pop-up.)

...Jim Thompson
If you connect the mouse to each PC and then subsequently use the same
USB port does it still pop up the new hardware bubble? Not my experience
with several machines here but I'm using a fairly generic MS Optical USB
mouse so YMMV.
--
Clint Sharp

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 14:26:08 -0700, "Joel Kolstad"
wrote:

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

(To avoid the new hardware pop-up.)

If you're getting the "new hardware found" wizard pop-up after the first time
you plug the mouse in, you've got one cheap mouse -- they didn't bother
sticking an electronic serial number in each mouse, so Windows has no means of
"tracking" the mouse between insertions (and doesn't even try to do it
heuristically).

Anyway, I agree with Michael's suggestion -- a KVM switch is probably the
easiest way to "fake out" the PCs into thinking they still always have mice
connected. Ive have a couple of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817107417 ... and they
work well. Wal*Mart (at least around here) has them, so you could grab one in
Phoenix and return it easily if it doesn't work for it.

---Joel


I have the IOGear GCS124U, a 4-port device.

It works well with an old Logitech wireless mouse, but throws up on a
new one :-(

IOGear "support" is not helpful, says it's an "emulation" issue.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
It works well with an old Logitech wireless mouse, but throws up on a
new one :-(

What model is it? Not that I think this will help, really, I'm just curious.
:-)

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:55:33 -0700, "Joel Kolstad"
wrote:

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
It works well with an old Logitech wireless mouse, but throws up on a
new one :-(

What model is it? Not that I think this will help, really, I'm just curious.
:-)



Old mouse is Logitech LX-7, I think, no markings, and going on the
basis of pictures on the website.

New mouse V220

Both are USB wireless.

KVM is IOGear GCS124U

IOGear tells me that a GCS104U will work, since it does not utilize
"emulation", but it also doesn't have hot-key switching, got to press
the button.

I think IOGear is clueless about direct wire preventing hot-key
control. I built a KV switch back in early DOS days for my son, who
was managing a paging system at the time. I just captured keystrokes
down a 74HC shift register chain, and did a broad-side match, and
tossed those foreign to the PC before they got to it ;-)

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:55:33 -0700, "Joel Kolstad"
wrote:


"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...

It works well with an old Logitech wireless mouse, but throws up on a
new one :-(

What model is it? Not that I think this will help, really, I'm just curious.
:-)




Old mouse is Logitech LX-7, I think, no markings, and going on the
basis of pictures on the website.

New mouse V220

Both are USB wireless.

KVM is IOGear GCS124U

IOGear tells me that a GCS104U will work, since it does not utilize
"emulation", but it also doesn't have hot-key switching, got to press
the button.

I think IOGear is clueless about direct wire preventing hot-key
control. I built a KV switch back in early DOS days for my son, who
was managing a paging system at the time. I just captured keystrokes
down a 74HC shift register chain, and did a broad-side match, and
tossed those foreign to the PC before they got to it ;-)


I bought an LX-something (no markings either) at Costco a few months
ago, seen it again later and they may still have some. In case you just
want to replace it. Works like a champ BTW.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

On 2007-07-18, Jim Thompson wrote:
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

USB is all mastered by the host. The host (or both, in this case)
constantly interrogate the mouse to give it a chance to send back
movement info. You could try just switching in the right sense resistors
to claim the device is present, but when it stops responding things will
probably go badly.

Have you considered something like this:

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/

--
Ben Jackson AD7GD

http://www.ben.com/

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:43:24 -0700, Joerg
wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:55:33 -0700, "Joel Kolstad"
wrote:


"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...

It works well with an old Logitech wireless mouse, but throws up on a
new one :-(

What model is it? Not that I think this will help, really, I'm just curious.
:-)




Old mouse is Logitech LX-7, I think, no markings, and going on the
basis of pictures on the website.

New mouse V220

Both are USB wireless.

KVM is IOGear GCS124U

IOGear tells me that a GCS104U will work, since it does not utilize
"emulation", but it also doesn't have hot-key switching, got to press
the button.

I think IOGear is clueless about direct wire preventing hot-key
control. I built a KV switch back in early DOS days for my son, who
was managing a paging system at the time. I just captured keystrokes
down a 74HC shift register chain, and did a broad-side match, and
tossed those foreign to the PC before they got to it ;-)


I bought an LX-something (no markings either) at Costco a few months
ago, seen it again later and they may still have some. In case you just
want to replace it. Works like a champ BTW.

I'm just about resigned to it, though I sure like these small
"palmable" mice ;-)

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:17:58 -0500, Ben Jackson wrote:

On 2007-07-18, Jim Thompson wrote:
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

USB is all mastered by the host. The host (or both, in this case)
constantly interrogate the mouse to give it a chance to send back
movement info. You could try just switching in the right sense resistors
to claim the device is present, but when it stops responding things will
probably go badly.

Have you considered something like this:

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/

Interesting, might be worth hacking a KVM to switch based on running
off the screen edge with the mouse.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:43:24 -0700, Joerg
wrote:


Jim Thompson wrote:


On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:55:33 -0700, "Joel Kolstad"
wrote:



"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...


It works well with an old Logitech wireless mouse, but throws up on a
new one :-(

What model is it? Not that I think this will help, really, I'm just curious.
:-)




Old mouse is Logitech LX-7, I think, no markings, and going on the
basis of pictures on the website.

New mouse V220

Both are USB wireless.

KVM is IOGear GCS124U

IOGear tells me that a GCS104U will work, since it does not utilize
"emulation", but it also doesn't have hot-key switching, got to press
the button.

I think IOGear is clueless about direct wire preventing hot-key
control. I built a KV switch back in early DOS days for my son, who
was managing a paging system at the time. I just captured keystrokes
down a 74HC shift register chain, and did a broad-side match, and
tossed those foreign to the PC before they got to it ;-)


I bought an LX-something (no markings either) at Costco a few months
ago, seen it again later and they may still have some. In case you just
want to replace it. Works like a champ BTW.


I'm just about resigned to it, though I sure like these small
"palmable" mice ;-)


This LX-whatever I've got here is IMHO quite "palmable". Depends on your
paw size but I guess they won't be smaller than mine ;-)

The cursor is a bit more nervous than on regular mice (but all my others
are non-optical and wired). AFAIR it was under $20 at Costco. But a bear
to get out of a humongous molded-together plastic package. Those
packages must be an environmental nightmare.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:43:24 -0700, Joerg
wrote:


Jim Thompson wrote:


On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:55:33 -0700, "Joel Kolstad"
wrote:



"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...


It works well with an old Logitech wireless mouse, but throws up on a
new one :-(

What model is it? Not that I think this will help, really, I'm just curious.
:-)




Old mouse is Logitech LX-7, I think, no markings, and going on the
basis of pictures on the website.

New mouse V220

Both are USB wireless.

KVM is IOGear GCS124U

IOGear tells me that a GCS104U will work, since it does not utilize
"emulation", but it also doesn't have hot-key switching, got to press
the button.

I think IOGear is clueless about direct wire preventing hot-key
control. I built a KV switch back in early DOS days for my son, who
was managing a paging system at the time. I just captured keystrokes
down a 74HC shift register chain, and did a broad-side match, and
tossed those foreign to the PC before they got to it ;-)


I bought an LX-something (no markings either) at Costco a few months
ago, seen it again later and they may still have some. In case you just
want to replace it. Works like a champ BTW.


I'm just about resigned to it, though I sure like these small
"palmable" mice ;-)


Checked in the doc files. The mouse from Costco is an LX-5.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com

On 2007-07-18 17:48, Jim Thompson wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:17:58 -0500, Ben Jackson wrote:

On 2007-07-18, Jim Thompson wrote:
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.
USB is all mastered by the host. The host (or both, in this case)
constantly interrogate the mouse to give it a chance to send back
movement info. You could try just switching in the right sense resistors
to claim the device is present, but when it stops responding things will
probably go badly.

Have you considered something like this:

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/

Interesting, might be worth hacking a KVM to switch based on running
off the screen edge with the mouse.

The next step is to dispense with the KVM switch altogether and run one
of the variants of VNC. I use TightVNC but don't remember why I chose it
(Now where DID I put those old brain cells?).

http://www.tightvnc.com/intro.html

You use one machine as the "master" and connect your mouse, keyboard and
display to it and on the "slave" machines you run a VNC server. On the
master you run a "viewer" session for each slave you want to control and
then switch between them like any other Windows app. Be sure to use the
DFMirage mirror driver on the slaves.

This is a very viable solution as long as your network is fast and there
aren't too many screen updates happening on the slaves. Since you
already have a KVM, you can leave it in place and only switch it when
the bandwidth hit would be too high.
--
Tim Hubberstey, P.Eng. . . . . . Hardware/Software Consulting Engineer
Marmot Engineering . . . . . . . VHDL, ASICs, FPGAs, embedded systems
Vancouver, BC, Canada . . . . . . . . . . . http://www.marmot-eng.com

On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:36:45 GMT, Tim Hubberstey
wrote:

On 2007-07-18 17:48, Jim Thompson wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:17:58 -0500, Ben Jackson wrote:

On 2007-07-18, Jim Thompson wrote:
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.
USB is all mastered by the host. The host (or both, in this case)
constantly interrogate the mouse to give it a chance to send back
movement info. You could try just switching in the right sense resistors
to claim the device is present, but when it stops responding things will
probably go badly.

Have you considered something like this:

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/

Interesting, might be worth hacking a KVM to switch based on running
off the screen edge with the mouse.

The next step is to dispense with the KVM switch altogether and run one
of the variants of VNC. I use TightVNC but don't remember why I chose it
(Now where DID I put those old brain cells?).

http://www.tightvnc.com/intro.html

You use one machine as the "master" and connect your mouse, keyboard and
display to it and on the "slave" machines you run a VNC server. On the
master you run a "viewer" session for each slave you want to control and
then switch between them like any other Windows app. Be sure to use the
DFMirage mirror driver on the slaves.

This is a very viable solution as long as your network is fast and there
aren't too many screen updates happening on the slaves. Since you
already have a KVM, you can leave it in place and only switch it when
the bandwidth hit would be too high.

Since I have a new laptop on the way, and with wireless available just
about everywhere, I've been contemplating VNC to allow me to load a
PSpice sim on my office machine while I'm off-site at a client's
location.

Having never done it, I have lots of questions... number one being,
Can I get through my router and access the four machines tied to it?

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave

Since I have a new laptop on the way, and with wireless available just
about everywhere, I've been contemplating VNC to allow me to load a
PSpice sim on my office machine while I'm off-site at a client's
location.

Having never done it, I have lots of questions... number one being,
Can I get through my router and access the four machines tied to it?

...Jim Thompson
If you have a Static IP, maybe!
John Ferrell W8CCW
"Life is easier if you learn to
plow around the stumps"

On 2007-07-19 17:00, Jim Thompson wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:36:45 GMT, Tim Hubberstey
wrote:

On 2007-07-18 17:48, Jim Thompson wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:17:58 -0500, Ben Jackson wrote:

On 2007-07-18, Jim Thompson wrote:
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.
USB is all mastered by the host. The host (or both, in this case)
constantly interrogate the mouse to give it a chance to send back
movement info. You could try just switching in the right sense resistors
to claim the device is present, but when it stops responding things will
probably go badly.

Have you considered something like this:

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/
Interesting, might be worth hacking a KVM to switch based on running
off the screen edge with the mouse.
The next step is to dispense with the KVM switch altogether and run one
of the variants of VNC. I use TightVNC but don't remember why I chose it
(Now where DID I put those old brain cells?).

http://www.tightvnc.com/intro.html

You use one machine as the "master" and connect your mouse, keyboard and
display to it and on the "slave" machines you run a VNC server. On the
master you run a "viewer" session for each slave you want to control and
then switch between them like any other Windows app. Be sure to use the
DFMirage mirror driver on the slaves.

This is a very viable solution as long as your network is fast and there
aren't too many screen updates happening on the slaves. Since you
already have a KVM, you can leave it in place and only switch it when
the bandwidth hit would be too high.

Since I have a new laptop on the way, and with wireless available just
about everywhere, I've been contemplating VNC to allow me to load a
PSpice sim on my office machine while I'm off-site at a client's
location.

Having never done it, I have lots of questions... number one being,
Can I get through my router and access the four machines tied to it?

I was using it to debug my brother's machine going through only 1 router
(mine). While it was much better than trying to tell him what to do over
the phone, it was nasty slow. 10 Mbps plus 300 miles worth of network
delays is not fast enough to move a lot of pixel data around. Then I
told him to get a router to cut down on viruses and I couldn't get it
working again. I didn't spend that much time trying to get it to work
(try telling a technophobe how to alter IP settings over the phone), and
I haven't gotten around to trying it since.

If your router supports VPN I think it should be easy, but I'm not a
network guru. VNC is common enough that I'm sure someone must have put a
"recipe" on the net somewhere for how to do this. If you do figure it
out, please pass on the info!

Tim
--
Tim Hubberstey, P.Eng. . . . . . Hardware/Software Consulting Engineer
Marmot Engineering . . . . . . . VHDL, ASICs, FPGAs, embedded systems
Vancouver, BC, Canada . . . . . . . . . . . http://www.marmot-eng.com

"Jim Thompson" wrote in
message ...
On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:36:45 GMT, Tim Hubberstey
wrote:

On 2007-07-18 17:48, Jim Thompson wrote:
On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:17:58 -0500, Ben Jackson wrote:

On 2007-07-18, Jim Thompson
wrote:
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.
USB is all mastered by the host. The host (or both, in this case)
constantly interrogate the mouse to give it a chance to send back
movement info. You could try just switching in the right sense
resistors
to claim the device is present, but when it stops responding things
will
probably go badly.

Have you considered something like this:

http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/

Interesting, might be worth hacking a KVM to switch based on running
off the screen edge with the mouse.

The next step is to dispense with the KVM switch altogether and run one
of the variants of VNC. I use TightVNC but don't remember why I chose it
(Now where DID I put those old brain cells?).

http://www.tightvnc.com/intro.html

You use one machine as the "master" and connect your mouse, keyboard and
display to it and on the "slave" machines you run a VNC server. On the
master you run a "viewer" session for each slave you want to control and
then switch between them like any other Windows app. Be sure to use the
DFMirage mirror driver on the slaves.

This is a very viable solution as long as your network is fast and there
aren't too many screen updates happening on the slaves. Since you
already have a KVM, you can leave it in place and only switch it when
the bandwidth hit would be too high.

Since I have a new laptop on the way, and with wireless available just
about everywhere, I've been contemplating VNC to allow me to load a
PSpice sim on my office machine while I'm off-site at a client's
location.

Having never done it, I have lots of questions... number one being,
Can I get through my router and access the four machines tied to it?

...Jim Thompson

The answer is yes with a VPN or, if you don't mine remote admin to your
router,
you can dispense with VPN and use remote desktop alone. These tools are
built into WinXP Pro so please tell me that's all you buy!

For instance, I just finished updating 3 computers in Austin from Dallas.
Since they lack a VPN, I altered the destination IP of port 3389 each time I
went to a different computer. I have set static IP within their domain so
each
workstation has a known IP. This function is in the port forwarding section
which
is sometimes a subset of gaming within the router menus.

On 2007-07-18, Jim Thompson wrote:
I want to switch a _USB_ mouse between multiple PC's.

Anyone know any tricks to fake out the unconnected PC's so they think
the mouse is there, but not sending data.

A "KVM" switch, if you're not switching the keyboard too get a KVM with
manual controls.

"Synnergy" is possibly another option. (fake it using software)

Bye.
Jasen

On 2007-07-20, Jim Thompson wrote:
On Thu, 19 Jul 2007 23:36:45 GMT, Tim Hubberstey
wrote:

Since I have a new laptop on the way, and with wireless available just
about everywhere, I've been contemplating VNC to allow me to load a
PSpice sim on my office machine while I'm off-site at a client's
location.

Having never done it, I have lots of questions... number one being,
Can I get through my router and access the four machines tied to it?

if your router supports port forwarding (most do) all you need to do
is forward a different port to each PC's address (whuich means
configuring the PCs to have fixed IP addresses would be a good idea)

some vnc servers have a will serve a java client from a second port
which can be handy if you can't install a full client on the machine
in front of you. (you may want to forward that port too)

Bye.
Jasen