Editing KVM switch (section)

==USB ports and HID emulation==
There are (in general) two different types of USB ports on KVM/KM switches. Different switches have only one of either type or ports of both types.

* "Hub port": The switch disconnects/connects ports when switching.

* Dedicated "mouse", "keyboard" or "HID port". The switch acts as USB host to keyboard and mouse, and as keyboards and mice to the host computers.

On many KVMs, dedicated HID/keyboard ports allow the KVM to switch hosts using a shortcut on the keyboard.
In some cases these ports can help when there are problems in the communication in certain combinations of host and keyboard.

A switched USB port should work with more types of devices, but devices lose power when switching, and reconnect-events can cause annoying side-effects on the computers.