USB 3.0 Hub + Switch In One (two workstations)

[adversus]

Hey folks -

I am starting a new job on Monday and my new company is drop shipping me a brand new 15" MBP Retina. I already have a Mac Pro 5,1 with a ton of upgrades (4x SSD and 32GB memory). The new MBP-R is replacing my personal MBP 5,4.

I will be doing software dev using VMWare and want to be toggle my Keyboard/Mouse as well as external USB drives between my new MBP-R and my current Mac Pro.

Most of the KVM switches I've found have just 1-2 USB and then VGA (lol). Anyone have suggestions for this type of setup?

 

[Altemose]

Hey folks -

I am starting a new job on Monday and my new company is drop shipping me a brand new 15" MBP Retina. I already have a Mac Pro 5,1 with a ton of upgrades (4x SSD and 32GB memory). The new MBP-R is replacing my personal MBP 5,4.

I will be doing software dev using VMWare and want to be toggle my Keyboard/Mouse as well as external USB drives between my new MBP-R and my current Mac Pro.

Most of the KVM switches I've found have just 1-2 USB and then VGA (lol). Anyone have suggestions for this type of setup?

You can hook a hub to a KVM switch so long as it is powered. I am not sure of the performance hit with plugging peripherals into a USB KVM switch though.

 

[adversus]

I don't want to spend money on a KVM switch that switches video, though. I want one just for USB.

I have a 27" Asus monitor which is currently on Dual-Link DVI from the Mac Pro, and I'll use the DisplayPort for the new MBR.

 

[glenthompson]

I don't think you're going to find a switch that can handle the USB drives. It would have to un-mount them from one computer then mount them on the other. Better to leave the drives connected to the MP and share them via your LAN with the MBP.

 

[Altemose]

I don't want to spend money on a KVM switch that switches video, though. I want one just for USB.

I have a 27" Asus monitor which is currently on Dual-Link DVI from the Mac Pro, and I'll use the DisplayPort for the new MBR.

Then get a USB extension cable and run it from the Pro. Then swap the USB hub cable to either...

 

[adversus]

Then get a USB extension cable and run it from the Pro. Then swap the USB hub cable to either...

I think is what I might end up doing. Doesn't seem to be a good solution with what my setup is (and the above mentioned hot-swapping issue of drives).