Two Win XP machines and a USB switch. Problems.

Factual Questions
1

Got two XP machines, fairly new ( a year, 18 mo. old maybe ). Got one brand new printer.

Bought a Belkin USB switch. Installed software properly, put switch in line.

Both machines have the small switch icon. Both can be told to " Switch", and the light on the switch does jump from 1 to 2. Lovely, yes?

Machine 1 switches and prints after switching. Machine 2 switches, but cannot print. Oh, and new printer and printer drivers successfully installed on both machines.

Old printer drivers removed. Printer DOES work on hardline run from Machine 1 and Machine 2, so Machine 2 can indeed “see” printer and print to it.

Uninstalled all around. Returned Belkin to Staples. Got another unit. Did it all again. same issues.

Error warning says ( paraphrasing, as I am at work ) " You have connected a device that Windows does not recognize. Install proper drivers, or remove this device and contact Microsoft." ( yeah, right… )

I am willing to buy another brand switch, but I suspect it is not the switch.

What is it about that Machine 2 that does not recognize the device, even though it says when I install it that it was successfully installed ?? How can I analyze the USB ports on it to see if there lies the problem. I did try plugging it in both in the front of the machine, and in the back in the main array of USB devices. ( needless to say, lots of other USB devices get plugged into this thing, and they are all recognized. Hmm. Except son’s Creative Labs Zen Vision MP3 player. Hmmm. )

Thoughts?

Yes, I did try to mak the title of this thread work out so it had the cadence of, " I’ve got two turntables and a microphone", but I couldn’t. :smiley:

Cartooniverse

2

Ok, since no one else has replied I’m gonna try a WAG here. See if this helps:

  1. Go to Machine 2
  2. Go to Start/Settings/Control Panel/System
  3. Click on the Hardware tab
  4. Click on Device Manager
  5. Scroll down to Universal Serial Bus controllers
  6. Look for something similar to “Intel USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller”
  7. Select it, right click on it and click on Disable

This will disable the USB 2.0 host controller, forcing all USB devices to work at USB 1.1 speeds. Now disconnect and reconnect the printer through the USB switch.

If it detects your printer after disabling the USB 2.0 host controller, there is an issue with the USB 2.0 controller on the motherboard of Machine 2.

If it still doesn’t work, go back and re-enable the USB 2.0 host controller.

3

I didn’t know such a device existed!
Though I understand you are simply asking how to switch the USB device between machines, my answer to the problem would be to go out and get a network print server – a wired one can’t be too expensive.
(Of course I’m assuming that both machines are on a network).

Then you don’t need to worry about a thing; just print when you want to and it all works. I waited around until I could get a wireless Netgear print server on sale, and it’s the cat’s pajamas: I print from any of the machines in the house without fiddling with cables switches or whatnot.

4

Belkin USB KVM? Two USB connectors and a monitor connector? Possibly plus microphone and speaker sockets? I’ve got one. It’s crap. A replacement is arriving tomorrow.

5

Thank you, Xash. When I am free next on Thursday, I will purchase another brand of switch and try just exactly what you suggest.

No, they are not networked in the classic sense. They share a DSL feed but are blind to one another ( this is by design ).

Sorry to hear Belkin items are crap. I didn’t know.

6

I’ve just taken delivery of a D-Link DKVM-4U and it seems to work as a switch much better than my Belkin. There are two wrinkles: it only comes with two sets of cables (you have to buy two more), and a fresh install of Ubuntu Linux seems to limit itself to VGA mode - plug the monitor in directly and I get 1024x768.

7

Hit Post too soon. I should caution that I’ve had the thing mere hours.

8

Finally a day off. Going to Staples in a bit to figure this out, will attempt the Xash Fix.