As soon as I unpacked my first server and began setting it up, I quickly gained an appreciation for the sysadmins at all the various computer labs I’ve used over the years. It’s a true skill organizing all the cables and working out the logistics for how best to connect everything with the space and furniture at your disposal. In my case, simply adding a single CD-sized box turned out to exponentially increase the mess in my office. I’m having second thoughts about that furniture purchase from years ago – perhaps a glass corner desk wasn’t the best decision?
I starting looking into various solutions for organizing everything. I tried buying a KVM box that didn’t come with any cables, so I spent a good while ordering each separate cable, only to find that half of them came with the wrong connectors (male instead of female and such), despite my elaborate planning.
I sent everything back and decided to get an all-in-one package, which is what I should have done in the first place. There are a large number of solutions out there, with wide variations in price. At the moment, I have two machines that I want to use the same monitor, keyboard, and mouse. But I’d also like for that network to be expandable, since I’ll be building a new PC within the next six months. I was therefore looking for a four-port switch, and what I found exceeded my expectations.
The Aten CS64U is slightly more than just a Keyboard-Video-Mouse device. To begin with, it also includes a speaker jack, so that one set of run-of-the-mill PC speakers can also be shared. And unlike most home switches out there, it uses USB cables instead of PS2, providing extra expansion capabilities through the use of a USB hub. For now, I additionally have my printer connected, which means that every time I make the switch between machines, I’m also able to print easily using a device that may or may not be set up for network printing. And an important aspect not to be overlooked is the delivery itself – shipping was included in the cost and it came quickly via courier.
All this translates into a somewhat expandable small home network setup consisting of one monitor, one keyboard, one mouse, one set of speakers, one printer, and two linux boxes, all shared easily by a simple 4-button key combo. I can comfortably add two more machines to my system without having to worry about cables or compatibility issues – every OS is supported and setup consisted of nothing more than plugging everything in and switching it on. I give this device a 5/5 for its simplicity, capacity, and price point. It’s just what I needed.
