[SOLVED] How to get wireless headset connected through a USB switch to a second computer?

hansenjc

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I have a wireless headset with a dongle receiver. I use the same setup for a wireless mouse.
I want to switch them both back and forth between two computers just as I do with my USB (wired) keyboard. I have a USB switch with four inputs and two outputs. But either it does not work for wireless devices, or I am being too impatient for it to switch over.
Is there any way to get these two devices to switch over reliably?
 
Solution
If the device is wireless or not does not matter, the important part is it that the system detects the USB dongle. When you switch the USB selector to between computers does it pick up that USB switch and detect what is connected? If not you need to start testing it to see what it does work with and what it does not, maybe read some notes about it or contact support to see what they say.
If the device is wireless or not does not matter, the important part is it that the system detects the USB dongle. When you switch the USB selector to between computers does it pick up that USB switch and detect what is connected? If not you need to start testing it to see what it does work with and what it does not, maybe read some notes about it or contact support to see what they say.
 
Solution

hansenjc

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Sep 2, 2012
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If the device is wireless or not does not matter, the important part is it that the system detects the USB dongle. When you switch the USB selector to between computers does it pick up that USB switch and detect what is connected? If not you need to start testing it to see what it does work with and what it does not, maybe read some notes about it or contact support to see what they say.
Well, I was certainly wishing for a more hopeful answer and one without questions. But since you asked and the reason that I wrote the question is that the devices that are connected through the switch and are wired, such as a keyboard and a memory stick are detected immediately. Anything that is wireless such as the receiver of my wireless mouse and the receiver of my wireless headset are not detected. These simply do not connect, Nor turn on, nor work. Did I fail to mention that in the question?
So, doesn't this mean that it actually does matter whether it is wired or wireless? Even for this one special case? I cannot believe that I am the only person who experiences this issue.
 
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Well, I was certainly wishing for a more hopeful answer and one without questions. But since you asked and the reason that I wrote the question is that the devices that are connected through the switch and are wired, such as a keyboard and a memory stick are detected immediately. Anything that is wireless such as the receiver of my wireless mouse and the receiver of my wireless headset are not detected. These simply do not connect, Nor turn on, nor work. Did I fail to mention that in the question?
So, doesn't this mean that it actually does matter whether it is wired or wireless? Even for this one special case? I cannot believe that I am the only person who experiences this issue.

The USB dongles that connect the devices are not wireless to the computer, they are physically connected to the ports. The wireless part does not happen until you have the connection from the dongle to the headset or whatever else it's talking to. USB hardware does not care what the device is, it only cares that it's a USB interface.

Does it work if you take them out and plug them back in after switching to the other computer?

Did you read the reviews/FAQ/support site for this USB switch you got to see if there is a known issue with it or contact their support?
 

hansenjc

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The USB dongles that connect the devices are not wireless to the computer, they are physically connected to the ports. The wireless part does not happen until you have the connection from the dongle to the headset or whatever else it's talking to. USB hardware does not care what the device is, it only cares that it's a USB interface.

Does it work if you take them out and plug them back in after switching to the other computer?

Did you read the reviews/FAQ/support site for this USB switch you got to see if there is a known issue with it or contact their support?

I have at times tried your concept of "take them out and plug them back in after switching to the other computer" and the results were inconsistent in a limited number of tests. Again, I may have been impatient during the testing. I would wait as much as a minute to see if it was recognized. Should I expect it to take longer than that when a signal must pass through a switch? Plugging them directly into the USB port at the computer takes only about 5 seconds to register.

And while I was doing pre-purchase searches, most reviews and comments were positive and the product I chose had the least negative comments. No product in this category has 100% positive reviews at any price point. So it is hard to learn much from the reviews.

I never expected to find a support sites for this product, but I will look again for the one I own. This and a few other similar devices appear to be the same internal electronics with different external cases. And no marketing material makes any comparative claims which would differentiate them. It is as though they are all generic. I found no 'name brand' products in this category that were not 3x or more the price of the others. Again, the marketing of the more expensive ones gave me no clue why they would cost more or how they would perform better.
 
I don't know how those USB switches work or what issues they may have, but since the issue only happens when you use it, the only fix or explanation you may find is from the maker of the switches. You can try one of the better models and see if that works. I know with KVM switches the better models have much better handling of connected devices, with cheaper ones they can not detect things when simply switching, you need to have the computer shut off, switch to that system on the KVM, then turn it on for it to detect the keyboard and/or mouse. Higher end ones deal with that much better.
 

hansenjc

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Amazon has provided a blind contact form to the seller, but they would not answer any questions regarding who the manufacturer is. Their only remedy is to refund my purchase after I return it. No other similar device is made by a manufacturer that I recognize. many of them look identical. And this item that was delivered to me has no identifying information for who makes it or even what country it is made in. I think that every similar item is made by the same company and simply sold by different vendors.
 
Amazon has provided a blind contact form to the seller, but they would not answer any questions regarding who the manufacturer is. Their only remedy is to refund my purchase after I return it. No other similar device is made by a manufacturer that I recognize. many of them look identical. And this item that was delivered to me has no identifying information for who makes it or even what country it is made in. I think that every similar item is made by the same company and simply sold by different vendors.

Yes that happens with a lot of items, I have a USB hub that is sold under several names with the exact same design.