[SOLVED] Sharing Display and Periphals between Two PCs

itsememario

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Sep 12, 2019
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Hello,

I hope this is the right forum to ask this question.

What's the best way to share one (or potentially two) displays and (only!) mouse + keyboard between two PCs?

Background: Currently we only have one desktop PC in the household. This desktop PC is occupying all available desk space in our small apartment. The desktop PC is mainly used for gaming and has all kinds of periphals connected to it via USB (mouse, keyboard, gamepads, track-IR, webcam, headsets, etc.) and one display.

My wife has accepted a new job and will start working 100% from home. Her employer will provide her with a laptop PC (and potentially one or two displays).

Since we don't have space at home to set up another desk in the apartment she will take over my former gaming desk.
Hence, I am looking for a solution to somehow co-exist. Like to put her laptop PC away when she is done working and use the gaming desktop PC after work.
But I don't want to have to crouch under the table every day to change cables for display, keyboard and mouse.

Is there any kind of docking station, that I could use for this purpose? I appreciate your feedback.
 
Solution
One combo KVM (keyboard - video - mouse) switch, compatible with PC / monitor display interface. Another option is if your monitor has two (or more) video inputs, to use separate inputs for the two PCs (selecting from monitor), and separate USB switch for keyboard and mouse.
One combo KVM (keyboard - video - mouse) switch, compatible with PC / monitor display interface. Another option is if your monitor has two (or more) video inputs, to use separate inputs for the two PCs (selecting from monitor), and separate USB switch for keyboard and mouse.
 
Solution
Do you have a dining table? You can use the laptop on that, it's a laptop, has a screen and keyboard on it already. A mouse is a good idea but that is easy to move around.

When my wife and I play games together, I have my laptop on the dining room table while she is on the big setup on a desk.