How to Use One Mouse with a Laptop and a Desktop Computer

If you own laptop and desktop computers, you can connect both computers to the same mouse using a KVM switch. Using one mouse will allow you to avoid investing in a second mouse and using your laptop's uncomfortable built-in trackball mouse. Follow these steps to use the same mouse for both your laptop and desktop computers.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• KVM switch
• Mouse
• Desktop computer
• Laptop computer

1. Understand that a Keyboard, Video, Mouse (KVM) switch enables a user to share the same mouse, keyboard and monitor with different computers.

2. Buy a KVM sharing switch. Make sure that the KVM switch has enough ports to attach the mouse, laptop and desktop. Additionally, ensure that the connector ports are compatible with each device (PS/2 or USB).

3. Connect the mouse to the sharing switch.

4. Connect the base of the sharing switch to the two computers. This base is also connected to a small remote controller, which stays on the desktop.

5. Switch between the two computers by pressing a button on the remote controller.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the same speakers, monitor and keyboard for two computers with certain KVM sharing switches.

[sstanvir]

on 8/20/2008 You can do this even without buying a KVM or any other hardware, try this open source solution: synergy (http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/). Just download it and install it into the both PC (no matter whether the OS is Linux or Windows, you have to get the right version), configure one machine as server and the other as client, that's all. Quoting from the synergy project website: "Redirecting the mouse and keyboard is as simple as moving the mouse off the edge of your screen. Synergy also merges the clipboards of all the systems into one, allowing cut-and-paste between systems. Furthermore, it synchronizes screen savers so they all start and stop together and, if screen locking is enabled, only one screen requires a password to unlock them all". It is so convenient, and it is free!

-Syed Tanvir Munawar