As mentioned in a previous post, I had previously purchase a IOGEAR 2-Port KVM swicth which croacked after just a couple of months. After having 2 different model break, or cause problems I decided to just switch back and forth manually. I got tired of this and yesterday decided to try again.

I went out and purchsed an IOGEAR GCS24U 4-Port USB Cable KVM. Looked liked what the doctor ordered! Super easy to setup, simply connect. No software, no driver, no hassel. Just one major issue: The new and improved model (IOGEAR GCS24U 4-Port USB Cable KVM) now has 2 usb cables that you have to plug into each computer. My Laptop only has one next to the Video input and 3 other on the other side of the case. Sadly, the IOGEAR GCS24U 4-Port USB Cable KVM cables are fused together and only offer about 6-8″ of freedom from one another. As such, I couldn’t plug in the 2nd USB cable. So I could have only either my keyboard or my mouse functional at one gievn time; sorta defeating the purpose of a KVM.

I was very surprised with this setup as the old model had only one USB connection into each computer. Obviously the KVM acted as a hub in some fashion, but IOGEAR seems to have done away with this for some reason, which I cannot comprehend. This seems to be going backwards rather than forwards to me.

What I can say based on my brief testing is the KVM switch worked very nicely. If it wasn’t for the issue that the cable were fused together, I would have kept it. It is small, easy to setup, nice long independant switch to cycle through the computers, but the cables being fused together I just don’t get. The old model had an ajustable band that allowed one to ajust the free length of the cables, but IOGEAR changed their design, for the worse.

So to summarize, good KVM switch (based on limited testing) as long as you have 2 free USB ports at the same location as your video output, otherwise it is worthless.

You may also like to read my Review of the D-Link KVM-222 2-Port USB KVM Switch with Audio Support.