using keyboard connected to desktop for thinkpad

i use my desktop and thinkpad x301 simultaneously most of the time and would like to know if there's anyway i can hotswitch between both and use only 1 mouse and keyboard to control both.

please shout out if there are any methods that you've tried of before successfully. do note that the x301 doesn't have a dock.

 

use a keyboard switch

 

you can use the KVM switch box to do that.

 

Or you could use RDP, if that fits your needs.

 

I use synergy, which is a free (open source) program that allows me to control multiple computers by moving my mouse cursor across screens.

http://code.google.com/p/synergy-plus/

 

That's really cool.

BTW can this be used say if there are a few employees and the boss (me) can override someone's work? Means each user would have their own keyboard but I can override and edit, chime in, or take over their PC?

 

Technically, the answer is yes. Practically, the answer is no.

Synergy offers keyboard & mouse sharing, so you can control their computers from your own. However, Synergy does not offer display sharing, so unless you are sitting right next to them, you will be operating blind.

Synergy is best used to control multiple computers when each has its own screen on your own desk.

 

are there any recommended ones for 2 port ones? one odd thing is my keyboard doesn't seem to work with my x301. i plug in the usb and nothing happens.

i've also seen some software implementations, but i'm not quite sure if these require network connections to be able to work.

 

does synergy require both computers to be connected to a network for it to work? what's the connection between the computers if there's no such connection required (ie would it work if i just had an ethernet cable connecting both computers but without internet connection)

i believe there's another one called input director or smt that does the same thing

 

The computers need to be on the same TCP/IP network, but there is no need to connect them to the internet. An Ethernet cable between computers should be fine if you have network (IP addresses, netmasks, etc.) properly configured on both machines.

And yeah, I think input director is indeed something similar.

 

omg i can't believe it's so simple to configure. it was already working haha! fantastic. only thing is there seems to be a little lag when dragging the input director screen, which is odd because it doesn't happen with other windows.

issit possible for the software to switch monitors for me though? say if i wanna use my main monitor for my laptop and for the desktop and switch between them.

 

Another alternative I use:
http://www.inputdirector.com/

 

yeah i just tried that out yesterday and it's absolutely perfect. i'm abit bummed out by the fact that you can't choose which screen edge to use for transition though... the software picks.