From owner-freebsd-questions Wed Jul 17 23:14:13 2002 Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.FreeBSD.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7A5F437B400 for ; Wed, 17 Jul 2002 23:14:07 -0700 (PDT) Received: from smtprelay2.dc3.adelphia.net (smtprelay2.dc3.adelphia.net [24.50.78.5]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0E90B43E58 for ; Wed, 17 Jul 2002 23:14:07 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from mwvw@adelphia.net) Received: from mswolf ([68.70.220.91]) by smtprelay2.dc3.adelphia.net (Netscape Messaging Server 4.15) with SMTP id GZFLBI05.D02 for ; Thu, 18 Jul 2002 02:14:06 -0400 Message-ID: <004301c22e22$2214cef0$0a01a8c0@mswolf> From: "Michael Wells" To: References: <20020718060333533.AAA1067@empty1.ekahuna.com@pc02.ekahuna.com> Subject: Re: When is FreeBSD going to work properly with KVM switches? Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 23:12:45 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-Mimeole: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Sender: owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk List-ID: List-Archive: (Web Archive) List-Help: (List Instructions) List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG Okay. I was just saying that mine worked, but whatever. Boldly yours. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Philip J. Koenig" To: Cc: "Michael Wells" Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 11:03 PM Subject: Re: When is FreeBSD going to work properly with KVM switches? > On 17 Jul 2002, at 16:37, Michael Wells boldly uttered: > > > > > > I also have the problem that the KVM must be set to the machine being > > booted > > > > > in order for the mouse and keyboard to work properly. This is a know > > problem > > > > > and there was discussion on it. The problem seems to have appeared > > with 4.2. > > > > > I saw a fix in the freebsd-stable archives: > > > > > > > > > > FROM: John Baldwin, > > > > > DATE: 11/20/2000 16:43:35 > > > > > > > > > > Basically the proposed solution was to remove the `flags 0x1' from the > > > > > atkbd0 device line in the i386/conf/file > > > > > > > > > > This fixed the problem I was having with the Omni Cube 4-Port. I have > > > > > not checked if this problem still occurs with 4.6. > > > > > > > > > > > > > Actually, if one searches through the archives you'll find the mouse/kvm > > > > issue dates back to the 3.x days. Apparently it isn't a high priority so > > > > I wouldn't hold my breath for an always working fix. > > > > > > > > > I really really really wouldn't be so quick to assume the problem is > > > FreeBSD. In my experience, Belkin's are not very good KVMs, I won't > > > use them any more, personally. I've had problems with them not > > > correctly initializing keyboard or mouse ports with Windows as well. > > > Never had a problem with FreeBSD and KVM switches, personally. > > > > > > If you want a good KVM, stick with either Avocent (my personal > > > preference - used to be Cybex and Apex), Raritan, Rose, or one of the > > > companies that OEMs the Avocent switches. (ie Compaq, HP, Dell) The > > > cheapo KVMs are cheap for a reason. > > > > > > (Then you've got "RichardH" saying Belkin's are overpriced, LOL.. > > > well I never tried D-link KVMs, maybe they're OK for a cheapo > > > model :-) > > > > > > > > I have a Belkin 4 port OmniView that works just fine with FreeBSD and > > w2k. I had to add a flag to my kernel to keep things study when > > switching back and forth, but other than that it's been just fine. > > > If I'm interpreting the "fix" right, what it does is force the OS to > think there's a keyboard present even if there may not be. (the flag, > which is not on by default, makes FreeBSD check for a keyboard) > > There are 2 primary functions of a KVM from the standpoint of a > computer's keyboard interface: looking like a keyboard when the PC > boots and checks the keyboard interface, and maintaining state on the > keyboard signals so they are restored when that particular PC is un- > selected and re-selected. > > In summary, the whole point of a KVM is to make the connected > computer see what looks like a regular, connected keyboard. If you > have to do anything to the OS to get it to act as it normally does > without a KVM, the KVM isn't doing its job right. > > > -- > Philip J. Koenig pjklist@ekahuna.com > Electric Kahuna Systems -- Computers & Communications for the New Millenium > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message