One computer divided by 2 rooms.....can it be done??

[Thrifty Angler]

Have a question. Is it possible to set up a keyboard, mouse, and monitor in one room and a separate keyboard, mouse, and monitor in another room....yet hook them to one motherboard (computer tower) via running separate cords from the two rooms to the main tower???

Yeah...I know....I'm one thrifty soul aren't I? :D

Thanks

[cygnus-x1]

Have a question. Is it possible to set up a keyboard, mouse, and monitor in one room and a separate keyboard, mouse, and monitor in another room....yet hook them to one motherboard (computer tower) via running separate cords from the two rooms to the main tower???

Yeah...I know....I'm one thrifty soul aren't I? :D

Thanks

There is a way you can do that but I have to ask why? Only one set of externals (mouse, keyboard) could be active at one time/ Actually now that I reread your post I don't think this is something you can do with a monitor. I am not sure but I think there might be cable length limits on the monitor adapters plus you don't really want all these long cables around the house do you? Knowing you are thrifty I don't think you would want to buy wireless versions of these peripherals because by the time you are down you could have bought a cheapo PC off of Tiger direct for $200.

You could look for an buy an A/B type switch, I used to have one a long time ago I bought at a MarketPro show once.

Do you have a nice new blazing fast PC and you want to use it from multiple locations in the house? Is it the only one on an internet connection? It would be better if you would explain what you want to accomplish and then we could work up an inexpensive solution.

[JeepMike]

You can absolutely run the same computer from two different locales, just not at the same time, and you would probably have a lot of wires with the monitor (I would definately go wireless with mouse/keyboard/volume). Like Cygnus said, what is your main plan? You can build your own computer for well under 500 bucks and it'll run circles around any prebuilt to date!!

[ffemtreed]

Very Very Easy to do, with either wireless KB/mouse and Long 50ft VGA cable ($25).

If your video card supports dual displays this is cake! if not you need to buy a video card that does support dual displays. Once you get the dual displays up you can set them to mirror each other (which is what you want) or you can extend your desktop onto the other monitor (which is what you don't want).

[ffemtreed]

Oh and btw, woot.com has a good home computer for $249 bux today. Not my preferred brand but for the price it can't be beat.

[Thrifty Angler]

Thanks for the responses guys.

The main purpose for me wanting to do this is so I can access the files, internet connection, etc...while in my room so as not to disturb my son other than to ask him to cut the system on...or can this be done thru a keyboard? :confused: And vice versa. One of us accessing at a time.

Trying to do the internet thing while listening to video game sound effects bouncing off the walls limits the time I spend in my son's room. Not to mention his own sound effects while playing games. :eek:

We have dial-up only. I want to put in an additional 256 but am not sure if it will support it.

If possible I want to put his comp setup on the adjoining wall near the doorway and run it along the baseboard then under the door and along my room's baseboard.

How do I check to see if I have a dual display capable video card? I'm not sure if this step is needed though. I want to view on a monitor in my room and use my own keyboard and mouse, yet have the computer tower in his room.

[R3d]

Are you good at PC’s hardware and software upgrade? How old is your son’s pc?

Upgrades are easy but with time and money you spend on hardware, you could have buy second PC and solve all the problems. If you use the PC just for files & internet surfing, get the basic one, it’s cheap like dirt. For few hundred bucks more, it’ll last for a long time.
Upgrade to faster internet connection (Verizon cheaper than Comcast) is a must.

Here do the upgrade math... …
You cannot use wireless kb/mouse , they’re not design for long distance, the range very short and the wall between 2 room will block the signal (depend how far). All you needs are 2 set of switches, and switches are hardware so no worry about loading software.
1 Switch for 2 sets of kb/mouse + new set kb/mouse (for yourself) + 2 extension cords for new kb/mouse (the longer extension cords the more $$$)
Since only 1 person can access the pc at a time, you don’t need dual display video card, just a switch.
1 Switch for 2 monitors + new monitor in your room + extension cord for the monitor.
It’s not worth at all.
Need help, you’re welcome to pm me.

[ffemtreed]

Only one of you can use the computer at a time.

After thinking more about this you can just use a Y splitter for the VGA cable to get the 2 displays.

Yes, if you hook two usb keyboard and two usb mice up to a computer they will all work and control the PC.

Again only one person can use the computer at any one time, even with all the extra stuff hooked up. You won't be able to surf the internet while your son is playing DOOM 3 on the PC.

[ffemtreed]

Another good advantage to doing the two monitor setup is that you can just turn the other monitor on while your son is using the internet and watch over what he is doing.

[Fish Hunter]

Purchase a home NAS for under $200, add 2nd computer and then you can store up to 250 gigs of files and access from either system.

[ffemtreed]

Here is an example of stuff you would need. I didn't do any price searching, just a simple example.

VGA Y SPlitter 8.99
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1074788&CatId=467

50ft VGA Cable 44.99
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=358910&CatId=73

RF Wireless KB/M 39.99
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1543193&CatId=1482

TOTAL COST: 93.97


If you do decide to get another PC, you can still hook both of the PC's together to share the internet from, or just have the dialup internet installed on both PC's (run a phone line to each PC). When you want to use the internet you dial in on your "new PC" when your son wants to use the internet he dials in on "his" PC.

There is another possibility of hooking the two computers together with a crossover ethernet cable and using Internet Connection Sharing, but with dialup I wouldn't do that.

[ffemtreed]

Purchase a home NAS for under $200, add 2nd computer and then you can store up to 250 gigs of files and access from either system.

This assumes he has a network installed at his house, which I gather he doesn't. He would need a Hub (Switch) and some ethernet cables also. Might even need an ethernet card (NIC) if the PC doesn't already have one.

[ffemtreed]

That wireless mouse/keyboard might need to be upgraded. I am not sure what the distance limitations are on them. We might need to go BlueTooth

[saltandsand]

Wireless router, NIC cards, second PC...estimate total cost of less than $400 (assuming a basic PC for the second one.)

Benfits: redundancy, can have twice the access of internet, can run both PCs to one printer/scanner, less aggravation

Costs: Other than a hundred or two extra, none.

I've got two running off a router with no issues. The newer routers have WEP encryption already installed that protects against wireless access.

Splitting the board for two users of sounds like nothing but continued aggravation to me. If you have to re-boot from scratch it may make it all but impossible. Heck, you can get a used PC that will probably meet or exceed your needs and pick it up for next to nothing these days. Then buy a router, NIC cards and set it up in one afternoon. Wireless distance with a router to PC is approximately 75 feet, can be longer but usually no more than 125 feet, depends on walls and other impediments for the transmission. Also, if you want extra protection then shielding the router (from outside access) with tin foil works well, simply find a couple nice size pictures that you like, put tin foil backing, and hang the pictures to shield the outside wall of the room.

[ffemtreed]

Wireless router, NIC cards, second PC...estimate total cost of less than $400 (assuming a basic PC for the second one.)

Benfits: redundancy, can have twice the access of internet, can run both PCs to one printer/scanner, less aggravation

Costs: Other than a hundred or two extra, none.

I've got two running off a router with no issues. The newer routers have WEP encryption already installed that protects against wireless access.

Splitting the board for two users of sounds like nothing but continued aggravation to me. If you have to re-boot from scratch it may make it all but impossible. Heck, you can get a used PC that will probably meet or exceed your needs and pick it up for next to nothing these days. Then buy a router, NIC cards and set it up in one afternoon. Wireless distance with a router to PC is approximately 75 feet, can be longer but usually no more than 125 feet, depends on walls and other impediments for the transmission. Also, if you want extra protection then shielding the router (from outside access) with tin foil works well, simply find a couple nice size pictures that you like, put tin foil backing, and hang the pictures to shield the outside wall of the room.

The big problem with that setup is that he has dialup internet Access!!! Thus NO broadband router is going to support it! We would need to setup some creative networking to make that work.

WEP is NOT secure by any means. Mac Filtering and WPA is the minimum I would do.

Wireless G will transmit a couple hundred feet, if not more.

The tinfoil is a horrible idea, I can't even imaging trying to get that to work.

Also good luck getting that scanner to work over the network from both computers!

[saltandsand]

The big problem with that setup is that he has dialup internet Access!!! Thus NO broadband router is going to support it! We would need to setup some creative networking to make that work.

Yep, dial up is the issue. Without doubt, but not certain that a splitter will work with that either. Just not enough transmission width. Maybe cable is an option.

WEP is NOT secure by any means. Mac Filtering and WPA is the minimum I would do.

Wireless G will transmit a couple hundred feet, if not more.

The tinfoil is a horrible idea, I can't even imaging trying to get that to work.

Also good luck getting that scanner to work over the network from both computers!



WEP is standard, WPA is clearly better. Agreed.

Wireless G is overkill for the reasons you mention. Agreed.

Tin foil works well. The signal is weaker when it bounces off the tin foil and is channelled the wrong direction. I'd need to explain it more. Had a course where a solution was to bounce signals off buildings...very interesting solution.

I have no problem with the scanner working on my set up. In fact I have a 35 ppm Samsung, all in one, not yet available here on the East Coast. But as a time saver I'm probably going to hook up the old scanner to the other PC.

But for all the things I've been able to find a fix I still haven't had time to figure how to post pics within these threads. I assume I'll scan, send to e-mail and then embed into a thread. A little help please as I've got some nice fishing pics to post.

[ffemtreed]

WEP is standard, WPA is clearly better. Agreed.

Wireless G is overkill for the reasons you mention. Agreed.

Tin foil works well. The signal is weaker when it bounces off the tin foil and is channelled the wrong direction. I'd need to explain it more. Had a course where a solution was to bounce signals off buildings...very interesting solution.

I have no problem with the scanner working on my set up. In fact I have a 35 ppm Samsung, all in one, not yet available here on the East Coast. But as a time saver I'm probably going to hook up the old scanner to the other PC.

But for all the things I've been able to find a fix I still haven't had time to figure how to post pics within these threads. I assume I'll scan, send to e-mail and then embed into a thread. A little help please as I've got some nice fishing pics to post.

I have no doubts that the tin foil will work, I just can't imagine myself trying to build a structure to deflect the wireless in the right directions or covering walls in tinfoils just to hide my wireless signal from the outside. Its way overkill in my opinion.

[Hat80]

P&S is a NO HIJACKING ZONE.....;)

[Thrifty Angler]

give me a couple days to sort thru the responses. Sorta have a lot of little things adding up to a lot of time consumption on my end. I do appreciate yalls help. I'll post back within a couple days.

As for ;) .... well, need I say more :--|

:rolleyes:

[mdram]

simple way is a kvm switch (keyboard, video, mouse) that auto detects which system is accessing it.
make sure they systems are backing to the same wall, put a pass though hole in, and cable length is cut way down

[ffemtreed]

I don't know of any KVM switch that does reverse KVM other than MegaMux units (which are really expensive).

KVM switches are used to share 1 mouse and keyboard and monitor with multiple PC's. Not 1 PC with multiple mice and keyboards.

With USB, you don't even need any type of switch, as I said before you can just hook 2 keyboards and 2 mice up to a PC and they will all function. A simple Y splitter cable on the VGA will give you two monitors with the exact same image.