With a KVM extender, you can access your PC in the basement from the living room. In fact, they are widely used in many more interesting scenarios. Sometimes people want more – to control multiple devices with one set of KVM (monitor, keyboard, and mouse). If they are all far away from your desktop, you may consider combining the use of a KVM extender with a KVM switch.

 

KVM Extender vs. KVM Switch

If you have a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and you wanna connect them to multiple computers so that you can control them as you like, you would need a KVM switch. It’s like a node or a crossroads that brings several branches (computers) into one (the KVM).

Instead, a KVM extender serves like a highway – to transfer video and USB signals more efficiently with less data loss, for a longer distance. Interestingly, you can combine the use with a KVM switch to build the communication system as you like.

kvm extender and kvm switch

You may be interested in this product combo: 4K KVM Extender over IP & 4K HDMI KVM Switch

 

KVM Extender over IP

Is a KVM switch always necessary? Sometimes you have multiple servers and KVMs for connection and may find the AV over IP solution a better way out. Yes, the over IP solution has its edge and it may be a more flexible, economical choice than the extenders plus switch combination.

KVM extenders over IP connect through a network switch in the LAN and enable multiple-one-to-one connection for flexible use. Take the 4KIP100-KVM as an example, when you have 3 PCs and 3 sets of KVMs in different places, connecting them with 4KIP100-KVM through the LAN enables you to control these PCs with whichever KVM you want from multiple sites.

That’s because each 4KIP100-KVM (Transmitter and Receiver) has a built-in DIP switch and when you can toggle the pair to an identical position, the correspondent PC and KVM will be connected. You can flexibly arrange the communication.

Read this to explore the differences between KVM extenders and KVM over IP.

 

KVM Extender & Matrix Switch

Some brands like ATEN, and Crestron offer more advanced solutions such as KVM over IP matrix switch. There is something powerful and extremely flexible. However, it requires great background knowledge to configure and make it work. And in most cases, they cost crazy and are almost impossible to figure out by ordinary installers and users.

That’s because these machines are designed for highly complicated coordination and management scenarios and always there is a team designated to control and look after them.

 

Why You Shall Choose AV Access

AV Access offers different types of KVM extenders. The KVM extension technology aims to improve people’s AV experience and make things more convenient to work with. That’s what our products achieve.

From 4K KVM, DP KVM to KVM extenders for dual monitor setup and KVM extenders over IP, no matter which solution you are looking for, we make it easy-to-use, and friendly to non-professionals. Even for a fresh user, onboarding is easy to accomplish, and troubleshooting can be done with some simple guides.

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