ATEN 2-Port USB 2.0 Peripheral Sharing Device

Product Overview

AI-generated summary

The ATEN 2‑Port USB 2.0 Peripheral Sharing Device is one of those “simple but lifesaving” little boxes. If you’ve got two computers that both need access to the same USB printer, barcode scanner, dongle, or other low‑bandwidth peripheral, this is a sensible way to avoid constantly plugging/unplugging cables. For £19.39 ex‑VAT, the value is mostly in its reliability and convenience rather than any fancy performance — USB 2.0 class gear is exactly where these things tend to behave well.

That said, I wouldn’t use it for anything that’s picky about bandwidth or timing. High‑speed USB storage, webcams, or anything that needs consistent continuous data can be moody depending on drivers and power management. Also, expect that “sharing” usually means switching access — you can’t truly multi‑use the same device at the same time. In short: buy it if you want a cheap, dependable KVM-style switch for USB 2.0 peripherals in an office or small IT setup. Skip it if you’re trying to share bandwidth-hungry devices or anything where uptime and zero renegotiation matters.