Connecting one bluetooth keyboard to multiple devices

Question

Is it possible to connect one bluetooth keyboard to multiple computers (MacBook Pro, PC - both are bluetooth enabled) and switch between them like a KVM switch does?

Answer 1

There are several devices for this purpose. Here are a few:

Up to three paired devices:

• Logitech K380, K480, K800 or K811

Up to four devices:

• Kanex Multisynch (multiple models)

Up to eight devices:

• SMK-Link Blu-Link Multi-Host Bluetooth Keybooard

There are some two-device keyboards, too.

Answer 2

There are two ways to tackle this:

1. The “main” computer keeps in touch with the Bluetooth device all the time and runs some software which passes the input on to secondary computers.

2. The Bluetooth device itself talks to different computers/hosts.

Bluetooth devices have to store an encryption key for each paired host. Crappy devices only store the one from the last pairing. Some better devices can store multiple keys, but connect to the next available host they recognize and stay with it. (To let the devices switch the host, the currently connected host has to e.g. shut down Bluetooth.)

Even better devices offer a way to pick previously paired hosts. Dennis mentioned some non-foldable keyboards which can do that. I may add the Logitech K760 to that list. For foldable bluetooth keyboards I know the Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard (2 hosts) and the Perixx Periboard 805L II (3 hosts).