Home Office colocation advice

Level1 Store KVM Helpdesk
1

Hi everyone,

I could use some advice on setting up my home office. The current setup has been fine but we have some construction plans for the upstairs office that is actually a bedroom.

Here’s my current situation:

My office is upstairs where my inbound fiber comes into my network home lab and switches.
I have a patch panel providing network access to my wireless access points.
In the same closet, I keep my network stack (UniFi, Synology, and my desktop computer).
I use the Level1Techs KVM switch for two devices and two monitors, allowing me to switch between my home desktop and work laptop quickly.
I want to move my office to the ground floor, directly underneath the room where my desktop is currently located. However, I don’t want to move the physical desktop. I prefer to leave it in the closet upstairs and just set up the KVM, monitor(s), keyboard, and mouse in my new office space downstairs.

I am looking for a wired solution to achieve this setup efficiently. I will be fine with the drywall and subfloor demo/repairs in order to accomplish this.

What kind of cabling or tools would you recommend to connect my KVM, monitor(s), keyboard, and mouse to the desktop upstairs?

Here are some additional details about my setup:

Desktop: AMD X570 with 10 gigabit networking, 3090 GPU primarily using DisplayPort out to a Level 1 TX KVM.
Work Laptop: Dell XPS15 (2023) Connects to a Dell Thunderbolt 4 dock, which then connects to the KVM.
Monitor: LG Ultrawide 34GK950F
Keyboard and Mouse: Logitech G915 & G502X
Webcam: Logitech Brio 501 (USB Type-C)

I’m also familiar with Linus Tech Tips using fiber optic DisplayPort cables from Corning for similar setups. However, I’m unsure how to integrate this setup with my Level 1 TX KVM, especially for managing two computers (desktop and work laptop). If you have any recommendations or insights on configuring the Level 1 TX KVM for dual computers and integrating it into this setup, I’d greatly appreciate your input!

Thanks in advance for your advice!

2

HDMI or DisplayPort?

If your desktop is in the floor above you I’d highly recommend fiber optic cables. Or, we do have a product that might be up your alley.

You could do Desktop PC → HDbase3 → KVM

This product is very neat. It’ll carry your video, usb, and serial connections through 1 Cat 7 cable.

I have a video on how it works on the product page:

3

I have the displayport 2 port unit.

4

Ah I see I was hoping you had the 2 x 2 hdmi if you wanted to go the Ethernet extender route.

What do you mean?

5

Are you meaning you don’t know how the fiber optic would get from upstairs to downstairs?

6

No I will be able to route the fiber optic, my concern is will the fiber optic DP cables and not sure what USB cables work properly going from the KVM to the desktop upstairs and the Dell TB4 dock?

Also, hoping to maintain the 120Hz refresh rate (at least) that I get with the DP KVM when connected to my desktop. I also see that the KVM is capable of 1440P @144Hz so this buoys me toward any future monitor upgrade I might do.

Are there any go to cables (the displayport fiber optic and/or USB) that are recommended to cover the distance. It is likely 20-25ft once properly routed from closet wall, through the floor, into the new room wall (directly below current space) and to a standing desk where the KVM will reside.

The ideal scenario will be a standing desk with only the KVM, monitor, KB/mouse (with logitech charging mousepad), logitech webcam, and Orico USB3.2 Gen2 HUB on the desk.
In this situation, when I return home I would go up to the closet and plug my laptop into the thunderbolt dock and be able to toggle and wake either device when necessary. This works currently with the computers in the closet behind the wall that my current desk backs up to.