4.3. Configuring USB Devices
A virtual machine connected with the SPICE protocol can be configured to connect directly to USB devices.
The USB device will only be redirected if the virtual machine is active, in focus and is run from the VM Portal. USB redirection can be manually enabled each time a device is plugged in or set to automatically redirect to active virtual machines in the Console Options window.
Note the distinction between the client machine and guest machine. The client is the hardware from which you access a guest. The guest is the virtual desktop or virtual server which is accessed through the VM Portal or Administration Portal.
USB redirection Enabled mode allows KVM/SPICE USB redirection for Linux and Windows virtual machines. Virtual (guest) machines require no guest-installed agents or drivers for native USB. On Red Hat Enterprise Linux clients, all packages required for USB redirection are provided by the virt-viewer package. On Windows clients, you must also install the usbdk package. Enabled USB mode is supported on the following clients and guests:
If you have a 64-bit architecture PC, you must use the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer to install the 64-bit version of the USB driver. The USB redirection will not work if you install the 32-bit version on a 64-bit architecture. As long as you initially install the correct USB type, you can access USB redirection from both 32- and 64-bit browsers.
4.3.1. Using USB Devices on a Windows Client
The usbdk driver must be installed on the Windows client for the USB device to be redirected to the guest. Ensure the version of usbdk matches the architecture of the client machine. For example, the 64-bit version of usbdk must be installed on 64-bit Windows machines.
USB redirection is only supported when you open the virtual machine from the VM Portal.
Using USB Devices on a Windows Client
-
When the
usbdkdriver is installed, select a virtual machine that has been configured to use the SPICE protocol. Ensure USB support is set to Enabled:
- Click .
- Click the Console tab.
- Select Enabled from the USB Support drop-down list.
- Click .
-
Click
. - Select the Enable USB Auto-Share check box and click .
- Start the virtual machine from the VM Portal and click to connect to that virtual machine.
- Plug your USB device into the client machine to make it appear automatically on the guest machine.
4.3.2. Using USB Devices on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client
The usbredir package enables USB redirection from Red Hat Enterprise Linux clients to virtual machines. usbredir is a dependency of the virt-viewer package, and is automatically installed together with that package.
USB redirection is only supported when you open the virtual machine from the VM Portal.
Using USB devices on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux client
-
Click
and select a virtual machine that has been configured to use the SPICE protocol. Ensure USB support is set to Enabled:
- Click .
- Click the Console tab.
- Select Enabled from the USB Support drop-down list.
- Click .
-
Click
. - Select the Enable USB Auto-Share check box and click .
- Start the virtual machine from the VM Portal and click to connect to that virtual machine.
- Plug your USB device into the client machine to make it appear automatically on the guest machine.
