Wiesemann & Theis GmbH

Networking, sensors and interface technology for industry, office and IT

House
Data Sheet (USB-Buddy):

Virtual USB Server

USB-Buddy: Turn any Windows PC into a USB Server

Share the local USB ports of your Windows PC or Windows server across the network—entirely software-based and scalable with a flexible subscription plan. Use your existing IT infrastructure to make USB devices—such as dongles, scanners, or measuring equipment—available where they’re needed.

Diagram: Virtual USB Server

Hardware-independent USB pass-through:

No additional hardware required. Turns Windows-based PCs, industrial PCs (IPCs), or servers into fully functional USB servers.

Seamless USB Integration in Virtual Environments:

Ideal for dynamic environments, temporary workstations, or virtualized environments (VMware, Hyper-V) where physical USB access is not available.

Scalable & future-proof USB forwarding software:

With the flexible subscription model, you license only the systems whose USB ports are currently to be made available on the network (billed monthly or annually). Ongoing updates included with the subscription also ensure compatibility with future versions of Windows and new USB standards.


Application cases

  • Software Dongles in the Data Center

    Copy protection dongles are plugged into a PC in the server room and are flexibly assigned to different virtual machines (VMs) in the cloud.

  • Home Office and Remote Work

    Employees working from home can securely access specialized hardware (e.g., smart card readers or industrial scanners) that is plugged into a PC at the office.

  • Laboratory and Test Benches

    Data from measuring instruments located on remote laboratory PCs is retrieved centrally from the engineers’ workstations.


Overview of Features

  • Installation

    The virtual USB server is installed on the PC or server whose USB ports are to be shared.

  • Deployment

    The software detects the connected USB devices. Share all devices that you want to make available on the network. The USB-Buddy can make eight USB devices available on the network at the same time.

  • Connection

    Install the free W&T USB Redirector client software on any PC. The software then connects to the virtual USB server and mounts the shared USB device. The device then behaves on the destination PC as if it were plugged in locally.


System requirements

  • The virtual USB server for Windows is compatible with all versions of Windows starting with Windows 7. Of course, this also includes all Windows Server versions and 64-bit editions.

    An Internet connection is required to periodically verify the validity of the active license key.

^