wireless keyboard for classrooms?

[anne]

I teach at a community college, and I am looking for a no frills
wireless keyboard and mouse that I can carry with me around the room
(range of about 20-30ft). It is a computer lab, where I have a PC and
there are another 30 PCs in the lab.

Can anyone recommend a keyboard that will fit the bill? Ideally, I
want the mouse built into the keyboard. My concern about this whole
venture is the "line of sight" between my keyboard and the reciever may
be compromised because of all the bodies and computers in the room. My
very basic understanding of "wireless" means that it doesn't matter if
there are a lot of objects in the room, however, I read several threads
here (they were several years old) that mentioned that you needed a
clear area between the keyboard and the receiver in order for it to
work. Is this still the case?

Thanks for any advice.
anne

 

[GlowingBlueMist]

I teach at a community college, and I am looking for a no frills
wireless keyboard and mouse that I can carry with me around the room
(range of about 20-30ft). It is a computer lab, where I have a PC and
there are another 30 PCs in the lab.

Can anyone recommend a keyboard that will fit the bill? Ideally, I
want the mouse built into the keyboard. My concern about this whole
venture is the "line of sight" between my keyboard and the reciever may
be compromised because of all the bodies and computers in the room. My
very basic understanding of "wireless" means that it doesn't matter if
there are a lot of objects in the room, however, I read several threads
here (they were several years old) that mentioned that you needed a
clear area between the keyboard and the receiver in order for it to
work. Is this still the case?

Thanks for any advice.
anne

There are basically two types of "wireless" keyboards.
1) LED based, meaning line of sight with the transmitter is a must.
Looks like a bad choice for you.

2) Radio Frequency based wireless.
It sounds like you need to use something in this ball park.
Here is a link for one that claims to work at up to 100 feet. I have not
tried anything from the site so a little more research might be needed.
http://www.fentek-ind.com/rf-wireless-keyboard.htm

You might try a Google search for "wireless keyboard" and then a secondary
search (Search within results), at the bottom of the Google search page,
using "Radio".

 

[HankG]

There are basically two types of "wireless" keyboards.
1) LED based, meaning line of sight with the transmitter is a must.
Looks like a bad choice for you.

2) Radio Frequency based wireless.
It sounds like you need to use something in this ball park.
Here is a link for one that claims to work at up to 100 feet. I have not
tried anything from the site so a little more research might be needed.
http://www.fentek-ind.com/rf-wireless-keyboard.htm

You might try a Google search for "wireless keyboard" and then a secondary
search (Search within results), at the bottom of the Google search page,
using "Radio".

Are you trying to communicate with one computer to display for the whole
class, or are you aiming to communicate with all of them at once? Each
remote computer would need a receiver of the proper type in order to receive
your signal.

I'm not sure if you could run a remote computer with two keyboards, since
the receiver is in effect, one keyboard.

HankG

 

[anne]

Thanks for the recommendation. I will check them out. It looks like
it will do the trick. I'll see if any reviews have been written on
them

 

[anne]

I'm actually trying to communicate with the one instructor's PC which
projects to a screen in the front of the classroom. I want to be able
to leave the PC with a keyboard, roam around the room and be able to
navigate the PC from anywhere in the room. I also want it to be easily
portable to other classrooms.

I don't know if the Fentek product will do the trick, but I will see.

Anne