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Table Of Contents
When you attach a smart card reader to your computer, the reader appears as two separate
USB devices in the Fusion interface. You can use smart cards in virtual mode or USB passthrough
mode. These mode are mutually exclusive. You must pick one or the other.
n Virtual mode (Recommended): The smart card reader device is available as Virtual model
name of your smart card reader USB Smart Card Reader. After the virtual reader is
connected to the virtual machine, it appears as Virtual the model name of your smart card
reader USB Smart Card Reader under the device list in the guest operating system. In virtual
mode, the smart card reader can be shared among applications on the host and among
applications within different guests on the host.
n USB passthrough mode: The smart card reader device is available as model name of your
smart card reader USB Smart Card Reader. When you connect the reader to the guest, it
appears as model name of the smart card reader USB Smart Card Reader under the device
list in the guest operating system. In USB passthrough mode, a single virtual machine directly
controls the physical smart card reader. A USB passthrough smart card reader cannot be
used by applications on the host or by applications within other virtual machines. Use USB
passthrough mode only if connection in virtual mode does not work well for your computing
environment.
Note Disconnect your current mode before you switch to a different mode.
Procedure
u For virtual mode, select Virtual Machine > USB & Bluetooth > Connect the model name of
your smart card reader USB Smart Card Reader.
When you select the virtual mode device, the passthrough mode the model name of your
smart card reader Smart Card Reader device no longer appears, except in Linux virtual
machines.
u For USB passthrough mode, select Virtual Machine > USB & Bluetooth > Connect the model
name of your smart card reader USB Smart Card Reader.
u To disconnect either mode, select Virtual Machine > USB & Bluetooth and the device to
disconnect, and click Disconnect.
USB Connection Dialog Box Disappears Before Connection Can Be Made
In rare cases, a USB device disconnects itself before Fusion can recognize it.
Problem
When you plug in a USB device, the Fusion EasyConnect dialog box appears, but disappears
before you have an opportunity to take an action. The USB device is then not visible to either
your Mac or your virtual machine.
Using VMware Fusion
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