Data routing device and system

The present invention relates to a data routing device for routing data from computers to peripheral devices. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a data routing device allowing a number of computers to share a number of peripherals by controlling the routing of data originating and terminating under a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol and a system incorporating the device, USB host computers and shared USB peripherals. A serial data routing device for use in routing serial data between a computer and a peripheral device. The data routing device includes a computer data converter which communicates data under the USB protocol with a computer and which converts data received from the computer into converted computer data. A peripheral data converter is also included which communicates data under the USB protocol with the peripheral device and which converts data received from the peripheral device into converted peripheral data. A data router is provided in communication with the computer data converter and the peripheral data converter and transfers converted computer data and converted peripheral data between them. It includes a data routing controller which controls the routing of the converted computer data and the converted peripheral data between the computer data converter and the peripheral data converter such that the computer and peripheral device operate as though directly connected by a USB bus.