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Turn your keyboard LEDs into network activity indicators with a free app
Most keyboards built in the last twenty years or so sport three LEDs - number lock, caps lock, and scroll lock. I'm pretty sure that over those same twenty years I've used each one for a combined total of five minutes.
It sure would be nice if I could somehow force the LEDs to perform another duty. Say, for example, blinking in time with my network activity? That would be pretty slick.
And that's exactly what Network Lights does. Download the 44Kb .zip file, extract it, and run the executable and your LEDs will go to work, flashing in time with the flow of network packets to and from your PC.
I'd recommend against running Network Lights on a laptop which doesn't have a full numeric pad on the keyboard. As the app flicks the LED on and off, your dual-mode keys (usually on the right side around J-K-L) will periodically become unresponsive.
While this is an older app and hasn't been updated in quite some time, Network Lights runs just fine under Windows 7.
[via Raymond.cc]
It sure would be nice if I could somehow force the LEDs to perform another duty. Say, for example, blinking in time with my network activity? That would be pretty slick.
And that's exactly what Network Lights does. Download the 44Kb .zip file, extract it, and run the executable and your LEDs will go to work, flashing in time with the flow of network packets to and from your PC.
I'd recommend against running Network Lights on a laptop which doesn't have a full numeric pad on the keyboard. As the app flicks the LED on and off, your dual-mode keys (usually on the right side around J-K-L) will periodically become unresponsive.
While this is an older app and hasn't been updated in quite some time, Network Lights runs just fine under Windows 7.
[via Raymond.cc]
Comments
14
Subscribe to commentsDeoWulfNov 12th 2009 6:47PM
I can't see how this would possibly be useful to me, but I'll take it anyway. Not like I use those LEDs.
DiegoNov 12th 2009 6:51PM
Aparently this program doesn't work on USB keyboards
DavidNov 12th 2009 8:13PM
How about setting it to Scroll Lock?
Nobody uses that, right?
rokubungiNov 12th 2009 8:57PM
tried it out it does work with usb keyboards but I won't use it because it interferes with my num lock. give it the option to only use scroll lock and maybe pulse according to the bandwidth and it would be a winner.
jiggleblingNov 12th 2009 9:04PM
link to awesome wallpaper in screenshot please?
__smooth__Nov 12th 2009 11:01PM
http://entertainment.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/6987/
I was bored at 4am and i just googled "teenage mutant ninja turtles donatello wallpaper" and whaddya know?
jiggleblingNov 13th 2009 2:48AM
thank you ninja man
IsharNov 12th 2009 9:20PM
Is it possible to set it with scroll lock? I do have another problem, why there isnt a blinking network icon on windows 7?
xpsypiexNov 13th 2009 12:33AM
Is there something like this for mac?
YpoknonsNov 13th 2009 12:40AM
A backlit keyboard would be an interesting place to use the concept.
fuguf15hNov 13th 2009 6:45AM
Doesn't work on my USB keyboard unless you tick "force keyboard capture".
Then, it randomly toggles my KVM switch! (scroll lock X2)
johnNov 13th 2009 4:09PM
made a gmail notifier a while back that blinked the scroll lock light, so i could always tell from a distance when i had new mail..
hemanthNov 13th 2009 11:32AM
I agree with the other readers. Interesting concept. Truly geeky and fun. But it interferes with the functioning of the keyboard. NumLock wont stay pressed. I'd be happy to try it again if this was fixed.
blogwardNov 13th 2009 2:14PM
xCat network industries' free 'knl'(keyboard network leds) is molre c6nf5g4ranle. But it still randomly changes the N4mLock status. G66g3e 5ts