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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher UNIX
I have a PC desktop and Mac laptop that share the same tiny workspace and decided to "bite the bullet" and buy a KVM to reduce clutter. The Belkin I purchased gets obstinate on occasion so, in desperation for a happier solution, I installed a project hosted on SourceForge (SF) call Synergy.

What Synergy attempts to do is replace the keyboard/mouse function of a KVM. The program passes the input device coordinates (or keyboard code) from a "server" computer to a client computer via TCP/IP. Like many SourceForge projects, installation requires dragging the application into a Terminal window. Also, the documentation and development is better on the Windows side than on the Unix/Mac side. Note that (in most cases) Mac local networking "names" end with a ".local" extension. Synergy has replaced the KVM on my desktop.

[robg adds: The Synergy homepage points out that the Mac port has some issues and lags behind the others in its development ... still, for all you new Mac mini owners out there, this might be worth a look.]
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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: AaronAdams on Feb 01, '05 10:54:03AM
There's also a very good VNC-based, low-overhead keyboard and mouse sharing util called osx2x. You can read more about it here.

In my opinion, it's simpler to use than Synergy and is a more elegant solution since it can be secured with a strong password or SSH tunnel, doesn't require the command line, and runs as a service on the Windows side rather than a user-level application.

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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: balnaves on Feb 01, '05 11:36:08AM

Synergy can also use SSH and be installed as a service on Windows easily.

SSH: http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/faq.html#faq5
Windows Service: http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/autostart.html

The most recent version has a bunch of updates for OS X.



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: AaronAdams on Feb 01, '05 12:32:42PM

Does Synergy provide password protection of some kind, or the ability to authenticate to a directory service?



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: mephisto on Feb 01, '05 05:38:45PM

Synergy does not directly support authentication, no. osx2x does not either. VNC can require (password only) authentication, xtest does not. Synergy can require an SSH tunnel, which in turn has encryption and can authenticate in a number of ways depending on configuration. I believe osx2x can as well though I have never tried.

osx2x connecting to Linux uses xtest. This requires no password and is less secure than even the default configuration of Synergy, though it is splitting hairs. For connecting to Windows, VNC is fairly decent for protecting the password but I do not believe the traffic is encrypted by default (I know it is not for straight VNC).

Finally Synergy can use any of the three platforms as the "host" for the keyboard and mouse. osx2x requires that the Mac be the host.

This is not to say that osx2x is not a fine program, merely that your arguments are fallacious. Each has their strong and weak points and I have used both at different times. I settled on Synergy because I can set it to require a double tap to switch screens. Double tapping is the least onerous of the options available for either application to allow me to switch screens and still keep use of active corners.



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: AaronAdams on Feb 01, '05 10:05:46PM

There is nothing fallacious about my points. VNC can require either simple password protection or authentication to a directory service, nothing fallacious about that. VNC can be encrypted in a tunnel like Synergy, and probably any other traffic, nothing fallacious about that. osx2x does not require the command line and does not require the editing of text files for setup, nothing fallacious about that. VNC gives me the flexibility to remotely control the whole machine if need be, nothing fallacious about that. osx2x can connect to Linux using VNC instead of xtest, nothing fallacious about that. osx2x allows me to switch screens by simply moving the mouse pointer over to the other screen, nothing fallacious about that.

I prefer osx2x because it works well, is easy to set up, VNC is available for a number of platforms and provides additional flexibility, and it can all be secured to a degree greater than Synergy.



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: mephisto on Feb 02, '05 07:17:42AM

Let us try and keep this polite shall we?

Unless you tunnel through ssh, which requires the maligned command line or another program, your session is most definitely not encrypted. Even then there is no solution to this on the osx2x site, mererly warning that regardless of machine all keyboard strokes and mouse movements are passed unencrypted (under "issues"). So how would you set up a secure connection using osx2x? I think it would make a good hint in and of itself.

Also, oddly enough, stock VNC does not allow authentication via any method other than password. I checked OSXvnc and it also only has password based authentication. Finally from the osx2x web site: "Currently no authenication [sic] is used for an X11 connection, and only the password field is used for VNC authentication." So can you explain how to get authentication other than password through osx2x using VNC?

You do need to modify a text file to configure synergy, but is this such a bad thing? It is not difficult. I realize some Mac users do not like anything to do with the command line. With minimal effort a bash script file that could be clicked from finder could be created to avoid this. Or a hotkey for QuickSilver could be used, which is how I do it. For that matter, while the host requires editing a text file, the clients require no configuration at all beyond typing in the address of the host. This is not true of VNC and especially not true of xtest.

So again, to the best of my knowledge, and the documentation on the osx2x and vnc sites, you seem to be making false assumptions. I look forward to your reasoned explanations of where I was wrong.



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: tinpan on Feb 01, '05 11:58:14AM

I find that the latest build of Synergy (1.2.2) works better than osx2x, but it's harder to setup. The best way is to create a startup item in /Library/StartupItems or ~/Library/StartupItems. I'll post more detailed OS X specific instructions later (I'm in a meeting now).

It's also the only KM app that seems to be improving at a decent pace.



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: phillipc on Feb 02, '05 04:55:03PM

I'd like to try this & I would be very interested in a step-by-step. I'm not thrilled about extensive command line projects.

Phillip C.

---
PhillipC



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: ms_t_rie on Feb 01, '05 11:10:22AM

Another option if the PC has Windows XP or higher (or 2000 server) is to use Remote Desktop to connect to the PC and run things. I've been doing that for a while now and it works extremely well. It's not hard to setup on the Windows side, the Remote Desktop Client is free and in my experience MUCH faster than VNC.



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MS RDC is way faster than VNC
Authored by: lullabud on Feb 01, '05 02:14:41PM

I agree completely. I was down in Santa Cruz for the weekend and needed to connect to my home PC to start up a torrent, and my Mac to check my mail and IMs that I'd left running. I used a friends Powerbook to connect with Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) to my XP machine and it was very fast and responsive. However, connecting to my Mac with VNC was incredibly slow, and I mean *incredibly* slow. I'm not sure if it's just that VNC bandwidth doesn't scale well, or maybe it's something else, but in my experience RDC works waaaay better than VNC. It's just a shame that the RDC server doesn't run in OS X. ;-)



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MS RDC is way faster than VNC (sort of)
Authored by: wsdr on Feb 02, '05 10:28:09AM
RDC may be faster, but you can't use it to control the screen of the remote computer. Instead, it works like terminal server. Plus, when you log in as a user on the remote machine, that user, if currently logged in, gets logged out (and sees a black screen). VNC, on the other hand, lets you see and control the remote user's screen at the same time they see it.

So, for remote use, RDC is best. But for remote control/support, it is not helpful. Each has its own place, and is each is better suited to a particular task.

Having said all that, on my PC, which is on the same desk as my Mac, I use RealVNC and osx2x on my Mac. That way my PC display, which sits to the left of my Mac display, becomes an extension of my Mac display. I simply move my mouse off of the left edge of my Mac display, and it pops up on my PC screen. From that point on all keyboard and mouse controls go to the PC. With Airport on the Mac and 100-Base-T on the PC, there is no apparent lag in performance. When I move the mouse back to the right edge of the PC screen, it returns to my Mac. Beautiful and seamless.

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MS RDC is way faster than VNC (sort of)
Authored by: ms_t_rie on Feb 02, '05 11:29:41AM

Oh, I'll agree that VNC is needed if trying to do support, but the scenario described had both machines on the same desk. I just thought it worth mentioning another OPTION, not neccessarily better :)

For me, I just use dual displays on my Mac, connect via RDC to the PC, and move the RDC window to the second display. It should behave just the same as you described that way, I use the keyboard and mouse on the Mac and when I move the mouse to the second display and click the RDC window, I'm controlling the PC session. Plus, if I wanted to, I could just use a single display (which is usually what you use a KVM for) to save space.

The lack of a shared display though IS the big disadvantage of Remote Desktop, though if you don't need sharing, the speed advantage is considerable.

Rie



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MS RDC is way faster than VNC (sort of)
Authored by: legacyb4 on Feb 02, '05 08:33:40PM

On XP, the local console gets locked and you control the same desktop as if you were sitting in front of the machine.

Windows 2000 Server also supports RDC but in Terminal Service only.



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RDC Is XP Professional, Not Home
Authored by: psandiford on Feb 01, '05 11:16:35PM

Per Microsoft, this solution is only available on the XP Professional version.



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RDC Is XP Professional, Not Home
Authored by: chris_on_hints on Feb 03, '05 12:32:57PM

Yes, thats right (i think 2003 server also has the RDC server software).

At least the client RDC is available for all windows (from 98 upwards, i believe) and works well for remote access.

For two machines on the same desk (and when they both have their own monitor), I put another vote in for osx2x to control them using the same keyboard / mouse...

and note: If your two machines are connected via a secure network (ie a home network behind a router or through encrypted airport) then the security is pretty much a non-issue... but I think a SSH tunnel is a necessity if working remotely through the internet (or on an untrusted network) to protect passwords you might be typing in and sending to your remote machine...



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Win2VNC
Authored by: lullabud on Feb 01, '05 02:07:58PM
At work I use Win2VNC between a Powerbook and a Thinkpad. It uses the built-in Apple Remote Desktop VNC server on Mac OS X (although some of us perfer to use OSXvnc) to transfer all Mouse and Keyboard movements off the edge of one screen on to the other. It also allows copying of text on one machine to paste onto the other.

Since it's using VNC it allows you more flexibility. You can simply log in to the remote machine, rather than moving the mouse from one screen to the other. Also, it doesn't require you to go into the terminal to install, since VNC for Mac has at least two elegant native solutions.

I've never tried Synergy so I can't compare, but then, I've never had a need since Win2VNC works fine for me.

http://fredrik.hubbe.net/win2vnc.html

*Note: this is just a keyboard/mouse switcher, not a KVM replacement.

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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: nevyn on Feb 01, '05 02:13:13PM

I've been using this for about half a year and it's great. It's /not/ (supposed to be) a replacement for a KVM -- it is for people who wants to use a single set of keyboard and mouse for two computers. You just move the cursor to the edge of the one computer's screen and it moves to the other computer's screen, just as if they had been one computer with two monitors. Very handy, since it's cross-platform and works on both Windows, Mac and Linux.

---
?



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: darndog on Feb 01, '05 06:00:51PM

And here was I wondering how I would achieve just this functionality when I replace my ageing dual headed G4 400 with 2 whisper quiet Mini Macs, each running one of the monitors.

Result, great hint.



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: s0ns0fj0b on Feb 01, '05 08:22:37PM

used synergy to get my s700i bluetooth (mouseprofile<inyerfacev710>) <with bluetooth note: v710 = scriptkitty l0serZ>
(ps. a mouse will work t00 newBies)
12' powerbook 1Ghz <internal bluetooth>

to control 10 lab computers simulantenously. i just keep moving the mouse to the left or right till the machine i want's, mouse moves. then i have keyboard mouse. whee!!!
granted it was boring writing the config files and installing the server/clients but the reward is tight.

i jump from linux to windows to windows to linux to windows and back to my happy mac. vnc is too 'centric' imho.

i walk into an office and just keep clickin with my phone till i have my own i/o on their desk. right now i can move their mouse poorly at best
but i am getting the think diff bluetooth keyboard that pairs to the s700
and see if i can type thru this.....

if someone with a vision just whips up a nice stumbler
like app with rendevous support that will write the config file matrix ......hahah.....

late



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: xSmurf on Feb 01, '05 10:05:58PM
Although mac only, there is also a nice project which is in development called Teleport. Also many of the new (2~3 years and more) monitors have dual input and allow you to switch betwen the two input at the push of the button. My does and it's made by nec, but I know other company (Sony to name only one) do to. I only wish it would be a full KVM with the included usb hub! Sadly, sometimes I still do need to have a "hard" link to the other machine as the Soft-KV has issues with fast user switching and I use it a lot on the other machine. I was thinking of making a usb switch for those times from 3 usb cables and an old 10$ vga switch, what do you guys think?

---
PM G4 DP 800 / 768Mb / 120Gb+80Gb /SuperDrive / SCSI: AGFA SnapScan 1236s / Jaz 1Gb / Zip 100Mb
- The only APP Smurf ;P

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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: xSmurf on Feb 02, '05 12:07:28AM

Hmmm I have decided to give Synergy a try, it's nice, got it to work with autostartup on both machines (OS X)... One problems comes to me, which Teleport also sports, is that it doesn't support Fast User Switching, which is a big issue to me, anyone has an idea?

---
PM G4 DP 800 / 768Mb / 120Gb+80Gb /SuperDrive / SCSI: AGFA SnapScan 1236s / Jaz 1Gb / Zip 100Mb
- The only APP Smurf ;P



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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: xSmurf on Feb 04, '05 03:12:26AM
Wow I finally got this to work. I can't believe I am the only one in this situation so here's a quick overview of how I managed to do it. first off my synergy.conf file:
section: screens TechPad: xsmurf: server: end section: links # larry is to the right of moe and curly is above moe TechPad: left = xsmurf right = server xsmurf: right = TechPad server: left = TechPad end section: aliases # curly is also known as shemp TechPad: TechPad.local xsmurf: fripouille.local server: 192.168.1.20 end
Not that fripouille.local and 192.168.1.20 is are the same machine. and xsmurf and server are the two user I use with Fast User Switching. Now on the client side use the method of your choice to start synergyc client. But make sure that one thread will be started for each user. I start synergyc with $ synergyc -n USER_NAME SERVER_IP. So now I have one user on one side of the server monitor and one o the left. It's not ideal, but it does the job good. The only thing it will not allow you to control is the login window.

---
PM G4 DP 800 / 768Mb / 120Gb+80Gb /SuperDrive / SCSI: AGFA SnapScan 1236s / Jaz 1Gb / Zip 100Mb
- The only APP Smurf ;P

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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: xSmurf on Feb 04, '05 03:18:30AM
Sorry, should have been (ho yeah, and TechPad is obviously the server host):

section: screens
	TechPad:
	mlalonde:
	server:
end

section: links
	TechPad:
		left = mlalonde
		right = server
	mlalonde:
		right = TechPad
	server:
		left = TechPad
end

section: aliases
	TechPad:
		TechPad.local
	mlalonde:
		fripouille.local
	server:
		192.168.1.20
end

---
PM G4 DP 800 / 768Mb / 120Gb+80Gb /SuperDrive / SCSI: AGFA SnapScan 1236s / Jaz 1Gb / Zip 100Mb
- The only APP Smurf ;P

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Install a software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: notme333 on Feb 02, '05 01:16:19AM

Great Site with all the particulars of Synergy setup and a OSX GUI too

http://www.altuit.com/webs/altuit2/SynergyOSX/default.htm

Been using it for a while between OSX and a PC





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KMremoteControl
Authored by: aMacUzur on Feb 02, '05 01:43:06AM
If you have multiple systems, complete with monitors, on your desk, you can use a slightly different approach ... a keyboard/mouse switch called KMremoteControl. This allows you to pop back 'n forth between systems (from one system's keyboard/mouse) and still have complete use of both systems at the same time.

I've been using KMremoteControl for a long time and it works just great! It's also is cross-platform so I don't have to soil my fingers with that nasty PC keyboard 'n mouse. #;-)

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This is SOOOO cool!
Authored by: nick on Feb 02, '05 04:51:16AM
just tried this. i installed the client on my media-cube wich is hooked up to an lcd-tv in the livingroom. the server is installed on my powerbook.
i installed the client as a startupitem:
Synergy
|-- StartupParameters.plist
|-- Synergy
`-- synergyc

my Synergy-shellscript looks like this:
#!/bin/sh

StartService()
{
/Library/StartupItems/Synergy/synergyc Nikomat.local
}

StopService()
{
/usr/bin/killall synergyc
}

RestartService()
{
StopService
StartService
}

case $1 in
start) StartService;;
stop) StopService;;
restart) RestartService;;
esac


and the Startupitem.plist looks like this:
{
Description = "Synergy Client";
Provides = ("Synergy Client");
Requires = ("Core Graphics", "Resolver");
OrderPreference = "None";
Messages = {
restart = "Restarting Synergy Client for Nikomat";
start = "Starting Synergy Client for Nikomat";
stop = "Stopping Synergy Client";
};
}

on the serverside i start synergys with the f-option so i can stop it by CTRL-c it in the terminal.

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Install a *slow* software-only keyboard/monitor switcher
Authored by: EatingPie on Feb 02, '05 10:09:00AM

Don't wanna be a naysayer here, but there is something implied in every post...

Synergy is slow... just like VNC and Windows RDC.

A KVM is gonna be the fastest way to control another computer because you are connected directly to that computer via the keyboard/monitor. No TCP/IP involved. So if you have any concerns about typing/mouseing lag, the KVM is still the best solution in that arena.

Obviously Synergy wins on price and the 10-computers-at-once possibility. And doesn't even need to be in the same room as the "controlled" computer (after install anyway). But as I said, the KVM has its advantages too.

-Pie

---
-Pie
<http://www.storybytes.com>



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Security
Authored by: seanasy on Feb 02, '05 01:53:25PM

Make sure you read the security page. Personally, I would never run this type of software though it's probably safe over SSH. It's a neat hack, anyway.



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