| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
samwichse
Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2025
Posts: 107
|
 Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2025 3:47 pm Post subject: two computers with one spanning desktop? |
 |
|
I heard a few months ago about some software that allowed you two have two computers with two monitors connected to each other by ethernet so that they had one spanning desktop.
ie: you move your mouse off the right side of the screen and the keyboard and mouse are grabbed by the other computer across the network and you're working on that monitor with the same keyboard and mouse.
Like this:
| Code: |
Monitor Monitor
Computer1 -->ethernet-->Computer2
|
\/
Keyboard
Mouse
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
DocZayus
Ultimate Member
Joined: 15 Feb 2025
Posts: 2199
Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2025 4:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
that is interesting!
I've heard of sharing a desktop, where the PC1 would carry the CPU load, and PC2 would carry the video load.
I had seen it done with a Gentoo setupo a few years ago at a LUG meeting, but didn't get to delve into it much, since I was helping someone install Ubuntu...
_________________
Sabayon
Vista
|
|
| Back to top |
|
samwichse
Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2025
Posts: 107
|
| Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2025 10:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Ok, after some more searching, I found XDMX does this for Linux only... but I could almost swear someone was talking (may have been on slashdot) about doing the same with WindowsXP (on which I have to use ArcMap, a program that's MUCH slower under VMware).
Anyone know anything?
Sam
|
|
| Back to top |
|
Rootboy
Sr. Member
Joined: 11 Aug 2025
Posts: 1947
Location: Lewisburg, Tennessee
|
| Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2025 6:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
I saw it done at Phreaknic this fall. It was on a Kubuntu box if I recall correctly.
3dward might remember more details, he was working with the guy from the Nashville Users Group that was working on it.
Send a shoutout to him and see if he remembers what was going on.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
nukes
Linux Guru
Joined: 29 Aug 2025
Posts: 4558
|
|
| Back to top |
|
samwichse
Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2025
Posts: 107
|
| Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2025 6:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| That's it! That's exactly what I was looking for, thanks nukes!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
nukes
Linux Guru
Joined: 29 Aug 2025
Posts: 4558
|
|
| Back to top |
|
lberg
Sr. Member
Joined: 28 Jul 2025
Posts: 1289
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2025 12:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Nifty!! I might have to try it! But I don't really have 2 computers worth using...........haha. I have my custom build, and then a 300 mhz OEM Dell.
_________________
2 Computers: Arch Linux, 64-bit
3 Computers: Arch Linux, 32-bit
|
|
| Back to top |
|
nukes
Linux Guru
Joined: 29 Aug 2025
Posts: 4558
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2025 2:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
When I was in halls, I had it between my desktop and laptop, just so I didn't have to sit up to do something on it.
Something to watch out for though. If you have a number of systems, the control won't come in until X is up and running, along with the client (put it in ~/.kde/Autostart or ~/.fluxbox/init). The thing is, if something happens that requires intervention at boot time, you'll have to hook a keyboard up to the machine (which will screw up your, finally organized, desk)
_________________
Gentoo x86-64 2.6.29.1
FreeBSD 7-CURRENT
Arch x86 2.6.30
|
|
| Back to top |
|
samwichse
Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2025
Posts: 107
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2025 10:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Man, synergy is AWESOME.
Very easy setup too...
|
|
| Back to top |
|
calcifer
New Member
Joined: 24 Jan 2025
Posts: 20
|
| Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2025 2:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Hi board!
I'm a delighted synergy user, too. As I am using my notebook at home and at work and at both places want to use synergy through a ssh tunnel (remember that passwords you type get transfered unencrypted to the synergy client if you don't tunnel through ssh), I wrapped the process of establishing the tunnel and starting synergy into a small shell script.
Beware that I am probably not a particularly good shell script coder and if you use it any ssh tunnels on port 24800 will get killed to make the port free for the new tunnel, but maybe it's still useful for anyone or maybe someone has any suggestions for me on how to do it better. So here's the code:
| Code: |
#!/bin/bash
E_USAGE=65
port="24800"
synergy_client_process=`which synergyc`
################################################################################
function usage() {
echo "Usage: $0 <synergy_server_hostname>"
}
# wrong args
[ $# -ne 1 ] && usage && exit $E_USAGE
synergy_server=$1
pattern="ssh.*$port"
if [ `pgrep -d "." -f "$pattern"` ]; then
echo "ssh port forwarding already active on port 24800."
echo "I will kill these processes."
pkill -f "$pattern"
fi
echo "Activating port forwarding through ssh on port $port."
ssh -f -N -L $port:${synergy_server}:$port $synergy_server
if [ `pgrep -d "." -f "$synergy_client_process"` ]; then
echo "synergy client instance already running."
echo "I will kill it."
pkill $synergy_client_process
fi
echo "Starting synergy client instance."
$synergy_client_process localhost
exit 0
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
nukes
Linux Guru
Joined: 29 Aug 2025
Posts: 4558
|
|
| Back to top |
|
calcifer
New Member
Joined: 24 Jan 2025
Posts: 20
|
|
| Back to top |
|
masinick
Linux Guru
Joined: 03 Apr 2025
Posts: 8615
Location: Concord, NH
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2025 4:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I have heard of (and seen in action) multi-headed displays - where an X server is able to display to the :0 (default display) or the :1 (second display) - never actually have seen more than two in action, wonder if more are possible?
Concerning this particular effort, it seems to be something different entirely and is very interesting indeed. Will monitor this thread and others for more information. |
|
| Back to top |
|
calcifer
New Member
Joined: 24 Jan 2025
Posts: 20
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2025 4:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| masinick wrote: |
Concerning this particular effort, it seems to be something different entirely and is very interesting indeed. Will monitor this thread and others for more information. |
You are right: multi-head setup is like 1 computer and 1+n displays, whereas synergy is like 1 keyboard/mouse and 1+n computers. It's more like a KVM switch solution without KVM switch and without the 'V'. You can of course mix both: I have a desktop computer with a two-display multi-head setup and a notebook on one desk, so I am able to move the mouse over the two screens of the desktop thanks to multi-head and further onto the notebook. But you cannot move windows from the desktop displays to the notebook, you just share the input devices over TCP/IP...
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
