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Synergy Virtual KVM

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40hz:
Does TeamViewer let you do that?
-Renegade (November 02, 2012, 10:18 PM)
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Sorry Ren/Wraith... I'm confused. Does TeamViewer let you do what? I think I somehow missed part of your question. :)
-40hz (November 03, 2012, 10:22 AM)
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Does TeamViewer let you control two computers with one Mouse and keyboard, i.e. act as a virtual KVM?
-wraith808 (November 03, 2012, 10:41 AM)
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As in toggle back and forth rapidly and repeatedly? No. Not really. You do have to remote into the box(es) you want to control. But it's a very fast connection to establish. TeamViewer can be setup to allow unattended inbound connections. And it's also reachable from anywhere to say nothing of being very light on its feet. Even over a suboptimal connection. So I find it works well for what I need to do since I'm not constantly toggling back and forth. I just connect - do my thing - and then I'm gone. This is how I handle routine administration on many of my client's servers on a daily basis. I'll remote in and out as needed. Start something on one server, then shift over to another and do something else while it's running. Then hop back when I get a minute to check up on the first. Once in a while I'll run some program and work with it as if I were actually there or using a real KVM. But I see your point. It's not really the same thing as what you're looking for.

For situations where I actually do need a more classic KVM (i.e. in a server or hub room) I'll just install something like a Raritan KVM box and call it a day. They have versions that work over an IP connection as well as the traditional cable cluster. Not cheap (they start around $200+ and rapidly move up into nosebleed country), but they're worth it IMO since they're uberreliable, and I'm not doing any of this as a hobby. If I were, I'd probably exhaust all possible free alternatives before I bit the bullet and parted with that kind of cash.

Not to say Synergy KVM or the other alternatives don't work. I just personally couldn't justify the time, or work up the interest, to take on another "science fair project." I'm saving that for the Raspberry Pi I ordered. ;D

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Addendum: if you're not doing high-end graphics or gaming - and you have a lot of machines you regularly need to locally KVM into, one very clever alternative is something called the Raritan TMCAT17216 Rackmount LCD with KVM Switch.



It looks like a 1U rack mounted laptop. But it's actually a 16-port KVM switch with its own 1280x1024 LCD monitor, 106 key fullsized keyboard, and touchpad. Goes for about $1100 street - which seems like a lot until you price a plain vanilla 16-port KVM and realize this puppy isn't that much more expensive.

wraith808:
Actually, I even misspoke in terms of KVM.  What we're doing is using one Keyboard and Mouse with multiple computers at the same time.  You don't have to switch between them - there's a seamless transition between the edge of the monitor on one screen and the edge of the monitor on the other, so you just move your mouse between screens and then your KB input goes to the connected computer.  I have three computers on my desk at work, and use one mouse and keyboard, but a screen for each.  I find it a bit more convenient than an actual KVM as I can see what's going on, and reference the screens while working on a different computer.

40hz:
there's a seamless transition between the edge of the monitor on one screen and the edge of the monitor on the other, so you just move your mouse between screens and then your KB input goes to the connected computer.
-wraith808 (November 03, 2012, 01:11 PM)
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Very cool that feature! I really like how the focus follows what you're doing without your having to directly invoke it to switch.

This is Synergy right? I never really got it to work with any degree of reliability. If I was lucky it switched maybe two or three times between two boxes before it just stopped working.  Most times I had it running however, it didn't seem to work at all. And that was despite the sysmon showing it was loaded and not hung. Experienced this with two Nix boxes and two totally different Windows desktops, so it doesn't seem to be an obvious OS issue. My test network is a vanilla IPv4 100/1000BT running on CAT-6 with no security on the LAN side beyond what little address translation provides. I even swapped out the net switches and temporarily disabled all security on the boxes just in case something was causing problems there. No joy I'm afraid.

Is there some trick to getting it to work? Or is  there some tweak or gotcha that you need to be aware of - and probably everybody else knows about but me?  :huh:

I do keep hearing good things about it. But these users apparently don't exist in the same time/space continuum I live in. :-[

barney:
I do keep hearing good things about it. But these users apparently don't exist in the same time/space continuum I live in. :-[
-40hz (November 03, 2012, 03:54 PM)
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Yeah.  Think that's the Synergy+ Continuum ... but haven't found a portal to it as yet  :mad:.

wraith808:
Is there some trick to getting it to work? Or is  there some tweak or gotcha that you need to be aware of - and probably everybody else knows about but me?  :huh:

I do keep hearing good things about it. But these users apparently don't exist in the same time/space continuum I live in. :-[
-40hz (November 03, 2012, 03:54 PM)
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That's the question of the day that Renegade started out with. :)  If you're only using Windows boxes, then Multiplicity works wonders.  There's also Input Director and ShareMouse, though I despise the pricing and licensing structure of the latter.  Synergy seems like the best solution price wise and platform wise.  But I've had similar problems getting it to work consistently.

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