BeHappySep 29, 2024

Workstation Rehaul (Advice Needed)

https://lemmy.world/post/20331301

Workstation Rehaul (Advice Needed) - Lemmy.World

Hello fellow lemmings! I am in need of some advice on how to expand/coordinate my workstation. I currently have 2 monitors and 2 laptops with 1 docking station that I switch back and forth between (I do have a second Bluetooth mouse that I connect to the laptop that is not currently connected to the docking station, if I need to). I would like to have 4 monitors by the upcoming tax season. Also, I would like the option to expand to a total of 3 laptops within a couple years. I have looked into KVM switches and the only one that I can find for 4 monitors and 2 computers is upwards of $800. Is there a KVM switch out there for 4 monitors and 3 computers, or is this just a pipedream? What other solutions should I consider? When I expand to 3 computers in the upcoming years, would having 2 workstations be cheaper/more efficient?

Show threadcomador Sep 29, 2024

Try Synergy!

symless.com/synergy

This software allows you to use one keyboard and one mouse across multiple Windows, Mac and Linux systems with ease. I am in IT and use it between three desktops and laptops with different operating systems.

I bought Synergy when it was a kickstarter and I believe you can download and try it for free before you buy.

Worth a try, sincerely.

Synergy - Share one mouse & keyboard across computers

Synergy is an app that shares one mouse and one keyboard across multiple computers and monitors. Instant download, easy to setup in minutes.

Synergy
Show threadcybervseasSep 30, 2024

Also consider a free open source equivalent. I use it on my Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.

github.com/debauchee/barrier

GitHub - debauchee/barrier: Open-source KVM software

Open-source KVM software. Contribute to debauchee/barrier development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHub
Show threadcurbstickleSep 30, 2024

Be aware, barrier is dead.

Input leap is the successor, though they still haven’t made a full release and recommend the last barrier version. Which is 3 years old.

Show threadcybervseasSep 30, 2024
For what it’s worth even though it’s old, for me it still works well. Are you using something else I should switch to?
Show threadcurbstickleSep 30, 2024

I wish I had a solid answer for that, I actually made a post about this recently.

Deskflow (synergy upstream) seems to be working well at the moment. Bear in mind they just moved all the repos, but Synergy v2 had a bunch of issues, it was dropped for v3, which is just deskflow packaged up all pretty. Input leap is from the people who were maintaining barrier and forked it a few years ago. Lan-mouse is its own thing, and it works, though its a bit clunky to use.

Right now I’m doing some testing to figure out what I want to use, my concern around barrier is that no updates makes for a security risk, and (for me) it also won’t work with Wayland.

With Synergy going back to the open base, I don’t really mind throwing them some cash, but its not available yet with Wayland support as a packaged project, so I built it and will be testing more for all of them once I move some things around on my desk to restructure - the whole reason I was looking for something in the first place actually. That won’t happen until a free weekend though, so hopefully this weekend, but maybe the following.

Keyboard / Mouse Sharing with Arch / Wayland, MacOS, Windows 11 Laptop - Divisions by zero

TL;DR: Want to use my desktop keyboard/mouse with my Laptop. What software are you using/enjoying? Arch+KDE w/ Wayland will be the main host, main client is Windows 11. Secondary hosts may be Debian and MacOS, same client, but low priority on the Mac. Hey folks, I’m rearranging some things a bit at home, would love to get some current thoughts on keyboard/mouse sharing over IP (no video). I have to put up with some tools that don’t play nicely with wine/proton, and so my work laptop is a windows device. I’ll be controlling that device primary from Arch and Debian, though MacOS is a possibility. I’d like to keep the laptop closed and not add another mouse/keyboard into the mix, so Keyb/Mouse over IP it is. Here’s what I’m looking at, haven’t tried them all yet, but looking for opinions: * Barrier [https://github.com/debauchee/barrier] - Dead fork. Hasn’t been updated in some time, being superseded by input-leap. Most portions of the project managed by someone who had not been active for a couple years before the Input Leap fork. * Input Leap [https://github.com/input-leap/input-leap] - Forked from Barrier at the end of 2021, and nearly 3 years later, no stable binary releases yet. Development seems fairly active, but no binary releases yet doesn’t provide a massive amount of confidence that it will be stable. Doesn’t mean I won’t build and test though. * Lan Mouse [https://github.com/feschber/lan-mouse] - Seems pretty neat, the lack of input capture on MacOS could create an issue for me in certain situations, but I can work around that if I need to for the rare times I’d need it. Traffic is unencrypted/plaintext. Its entirely local, and I’ve got more security than most users (and some companies), but still. Probably leading the pack right now. * Deskflow [https://github.com/deskflow/deskflow] - Upstream project for Synergy, a rename to differentiate the user project from Synergy. TONS of recent activity, but the switch is very recent. I don’t know if there are any binaries built, but its a longstanding project (and like many, many others, I used Synergy before it went commercial, it was nice). Any other options out there? Good/bad experiences with any of these?

Show threadMagister
You may be interested with input-leap now that they released binaries/packages for various distro
Oct 16, 2024 at 2:59pmWeb
Show threadcurbstickleOct 16, 2024
Awesome, thanks for letting me know!