Hardware Articles
A collection of computer hardware related articles.
Keyboard - Mouse Control via home networking
Using software to share a mouse and a keyboard between multiple (networked) computers
The need for speed
As the price of workstation PCs and monitors continues to drop, many designers and productivity overachievers have opted for more than one PC at their desk. They made their decision based on the following information:
A multi-monitor system will make you work with more productivity, but it doesn't increase your actual computing power. If you have system-demanding applications running concurrently, you'll notice a slowdown. Multiple processors in one computer doesn't double the system speed, it just makes some multi-cpu compatible applications go faster or makes for faster multitasking. Neither alternative will fully substitute for using two computers.
Real estate convenience
You taken the plunge and now have 2 (or more) networked PC's running at your work desk. You've arranged the monitors (hopefully flat panels) for that panoramic view you've always wanted, but now your desk surface is cluttered with keyboards and mice. You're either lucky enough to have a custom built working area with the appropriate bells and whistles, or you need to cut down on the I/O peripherals.
Methods
Mechanical KVM (Keyboard-Video-Mouse) switches are a good option, but since you have multiple monitors, they don't always offer the total solution. Different models and types of KVMs may not play well with specific mice or work without the video plugged in.
Bottom line: You may have to test several types before you find the perfect setup.
Software KM switches allow a smooth mouse and keyboard transition from one PC to another using your lan connection. You can move the mouse cursor to the edge of your monitor (or multi-monitors) and it will automatically transfer control to the other PC. If you prefer to use the keyboard, there's the alternative of pressing a set of (programmable) hotkeys. The overall effect is having a single, multi-monitor system even though you're using more than one PC.
Here's a graphic to show the basic function
As you can see, it has some pretty cool capabilities
One of the exceptions is that you can't move the program icons or window information from the master PC to the slave PC. But most of the applications I reviewed at least allows you to the copy and paste text between the PC's.
Where to get the free applications:
Input Director: http://www.inputdirector.com/
It's my favorite of the two. Mostly because it's the simplest to use. The drawback is that it's only engineered for Microsoft products. Since I only use Vista and XP for productivity, that isn't an issue with me. It's ranks "very cool" on my "productivity list".
Synergy: http://synergy2.sourceforge.net/
Synergy is a little more complicated to install, but it does have the advantage of being cross-platform with Unix and Mac OS X capabilities.
Since this article is focused on free software, these are the only products discussed. This doesn't mean the folks that developed the software would refuse donations, but it's up to you. You can also search Google to find commercial equivalents if you feel inclined to do so.
Hopefully, this article will help you get on the right path. If you want more information about this subject, contact us by using the Web Form.