How to control two PCs with one keyboard and mouse using software
The devices now known as KVM (keyboard-video-mouse) switches, which allow multiple computers to use a single set of input devices and monitors, predate USB and even the mouse (which is why the “M” is added at the end).
PCs have also been able to support multiple monitors since the ’80s, with Macs leading the way and Windows users getting built-in support in Windows 98. Years of studies have shown that people are generally more productive on two monitors than one, and that productivity is why we’ve previously highlighted the best KVM switch deals we can find.
But there’s a third multi-device scenario that combines elements of peripheral sharing and multiple monitors: controlling two PCs, each with their own screen(s), with a single keyboard and mouse.
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There are many reasons to choose this, including quickly switching between a PC for coding and a development target, having constant visual access to multiple platforms while saving desktop space, and working between a work and personal PC.
My use case is to keep a PC screen as a fixed panel that I can update on the fly while jumping around virtual desktops that would normally hide that panel from view. Many companies, including Apple, Asus and Lenovo, have developed options that let you extend your work surface to a tablet, and Windows includes support for using another PC as an external display, and Logitech enables the feature if you use one of its high-end keyboards or mice.
But if you want a vendor-neutral approach, there are several hardware and software-only options (most of which also require software). Many offer the ability to choose between “seamless” mode, in which a mouse can be dragged from one computer’s screen to another, and “hotkey” mode, in which pressing a key combination instantly switches cursor control from one PC to another.
While the latter may be faster depending on where the cursor is on the screen, it can sometimes take a moment to reorient to its new position.
The soft switch
Software options are usually convenience and convenience. As long as you have a shared Internet connection between the PCs, you can download one of the programs and soon you’ll be moving the cursor like a digital lasso. They also do not require additional desktop space or available USB connections. And although hardware options are typically limited to two computers, software-based bridges can work on more PCs than one would practically have available.
However, these options typically require that the computers be connected to the same network. And as is the case with other peer-to-peer apps that work over Wi-Fi, trying them in a public network situation, like a coffee shop or co-working space, often fails.
And of course, if Wi-Fi fails or is unavailable, your connection may slow down or drop. Also, only some of the options work on all platforms and none with Chrome OS. That said, there are at least four solutions that can close the gap.
Mouse Without Borders was one of the projects that emerged from Microsoft Garage. The skunkworks group mainly focused on mobile applications, but MwB only works on Windows. While it hasn’t been updated in several years, it still works well, is also available on PowerToys, and is one of the easiest apps to set up. After installing it on up to four PCs, you launch the app and select the networked PCs you want to join. The software generates a long access code to link them.
Once entered, you can move the cursor freely between devices. MwB also supports automatic Clipboard sharing between computers so you can conveniently copy information from one computer and move it to the neighboring one. This also works for copying and pasting files in Explorer, although you can’t drag files from one PC to another.
Company trips
Two other options, Synergy and DeskFlow, have an unusual shared history. The first started as an open source application 25 years ago before the developer marketed it through a company now also called Synergy.
When forks like Barrier and Input Leap failed to stay current, the company contributed financial and code resources to help develop DeskFlow as an actively maintained open source successor. Both offer support for Windows, Mac and Linux.
After installation, one PC is designated as a server and others, usually specified by their IP address, are designated as clients. A “grid” user interface available on both ends allows you to specify whether the mouse jumps to the other computer across the left, right, top, or bottom edges of the screen.
Both support TLS encryption and clipboard sharing. But Synergy uses Bonjour network discovery to speed up finding other computers on the network, as well as more robust business management features.
However, when used with multiple laptops, these applications did not allow the mouse on the “client” PC to move the cursor back to the “server” PC like other tools did. Synergy’s price varies depending on how many computers you want to control with it: $15 for three, $19 for five, and $29 for 15 with separate enterprise pricing.
Synergy (the company) is also introducing a new addition to their line called Synergy Dragon. In addition to a sleeker user interface, it allows you to transfer files between connected computers directly from its preview and more accurate representations of monitor size.
Best known for its applications that provide radical Windows changes and interface improvements, Stardock Software also offers Multiplicity, which also works only on Windows. As with DeskFlow and Synergy, one PC is considered the primary computer or server, while others are clients.
In addition to traversing multiple PCs, the Pro version of the software allows you to use another PC as a second monitor, switch between multiple PCs on one monitor (KVM functionality), and even send multiple display outputs from another PC to a single monitor.
It can also route audio from one PC through the speakers of another, so you can have a consistent audio experience. Multiplicity starts at $30 for use on up to five PCs.
The $40 Pro version includes all features except enterprise management options for use on up to 10 PCs. But licenses are required only for the control software and do not limit the number of PCs you can control (two for the basic version, nine for the Pro).
In my next column, I’ll look at some of the hardware options available for connecting multiple computers and conclude with some recommendations.
Read more: The best monitors for a dual screen setup
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