"Pass throu" control of another PC?

garnett · 7 May 2020 at 10:54

Is there a way to connect two PCs sat next to each other, so that keyboard, Mouse, and Video are connected to PC 1, and can control PC 2 with PC 2's video output displayed in a window on PC 1?

I'm after a solution that doesn't use remote access - that "just" passes on the keyboard and mouse signals through PC 1 to PC 2 and which "brings back" the video output from PC 2 back to PC 1.

SonicSW20 · 7 May 2020 at 11:02

I'm a bit confused here, what you are describing is remote access.

The only way I can see to do it without "remote access" would be to use a combination of software like Synergy for sharing input devices and Wireless Display - https://www.laptopmag.com/uk/articles/turn-windows-10-pc-into-wirelss-display

That would effectively be remote access with extra steps.

Am I misunderstanding your question?

Delta3D · 7 May 2020 at 11:06

The only thing I could suggest is using a Physical KVM Box?

eddiew · 7 May 2020 at 11:15

garnett said:
output displayed in a window on PC 1? ... I'm after a solution that doesn't use remote access

A KVM setup to toggle which PC is connected to keyboard/video/mouse or remote desktop for windowed display - pick one, really. I don't believe what you're asking for exists outside of specialist hardware for video processing.

Perhaps tell us what you want to accomplish with this? Might be you're trying to do something for which there is a common solution, but the way you've described

garnett · 7 May 2020 at 11:17

SonicSW20 said:
I'm a bit confused here, what you are describing is remote access.

The only way I can see to do it without "remote access" would be to use a combination of software like Synergy for sharing input devices and Wireless Display - https://www.laptopmag.com/uk/articles/turn-windows-10-pc-into-wirelss-display

That would effectively be remote access with extra steps.

Am I misunderstanding your question?

It seems likely not available, but I was envisaging keyboard mouse and video connected to PC 1 - just as you would in a remote access set up.

The difference I'm after is to have some sort of connection from PC 1 into the inputs on PC 2 for keyboard and mouse - so that the control is directly machine to machine - not via a network.

Similarly, the video output from PC 2 goes straight to PC 1.

PC 2 is on the work network, and needs to be secure.

PC 1 would not be connected to the network and could run the features (mainly browser extensions, small batch files, 3rd party software) that I use when at home etc that make my job more pleasant.

SonicSW20 · 7 May 2020 at 11:21

garnett said:
It seems likely not available, but I was envisaging keyboard mouse and video connected to PC 1 - just as you would in a remote access set up.

The difference I'm after is to have some sort of connection from PC 1 into the inputs on PC 2 for keyboard and mouse - so that the control is directly machine to machine - not via a network.

Similarly, the video output from PC 2 goes straight to PC 1.

PC 2 is on the work network, and needs to be secure.

PC 1 would not be connected to the network and could run the features (mainly browser extensions, small batch files, 3rd party software) that I use when at home etc that make my job more pleasant.

Are the computers physically close to each other? If so the only way I can see here is to get a USB keyboard/mouse switch, and a capture card to capture the video output of the computer.

Randomface74 · 7 May 2020 at 11:24

Look up Synergy

garnett · 7 May 2020 at 11:30

eddiew said:
A KVM setup to toggle which PC is connected to keyboard/video/mouse or remote desktop for windowed display - pick one, really. I don't believe what you're asking for exists outside of specialist hardware for video processing.

Perhaps tell us what you want to accomplish with this? Might be you're trying to do something for which there is a common solution, but the way you've described

I work for 2 connected companies and switch between the two. My work PC sits on one company's network, and the other company is cloud-based.

When I'm at home I'm more productive because I use some browser add-ons, and some other things that make producing some reports and doing a few other tasks much more straight forward. Before Lockdown, I'd generally work-from-home to get these done, but that's not ideal.

I was wondering whether I could set up another PC like my home machine, which I could leave at the office, which isn't connected to the network but is connected to my work PC - and could control it and display its video output.

I *could* use remote access but it seems unnecessary when the 2 machines would be sat next to each other, and with remote access it's also slow switching between the local and the remote machines.

BongoHunter · 7 May 2020 at 11:34

Kvm switch surely

Plus maybe VNC for the display if KVM not going to be used for monitor (only KB and mouse?)

Rroff · 7 May 2020 at 11:35

There are a variety of ways of using one keyboard and mouse to control 2 PCs - personally I prefer a hardware solution over something like Synergy - you don't need to go full KVM infact something like the Aten US224 handles that fine.

Unless your monitor supports PIP/PBP functionality the only other way to get the screen of the 2nd system up in a window, while not using some kind of remote desktop software, is to use something like a HDMI capture card (not all of them will support the functionality needed to make this work but some do).

garnett · 7 May 2020 at 12:05

SonicSW20 said:
Are the computers physically close to each other? If so the only way I can see here is to get a USB keyboard/mouse switch, and a capture card to capture the video output of the computer.

Yes - the machines can be physically adjacent.

billysielu said:
Look up Synergy

Thanks. That looks good, but I think it needs to be installed on both machines.

Rroff said:
There are a variety of ways of using one keyboard and mouse to control 2 PCs - personally I prefer a hardware solution over something like Synergy - you don't need to go full KVM infact something like the Aten US224 handles that fine.

Unless your monitor supports PIP/PBP functionality the only other way to get the screen of the 2nd system up in a window, while not using some kind of remote desktop software, is to use something like a HDMI capture card (not all of them will support the functionality needed to make this work but some do).

Ideally there'd be no switch - all keyboard and mouse control would go through PC 1.

Thanks for the mentions re capture cards - this looks like a fundamental requirement.

garnett · 7 May 2020 at 12:19

Just adding these resources - as they seem fairly useful and might assist anyone that comes looking for a soultion to a similar problem:-

https://stackoverflow.com/questions...king-a-computer-pose-as-another-computers-key

https://stackoverflow.com/questions...eystrokes-from-one-computer-to-another-by-usb

Rroff · 7 May 2020 at 12:31

garnett said:
Ideally there'd be no switch - all keyboard and mouse control would go through PC 1.

Without a hardware solution you'll need Synergy or Mouse without Borders or whatever it is called though not sure if the MS one is still supported. Personally I was never impressed with the software options.

SonicSW20 · 7 May 2020 at 13:07

I use Synergy a lot, it has its quirks but overall it works well. Lag is not percievable on a local network for typical office type tasks. My only issue with it is copy pasting between the two systems bugs out sometimes.

Rroff · 7 May 2020 at 13:10

SonicSW20 said:
I use Synergy a lot, it has its quirks but overall it works well. Lag is not percievable on a local network for typical office type tasks. My only issue with it is copy pasting between the two systems bugs out sometimes.

When I had a couple of systems doing fairly heavy weight tasks I found it didn't cope well at all - for me a hardware solution was a much better option.

eddiew · 7 May 2020 at 13:50

garnett said:
I'm more productive because I use some browser add-ons, and some other things that make producing some reports and doing a few other tasks much more straight forward

Well you've got some suggestions for specialist stuff from other folks, but I can't help but wonder if your problem wouldn't be best solved by installing said productivity enhancers on the computers that need them... Feels like you're jumping through hoops because - I assume - company tech support won't let you install the tools you need. In which case I sympathise greatly

Re capture cards... to my understanding they're meant for sending a video feed into your pc, e.g. for processing work, with no bi-directional interactivity native to them, so you'll have to have a hardware/software switch to route the mouse/keyboard input to the windowed machine. Which might well work, but may also prove more cumbersome than just using Synergy as intended...

If putting your personal pc on the company network is a no-go, would it be possible to give it a 2nd network card, or usb wifi dongle, and have a private network between the two? Oh, but that doesn't help if you can't install things on the company pc...

Boy, you sure do have a conundrum

sithlord · 7 May 2020 at 14:22

Just run a VNC server.

Minstadave · 7 May 2020 at 14:28

billysielu said:
Look up Synergy

This.

Edit: realised you're trying to do something more complicated.