Share single Keyboard and Mouse with Multiple Computers over LAN

Like me, are you also having multiple computers for different purposes and you go to each of them to run required application? This scenario is very much familiar for those who needs to test things on different platforms or required to provide technical support to other employees. If your answer is yes, then do you want to share your main computer’s keyboard and mouse with others so that you don’t need to go to each of them to input something or give instructions or do things using their keyboard and mouse. Earlier we had discussed the use of KVM switchesbut that option is of limited use KVM switches comes with limited number of PC connection. Here is a software for accessing different computers from single keyboard and mouse.

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If all your computers are connected on Local Area Network (LAN), then you can download and install Synergy to share your computer or keyboard and mouse to access other computers. You will have to install Synergy on each computer and then use the tool to share that computer on Synergy. Now your main computer will work as a server to its keyboard and mouse will be available for other computers as well. That means, you can access them without leaving your own place.

I tried Synergy on computers with different operating systems as well. For example, one of my PC is running Windows 7 and other is on Ubuntu Linux, Synergy worked really well and I am able to access my Ubuntu System using Windows 7 keyboard and mouse. Synergy is available to download for OS like Windows (XP/Vista/7), Ubuntu, Mac, Debian, Fedora, Red Hat.

How to setup Synergy on Multiple Computers

- Once you will install Synergy on your computer, you will see this window. Make your own computer as server by selecting “Share this computer’s keyboard and mouse (server)”.

- Install Synergy on other computers and select “Use another computer’s shared keyboard and mouse (client)” from the above like window.

- Click on “Hot Keys” to set a keyboard shortcut to swap between multiple computers connected on LAN and having Synergy client setup.

- You need to use “Screen Name” i.e. Computer’s name or Local IP address to add and access them.

- Click on “Start” and and then click on the Synergy Icon in system tray to see the status of other computers connected thru server. If they are connected, you can use the Hot Key set by you to swap between them. This way you can use same keyboard and mouse with all your computers connected thru LAN.

Important Note: Synergy doesn’t encrypt any data and that’s why it is not suggested to use Synergy on untrusted network. That means, you should use Synergy on your Home / Trusted LAN network only where you are sure that outside people can’t connect to your network without permission. If you are running any Internet Security software on your computer, you may get warning message as “Synergy working as keylogger”. Just ignore that message as the purpose of this tool is related with keyboard and mouse only and that’s why security software may doubt the behavior of Synergy.