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Barrier: Share mouse and keyboard between computers

github.com

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Re: Barrier: Share mouse and keyboard between computers

#11

Post by dukeofdoom »

I will soon have two macbooks on my desktop in front of me. I hope to use the older macbook to run background tasks, like uploading videos to youtube and as a third monitor.

I have keychron k1 keyboard and an mx master mouse. Keychron is currently connected to the USB hub due to led lights, latency. But the keyboard has a battery and can work off of bluetooth. Mouse is connected through the tiny dongle that comes with logitech mouses. Both Keyboard and Mouse claim to work off Bluetooth. Can I use this program to share the keyboard and mouse between the two macbooks? Or is using Bluetooth or a kvm switch a better option?

Re: Barrier: Share mouse and keyboard between computers

#13

Post by mjlee »

dukeofdoom wrote: post #11

I will soon have two macbooks on my desktop in front of me. I hope to use the older macbook to run background tasks, like uploading videos to youtube and as a third monitor. I have keychron k1 keyboard and an mx master mouse. Keychron is currently connected to the USB hub due to led lights, latency. But the keyboard has a battery and can work off of bluetooth. Mouse is connected through the tiny dongle that comes wit…

I think Universal Control (in the current MacOS 12.3 Release Candidate, should be public next week) will do what you want.

Re: Barrier: Share mouse and keyboard between computers

#14

Post by vermon »

roddux wrote: post #3

I love the look of this, but haven't been able to find any information about latency... It seems to be a local network solution? Light on details about how it works, short of reading source.

I've had issues running it over wireless so instead I connect the computers with an ethernet cable directly and configure static IP's. Haven't had any issues. Luckily my PC has two NICs and the laptop uses wifi anyway so the ethernet port is unused.

Re: Barrier: Share mouse and keyboard between computers

#16

Post by durazabu »

mwexler wrote: post #9

This still requires a dedicated monitor connection to each box with a hardware or source switch, right? Or a screen per device? That is, the KVM (in the VGA days) used to switch the mouse, keyboard, and video source so a single monitor, keyboard, and mouse switches across devices. But barrier doesn't try to solve that part, I think. Modern HDMI KVM hardware switches seem rather expensive; anyone found a good way to "…

No need for additional hardware. Take two Barrier-connected computers, the mouse can travel from one screen to the other. When using the keyboard, it inputs on the monitor with the mouse focus. Since it's UI based you need a screen per device yes.

Re: Barrier: Share mouse and keyboard between computers

#17

Post by falcolas »

mwexler wrote: post #9

This still requires a dedicated monitor connection to each box with a hardware or source switch, right? Or a screen per device? That is, the KVM (in the VGA days) used to switch the mouse, keyboard, and video source so a single monitor, keyboard, and mouse switches across devices. But barrier doesn't try to solve that part, I think. Modern HDMI KVM hardware switches seem rather expensive; anyone found a good way to "…

There are some monitors which act as a KVM for their USB ports. They're rare and hard to find, but they exist.

One (expensive) example: https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-ultrasharp-30-usb-c-hub...

Re: Barrier: Share mouse and keyboard between computers

#18

Post by falcolas »

roddux wrote: post #3

I love the look of this, but haven't been able to find any information about latency... It seems to be a local network solution? Light on details about how it works, short of reading source.

Synergy (off which this was forked) experience: On a hardwired pair of computers, no perceptible latency at all. On wifi connected computers, I'd see the occasional latency spikes where things stop moving, but effectively imperceptible the rest of the time.

Re: Barrier: Share mouse and keyboard between computers

#19

Post by 0xCMP »

durazabu wrote: post #15

Barrier has been forked to https://github.com/input-leap/input-leap which has a hundred more commits by the same devs. The name is still barrier though, has anyone more info about this fork?

They have an issue where they explain that they have disagreements with how barrier is run and the current owner does not want to pass control to them. They are the most active recent contributors.

personally I am waiting for them to cut a stable release and then try it out.

https://github.com/input-leap/input-leap/issues/1414

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