Synergy

Synergy is a free open source software KVM solution. It allows you to control multiple computers with one keyboard and mouse. All it requires for communication between server and clients is an active network connection. It is a critical part of my multi-monitor set-up.

To implement you have to have the network connection between the computers that you would like to link. Synergy installed on all three computers. Edit/Write the config file for the server. Start the server. Start the clients.

Ubuntu has a nice guide that you can look at too.

Since the software is open source it is available for all OS's including Windows.

Where To Find It

[[1]] - Synergy Main Site

Also if you where to google your distro and synergy + install you may find a easy way to install it.

Example Server Config File

section: screens
        tutis:
        cella:
        ludus:
end
section: links
        tutis:
                right = cella
                left  = ludus
        cella:
                left = tutis
        ludus:
                right = tutis
end

Actually Using It

Once you have a config written its as simple as:

Server:

$ synergys confg/file/location (default is /etc/synergy.conf)

Client:

$ synergyc hostorIP

Many autostart guides exist. Google "ubuntu install synergy" for example. The ubuntu install guide is a bit messed though. After logging in if you have a multimontior setup and the resolution changes between GDM and your desktop synergy will not sense the full screen. Instead you have to remove the entry that they specify to start the server up after logging in and use the Gnome auto start. I have it setup for KBless login. That is all my GNOME GDM screens can be controlled by it.

Extra Mouse Button or Side Button Problems

I was having problems with the side buttons on my mouse quitting or erroring the synergy clients on my client machines. I use them to go back and forward on a webpage.

[[2]] - Potential Fix for this problem

Following the directions I managed to modify my config file to:

section: screens
        tutis:
        cella:
	ludus:
end
section: links
        tutis:
                right = cella
		left  =	ludus
        cella:
                left = tutis
	ludus:
		right =	tutis
end
section: options
	mousebutton(6) = keystroke(WWWBack)
	mousebutton(7) = keystroke(WWWForward)
	mousebutton(4) = ;
	mousebutton(5) = ;
end

It helped on the ubuntu client. synergyc no longer froze and the back and forward buttons worked good. It did not work on the open solaris box. While synergyc no longer crashes the buttons do not work. I get the error: key e0a6 is not on keyboard. I think this is because I still have to map the keys in the Xorg driver on the OpenSolaris Box. I have to move on though. I will do more work on it later. Also I am thinking about moving to Nexenta or StormOS cause I like the Ubuntu User Land.

Notes

QuickSynergy comes with the ubuntu default install and is a util to setup a server and client quick and temporary.

[[3]] - Ubuntu Synergy Guide