Software Lets One Keyboard and Mouse Control Multiple PCs

Software can let one keyboard and mouse control multiple PCs, each with its own display, without a hardware KVM switch. TechRadar’s Ross Rubin describes options for moving the cursor between computers and, in some cases, sharing clipboard contents.

Microsoft Garage’s Mouse Without Borders works only on Windows and can connect up to four PCs on the same network. After users install it and enter a generated passcode, they can move the cursor between computers. It also shares clipboard contents and supports copying and pasting files in Explorer, though files cannot be dragged between PCs.

Synergy and DeskFlow support Windows, Mac, and Linux. Both use a server-and-client setup, let users choose which screen edges move the cursor between computers, and support TLS encryption and clipboard sharing. Synergy also uses Bonjour to find computers on the network. The article says that, in tests with multiple laptops, the client mouse could not move the cursor back to the server as it could with other tools.

Synergy pricing is listed as $15 for three computers, $19 for five, and $29 for 15, with separate enterprise pricing. Its developer is previewing Synergy Dragon, which adds a revised interface, file transfers, and more accurate monitor-size representations. Stardock’s Multiplicity works only on Windows; its Pro version adds options including using another PC as a second monitor and switching among PCs on one monitor.

These tools generally require computers to share a network. The article notes that public Wi-Fi may cause connection failures or slowdowns, and that none of the options described works with Chrome OS.