Filed under: Software, How-tos
How-to: Dual Mac-PC Setup with Synergy
Lifehacker has a neat little walk-through showing one how to turn a dual monitor PC into a Dual Mac-PC System. Really, all this is doing is setting a Mac and a PC side by side, installing Synergy on both systems, using the new GUI for Synergy to make things a bit easier, and then sync up the two computers over the network so that you can control both with the same mouse and keyboard. Why do this? The Windows box will run much faster than Virtual PC and it'll be a great testing environment for any web developers out there. Maybe I'll grab a Mac mini and one of these Mac mini clones, stack them, and try this set up.
Nice. Check it out.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris Dolan said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
I'm the maintainer of the Fink package for synergy (do "fink install synergy"). I have reports of failures of v1.2.2 under 10.4, but I use it every day under 10.3.9 and it's rock solid.
If you use the Fink version, please report issues directly to me (my contact info is available via "fink describe synergy" or via my web page)
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benS said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
I too have a dual setup.. but mine is a little different. I have a pc and mac going into a 2 port Dual monitor DVI KVM switch (if you can understand that.) Basically, I have a dual monitor setup that I can switch between the mac and pc with one keyboard and mouse.. It took a little while to figure out how to get it all to work, but the KVM switch was one of the cheapest I could find at $100. The only difference is that i have both monitors working for the pc and the mac, you just switch between the input selections on the monitor itself. At least it works for me, because I do most of my work on the mac..
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Jay Contonio said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
I used to have a dual setup for my pc, but I went and bought an apple cinema display for it. Could I install synergy on my powerbook and my pc, and have the keyboard and mouse go over to my powerbooks screen?
I mean, it makes sense, just don't know if there's something different on a laptop?
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Sean Ouimet said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
Synergy works great between a notebook and a PC. I use it the opposite way as you intend, with my powerbook sitting infront of the second pc's/mac's monitor, and I use the powerbook's keyboard and mouse. But, I do know it will work the other way just fine. Good Luck!
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FatPaulie said 4:20PM on 6-16-2005
Ooh boy! Just set this up between my PC and my new iMac. This is FANTASTIC.. goodbye Apple keyboard and mouse!
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Ryan Schmidt said 3:04PM on 10-11-2005
I found this program on your site by accident when I first got my Powerbook. I have dual monitors for my PC and I use the Powerbook right in the middle of the two. It is the best setup ever. Thank you so much for posting about the GUI friendly version for the mac.
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