From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?

PuTTY may work, but it doesn't have graphics.
--
Vasos Panagiotopoulos panix.com/~vjp2/vasos.htm
---{Nothing herein constitutes advice. Everything fully disclaimed.}---
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 11/07/2025 01:37, vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?

PuTTY may work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I recall PuTTY having some X11 extension, but I use VNC which, I suspect, is LAN/WiFi only.
--
David
Web: https://www.satsignal.eu
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 11/07/2025 06:23, David Taylor wrote:

On 11/07/2025 01:37, vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?

PuTTY may work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I recall PuTTY having some X11 extension, but I use VNC which, I
suspect, is LAN/WiFi only.

Setup RNDIS and you have a network connection between the two over USB.



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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 2025-07-11, vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com <vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com> wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?

PuTTY may work, but it doesn't have graphics.

Probably not what you're after, but when I need to commission or
fix an otherwise headless Rpi I use an HDMI USB dongle on the laptop (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BL3HVMWW). The Rpi screen is then
available in the default camera "app". I have to plug in a small
keyboard, but this saves needing another monitor.

There are network KVM solutions around that handle it all, making
a physical device look just like a remote desktop session, but this
approach needs no extra software, and just works.

(You probably wouldn't want to do graphics design or CAD with this
setup, but for setting the hostname / Wifi / whatever and un-buggering
the customised read-only boot script I use it is quite handy).
--
Ian

"Tamahome!!!" - "Miaka!!!"
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com writes:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?

PuTTY may work, but it doesn't have graphics.

You’re going to need a network connection. It might be possible to
establish one over USB but ethernet or wireless will be a lot more
practical.

What OS is the laptop running?

If the laptop is running Linux then SSH and X11 forwarding is the most
common option. You can enable it in your client’s config file (see ‘man ssh_config’ for documentation) or with the ‘ssh -X’ command-line option. Within the SSH session, run your graphical application(s).

If the laptop is running Windows then you have a couple of options.

(1) Enable WSL2 on Windows. Use SSH and X11 forwarding from inside a
WSL2 shell, exactly as described above. This is my usual approach.

(2) Set up a remote desktop server on the Pi and use the Windows Remote
Desktop application to connect to it. You get a complete desktop
session this way.

On anything Debian-derived, to install the server:

apt install xrdp

If you don’t have a desktop environment (or some other kind of X
session) installed you’ll need to install that too. If it’s a normal
RPi OS install then you probably already have one.

Notes:

* I mostly do the above with x86 targets. Pi is not different in any way
that’s relevant, though.

* Other approaches exist (e.g. VNC); I’ve limited myself to the ones
that I use.
--
https://www.greenend.org.uk/rjk/
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Ian wrote:

Probably not what you're after, but when I need to commission or
fix an otherwise headless Rpi I use an HDMI USB dongle on the laptop (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BL3HVMWW). The Rpi screen is then
available in the default camera "app". I have to plug in a small
keyboard, but this saves needing another monitor.

Probably also not what you're after, but I have a console adapter, which
takes hdmi/vga/dp and kbd/mouse over a USB cable. It saves hunting for
a "crash cart" in datacentres, a bit pricey for home use though ...
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

vjp2,

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there
any software which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard,
Video, Mouse)?

Yes. Better yet, the RasPi already comes with such software, and although
you did not mention whats on your laptop it likely also has such software on board.

(I currently can't remember the names of both host and client prograsm, but
a quick google should give you them).

You could also look for VNC (or something similar). https://cat.pdx.edu/platforms/windows/remote-access/vnc-to-linux/

And some more on the subject : https://linuxconfig.org/ubuntu-20-04-remote-desktop-access-from-windows-10 https://tech-champion.com/question/projecting-your-windows-laptop-to-ubuntu/ https://www.socketxp.com/iot/remotely-connect-linux-desktop-gui-via-vnc-from-windows/



A remark though. You cannot just plug an USB cable into both the RasPi and laptop and expect it to work : Both are hosts, and as such will not talk to each other.

You would need a special USB host-to-host cable (with a hidden proxying
'puter somewhere in the cable), which needs to emulate a standard ethernet connection.

Regards,
Rudy Wieser


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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

David Taylor <david-taylor@blueyonder.co.uk.invalid> writes:

vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)? PuTTY may
work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I recall PuTTY having some X11 extension, but I use VNC which, I
suspect, is LAN/WiFi only.

PuTTY can do X11 forwarding over SSH, but you still need to provide an X display.
--
https://www.greenend.org.uk/rjk/
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

R.Wieser <address@is.invalid> wrote:

A remark though. You cannot just plug an USB cable into both the RasPi and laptop and expect it to work : Both are hosts, and as such will not talk to each other.

You would need a special USB host-to-host cable (with a hidden proxying 'puter somewhere in the cable), which needs to emulate a standard ethernet connection.

If you have a Pi 4 or 5, the USB-C port is dual-role and can be configured
as a USB 2 device, where you can configure the Pi as a 'gadget' that appears
to the PC as a network, keyboard, mouse, serial or storage device, using a regular USB-C cable (although you may need to power the Pi another way).
The same goes for the microUSB USB port on the Zeroes. The 1A/3A models can also do it but you need a USB A to A cable.

Theo
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Theo,

If you have a Pi 4 or 5, the USB-C port is dual-role and can be
configured as a USB 2 device, where you can configure the Pi as
a 'gadget' that appears to the PC as a network, keyboard, mouse,
serial or storage device, using a regular USB-C cable (although
you may need to power the Pi another way).
The same goes for the microUSB USB port on the Zeroes. The 1A/3A
models can also do it but you need a USB A to A cable.

I knew the zeros' could do it, but thought that the "grown up" versions couldn't.

Thanks for the info. Now I only need to remember it ... :-|

Regards,
Rudy Wieser


--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 11/07/2025 09:29, Richard Kettlewell wrote:

David Taylor <david-taylor@blueyonder.co.uk.invalid> writes:

vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)? PuTTY may
work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I recall PuTTY having some X11 extension, but I use VNC which, I
suspect, is LAN/WiFi only.

PuTTY can do X11 forwarding over SSH, but you still need to provide an X display.

For Windows, Mobaxterm does all you need in a point and click way.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 11/07/2025 22:20, mm0fmf wrote:

On 11/07/2025 09:29, Richard Kettlewell wrote:

David Taylor <david-taylor@blueyonder.co.uk.invalid> writes:

vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?  PuTTY may >>>> work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I recall PuTTY having some X11 extension, but I use VNC which, I
suspect, is LAN/WiFi only.

PuTTY can do X11 forwarding over SSH, but you still need to provide an X
display.

For Windows, Mobaxterm does all you need in a point and click way.

Except it is crippleware, or nagware
--
Chris
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 11/07/2025 23:33, Chris Townley wrote:

On 11/07/2025 22:20, mm0fmf wrote:

On 11/07/2025 09:29, Richard Kettlewell wrote:

David Taylor <david-taylor@blueyonder.co.uk.invalid> writes:

vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?  PuTTY may >>>>> work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I recall PuTTY having some X11 extension, but I use VNC which, I
suspect, is LAN/WiFi only.

PuTTY can do X11 forwarding over SSH, but you still need to provide an X >>> display.

For Windows, Mobaxterm does all you need in a point and click way.

Except it is crippleware, or nagware

I've never noticed an issue. I've been using it for about 15 years I
reckon. I don't recall it nagging at me. I run it on a remote work
Windows machine via RDP and the use its X server for all the remote
Linux machines. Much better for my workflow than using Citrix. And yes,
I know the licence limits for using the home version in a commercial environment.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 11/07/2025 01:37, vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?

PuTTY may work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I use RealVNC client on Windows and Android to access RealVNC server
(built into older versions of Rapsberry PiOS) or some other VNC server
that is built into current versions of RPiOS. That works very well and
gives me a virtual desktop.

It allows me to run a Pi "headless" (no KVM) and control it from the PC
or phone/tablet. If I view the HDMI output from the Pi on a TV, I see
the same screen on there as on the RealVNC client.

I also use Real VNC between two Windows PCs. The difference in that case
is that all comms has to go via a cloud server so there is slight lag
compared with Windows to Pi which is direct by TCP.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On Sun, 13 Jul 2025 19:25:56 +0100, NY wrote:

I use RealVNC client on Windows and Android to access RealVNC server
(built into older versions of Rapsberry PiOS) or some other VNC server
that is built into current versions of RPiOS. That works very well and
gives me a virtual desktop.

Doesn't work when connected through USB.
--
s|b
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 13/07/2025 19:45, s|b wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2025 19:25:56 +0100, NY wrote:

I use RealVNC client on Windows and Android to access RealVNC server
(built into older versions of Rapsberry PiOS) or some other VNC server
that is built into current versions of RPiOS. That works very well and
gives me a virtual desktop.

Doesn't work when connected through USB.

Sorry I hadn't realised that connection by USB was essential and that
you couldn't alternatively use a network (Ethernet/Wifi) connection.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On Sun, 13 Jul 2025 20:45:08 +0200, s|b wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2025 19:25:56 +0100, NY wrote:

I use RealVNC client on Windows and Android to access RealVNC server
(built into older versions of Rapsberry PiOS) or some other VNC server
that is built into current versions of RPiOS. That works very well and
gives me a virtual desktop.

Doesn't work when connected through USB.

Is this <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_over_USB> of any help?
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 13/07/2025 23:12, Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2025 20:45:08 +0200, s|b wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2025 19:25:56 +0100, NY wrote:

I use RealVNC client on Windows and Android to access RealVNC server
(built into older versions of Rapsberry PiOS) or some other VNC server
that is built into current versions of RPiOS. That works very well and
gives me a virtual desktop.

Doesn't work when connected through USB.

Is this <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_over_USB> of any help?

I said RNDIS tens of post back.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On Sun, 13 Jul 2025 22:02:20 +0100, NY wrote:

Doesn't work when connected through USB.

Sorry I hadn't realised that connection by USB was essential and that
you couldn't alternatively use a network (Ethernet/Wifi) connection.

Don't know why the OP would insist on USB; he didn't mention what RPi he
is using. But I agree on Ethernet or WiFi, even headless (SSH).
--
s|b
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 14/07/2025 13:49, s|b wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jul 2025 22:02:20 +0100, NY wrote:

Doesn't work when connected through USB.

Sorry I hadn't realised that connection by USB was essential and that
you couldn't alternatively use a network (Ethernet/Wifi) connection.

Don't know why the OP would insist on USB; he didn't mention what RPi he
is using. But I agree on Ethernet or WiFi, even headless (SSH).

Maybe because he has no Ethernet on a PI Zero (w)

The request is how to do KVM stuff via a USB connection.


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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 11/07/2025 07:30, mm0fmf wrote:

On 11/07/2025 06:23, David Taylor wrote:

On 11/07/2025 01:37, vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?

PuTTY may work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I recall PuTTY having some X11 extension, but I use VNC which, I
suspect, is LAN/WiFi only.

Setup RNDIS and you have a network connection between the two over USB.

The first search hit on RNDIS for Linux was how they are trying to
expunge the horribly insecure Microsoft protocol from the Linux kernel!

---druck
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From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 15/07/2025 21:04, druck wrote:

On 11/07/2025 07:30, mm0fmf wrote:

On 11/07/2025 06:23, David Taylor wrote:

On 11/07/2025 01:37, vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?

PuTTY may work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I recall PuTTY having some X11 extension, but I use VNC which, I
suspect, is LAN/WiFi only.

Setup RNDIS and you have a network connection between the two over USB.

The first search hit on RNDIS for Linux was how they are trying to
expunge the horribly insecure Microsoft protocol from the Linux kernel!

---druck

Oh noes!!!!!! MS and insecure protocols.

Yes, RNDIS is insecure. But do you know what, if you allow someone to
plug any random device into your computer then insecure protocols are
the least of your problems. If it's your device and your computer then
it's no big deal.

It's still in the 6.12.x kernel on Raspberry Pi OS.

And when it's dropped then stand by for howls from just about every
Android owner on the planet when they find USB Tethering no long works
with Linux.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

mm0fmf <none@invalid.com> wrote:

On 15/07/2025 21:04, druck wrote:

On 11/07/2025 07:30, mm0fmf wrote:

On 11/07/2025 06:23, David Taylor wrote:

On 11/07/2025 01:37, vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?

PuTTY may work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I recall PuTTY having some X11 extension, but I use VNC which, I
suspect, is LAN/WiFi only.

Setup RNDIS and you have a network connection between the two over USB.

The first search hit on RNDIS for Linux was how they are trying to
expunge the horribly insecure Microsoft protocol from the Linux kernel!

---druck

Oh noes!!!!!! MS and insecure protocols.

Yes, RNDIS is insecure. But do you know what, if you allow someone to
plug any random device into your computer then insecure protocols are
the least of your problems. If it's your device and your computer then
it's no big deal.

If it's your device and your computer you could just use CDC-NCM instead.
I've used that successfully between Pi-like devices (Beaglebone Black) and FreeBSD servers.

Here's the script, based on the Beaglebone Linux's bb-usb-gadgets package: https://github.com/CTSRD-CHERI/morello-bbb-ubuntu-image-builder/blob/master/morello/bb-start-acm-ncm-rndis-old-gadget

It does some combination of USB serial (CDC-ACM), mass storage, RNDIS and
NCM depending on which options you pick.

Theo
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:

Here's the script, based on the Beaglebone Linux's bb-usb-gadgets package: https://github.com/CTSRD-CHERI/morello-bbb-ubuntu-image-builder/blob/master/morello/bb-start-acm-ncm-rndis-old-gadget

Found the upstream bookworm version: https://github.com/rcn-ee/repos/tree/master/bb-usb-gadgets/suite/bookworm/debian
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.sys.raspberry-pi

On 17/07/2025 12:39, Theo wrote:

mm0fmf <none@invalid.com> wrote:

On 15/07/2025 21:04, druck wrote:

On 11/07/2025 07:30, mm0fmf wrote:

On 11/07/2025 06:23, David Taylor wrote:

On 11/07/2025 01:37, vjp2.at@at.BioStrategist.dot.dot.com wrote:

If I connect the RasPi to my laptop by USB is there any software
which allows my laptop to be KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse)?

PuTTY may work, but it doesn't have graphics.

I recall PuTTY having some X11 extension, but I use VNC which, I
suspect, is LAN/WiFi only.

Setup RNDIS and you have a network connection between the two over USB. >>>

The first search hit on RNDIS for Linux was how they are trying to
expunge the horribly insecure Microsoft protocol from the Linux kernel!

---druck

Oh noes!!!!!! MS and insecure protocols.

Yes, RNDIS is insecure. But do you know what, if you allow someone to
plug any random device into your computer then insecure protocols are
the least of your problems. If it's your device and your computer then
it's no big deal.

If it's your device and your computer you could just use CDC-NCM instead. I've used that successfully between Pi-like devices (Beaglebone Black) and FreeBSD servers.

Here's the script, based on the Beaglebone Linux's bb-usb-gadgets package: https://github.com/CTSRD-CHERI/morello-bbb-ubuntu-image-builder/blob/master/morello/bb-start-acm-ncm-rndis-old-gadget

It does some combination of USB serial (CDC-ACM), mass storage, RNDIS and
NCM depending on which options you pick.

Theo

That's neat and cute and works nicely. It's cleaner than the one I use
at work for setting up RNDIS gadgets on our USB IP for customers.
Customers always ask for RNDIS but offering NCM will maybe make them move.

Of course it took longer to figure out why naff all happened when trying
this on an RPI Zero and that's because I'd forgotten to load the USB
driver in OTG mode. Even Windows played nicely with installing its NCM
drivers which is probably a first.

If only my modern-ish Android 14 phone would use NCM not RNDIS.

--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2