How to Configure Synergy to Share your Keyboard and Mouse [Tutorial]

This is a guest post by Andrew who blogs at Amongtherealm. If you would like to write for Callingallgeeks, read: Guest posting guidelines.

Synergy is a nifty program that will allow you to share your keyboard and mouse with multiple computers across different operating systems. For example, a setup can be made between a Mac and a Windows 7 computer. Check the website often to stay updated with Synergy.

To setup Synergy follow these steps:

On a Mac:

1. Download Synergy and click OK when the box below pops up.

2. Click on the Synergy install icon to begin the process.

I would recommend installing Synergy for current user only to prevent any unwanted changes.

3. Open system preferences and click on the Synergy icon located in the other section.

4. Beneath the general tab, click on “share my keyboard and mouse.” It is important to set this setting on your main computer. Since I use my mac the most, I set it as the server.

5. Click the middle tab titled server configuration. At this point, add your computers so that Synergy will recognize them. You can move the monitors (pictured below) however you want them. This affects how the mouse tracks across both systems. In my setup I move my mouse to the right of the screen to access my PC and reverse to return to the Mac.

Click on the + box on the left hand side to add a computer. The name field is where you put the name of the computer. The name that is entered has to be the same as the computer name. If the names are different Synergy will not work.

To find the name of your Mac, go to system preferences, then sharing, and under computer name it will say “Computers on your local network can access your computer at: Andrew-Macbook.local.” What follows the colon is the name you want to use, without the .local on the end. For example, mine would be Andrew-Macbook).

To find the name of your computer on a Windows machine, right click on my computer and click on properties. In this box it will tell you the computer name.

6. Under the general tab click turn on Synergy. The status in the bottom left hand corner will change to waiting for connections.

On a PC:

1. Download Synergy and save the file when this box below pops up.

Click Next

Click I Agree

Click Next

Click Install

Click finish and Synergy will be installed.

2. Configure Synergy to sync with your server.

Open Synergy and in the box where it says, “Other computer’s host name,” enter in the IP Address of the server (the server in my setup was the mac). Run a test to see if you have connection and once you do, click start and it will minimize and run in the background.

To find the IP Address on a Mac, go to system preferences and click network. Your IP will be listed here.

To find the IP Address on a PC, go to start, then run and type in cmd. Once the black box pops up type in ipconfig and your IP will be listed.

I recommend using static IP addresses on both the Mac and PC. If static IP’s are not used once they update, Synergy will not be able to connect the computers.

That’s it! Go give it a try and let me know how it went in the comments.

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Tagged as: How to, Mac, Software, Synergy, Tutorial, Windows

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