Synergy?

Got a better idea - use Remote Desktop. It's built into Windows 7.

Hell bent on using Synergy? (I don't blame you - it rocks, after all - I used it for numerous years) - you'll need to make exceptions for the port (24000? I cannot remember, check the FAQs for Synergy) to both computers' Firewall to allow the client install to see the server install. Of course, this assumes you already have Synergy installed on both machines and configured correctly (it sound like you do - in that you have your desktop set as server and the laptop set as client)...so check the firewall settings on both computers.

Try Input Director if you are using Windows only clients. Much better and actively developed.

retsnom said:

Thanks for the reply.

I still can't get it to work. I have my firewalls off, made sure that I'm portforwarded for both computers. My laptop connects to my desktop but my desktop's server status only shows:

NOTE: started server
INFO: screen "Computer-desktop" shape changed

The weird thing is, even if I don't start the server on my desktop and just start the client on my laptop, it'll still say that it's "connected to server".

I had everything working on the Windows XP counterparts so the only thing I can think of is Windows 7 giving me problems. Any ideas?

As for the Remote Desktop, I can't find a practical use for it, at least when my laptop is right next to my desktop. Unless there is something I'm missing..?

Firewall off = bad. Turn the firewall on and make exceptions for the ports that Synergy is set to use. The W7 firewall is even more integrated than Vista's was, and turning it off does not always give your system free reign to network devices and protocols as most would think.

mikinho said:

Try Input Director if you are using Windows only clients. Much better and actively developed.

Nice find - never heard of this one before....

retsnom said:

I've tried it already and though it has more functions than Synergy, it "lags" when I start to drag/resize windows on the slave side. :|

And it also doesn't offer a better monitor positioning than the simple horizontal/vertical positioning, at least from what I could tell.

Bummer - I thought it was gonna be my new friend....

But I m sticking with remote desktop - it has native folder sharing as well, making my life (managing PCs) a lot easier....

If enabling the firewall and giving both synergyc.exe and synergy.exe (if I remember the names correctly) unbridled access in the firewall *should* make it work.

Also, is either connected to a homegroup? If so, turn that off and see if it is causing problems (I recall reading somewhere that the homegroup feature of W7 tends to hose W7 <--> W7 connections if one is a part of a home group and the other is not).

johngalt said:

Nice find - never heard of this one before....

Bummer - I thought it was gonna be my new friend....

I'd still try it out if you have a need for software based KVM or more display space.

I use Input Director on over 15 systems and do not experience any lag. It handles file copying and clipboard quite nicely as well. Some of the default settings aren't my favorite but otherwise I very nice piece of software.

I might - but as I said, Remote Desktop is my new best friend - it makes like a lot easier as I can connect to machines sitting next to me as well as machine sin another room, building, across campus, and even (if need be ) miles away. It is how I now connect to my home computer form my laptop when I am on campus - now I really have no excuse when homework is due

Plus, we use it with the servers anyway, so it makes getting into a rhythm much easier - using multiple products annoys me somewhat, and RDP/RDC work well for what I need them to do.

Along those lines, since I have dual monitors at home, it is easy enough to have 'two machines' on 2 displays - local and remote.

I will still give this a try though - never hurts to have a backup mechanism, plus testing for Windows 7 compatibilities is always a plus.

Try not running Synergy as admin.