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[GH-ISSUE #447] Raspberry Pi 4 as a monitor-less server #348

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opened 2026-05-05 06:05:17 -06:00 by gitea-mirror · 4 comments

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 06:05:17 -06:00

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Originally created by @WJKPK on GitHub (Oct 2, 2019).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/debauchee/barrier/issues/447

Operating Systems

Server: Raspbian Buster (RB Pi4)

Client: Debian Buster, Windows 10

Barrier Version

2.2.0

I would like to use RB Pi4 as a server without monitor but with plugged mouse & keyboard to handle Debian and Windows clients with displays. Is it even possible to run Barrier on raspberry pi 4 always on start of servers system before login to it? When i was trying set it using a systemctl and new barrier.service file i got errors like:

$systemctl status barrier.service

warning: No protocol specified
warning: primary screen unavailable: unable to open screen

How should I set up it correctly?

Originally created by @WJKPK on GitHub (Oct 2, 2019). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/debauchee/barrier/issues/447 ### Operating Systems ### Server: Raspbian Buster (RB Pi4) Client: Debian Buster, Windows 10 ### Barrier Version ### 2.2.0 I would like to use RB Pi4 as a server without monitor but with plugged mouse & keyboard to handle Debian and Windows clients with displays. Is it even possible to run Barrier on raspberry pi 4 always on start of servers system before login to it? When i was trying set it using a systemctl and new barrier.service file i got errors like: $systemctl status barrier.service warning: No protocol specified warning: primary screen unavailable: unable to open screen How should I set up it correctly?

gitea-mirror added the

enhancement

label 2026-05-05 06:05:17 -06:00

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 06:05:22 -06:00

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@AdrianKoshka commented on GitHub (Oct 3, 2019):

I don't know how you'd set this up correctly, but you would need X11 running.

@AdrianKoshka commented on GitHub (Oct 3, 2019): I don't know how you'd set this up correctly, but you would need X11 running.

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 06:05:24 -06:00

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@ctsrc commented on GitHub (Nov 8, 2019):

I haven't tested this with Barrier, but I've used programs like Xvfb, Xephyr and Xpra for similar and other purposes before – running graphical software on a headless server, or running software on a secondary virtual display in order to interact with them programmatically to capture screenshots while still being able to use the computer without interfering with the screenshots that are being produced.

It was a while ago since I last used any of those pieces of software but the section titled "Start at boot" in the Xpra article on the Arch Linux wiki is probably a good place to start no matter which distro you are using.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xpra#Start_at_boot

@ctsrc commented on GitHub (Nov 8, 2019): I haven't tested this with Barrier, but I've used programs like Xvfb, Xephyr and Xpra for similar and other purposes before – running graphical software on a headless server, or running software on a secondary virtual display in order to interact with them programmatically to capture screenshots while still being able to use the computer without interfering with the screenshots that are being produced. It was a while ago since I last used any of those pieces of software but the section titled "Start at boot" in the Xpra article on the Arch Linux wiki is probably a good place to start no matter which distro you are using. https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xpra#Start_at_boot

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 06:05:26 -06:00

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@ctsrc commented on GitHub (Nov 16, 2019):

@WJKPK If I were to write up a guide on how to do this, would you prefer that the method used would be that I provide an complete image that you can just write to your SD card and put in the Raspberry Pi, or would you like step by step instructions on how to do it yourself?

Advantages and disadvantages of each of those possibilities

Complete SD card image

Advantage: Fast and easy to do. Just download the image, write it to SD card and edit a config file for Barrier server.
Disadvantage: If you are already using your Raspberry Pi for other purposes then all of your previous customizations and configurations would be lost. Depending on the amount of customization and configuration you are doing, it may be more work to redo all of that on top of a new SD card image than it would be to set up Barrier on your existing SD card.
Disadvantage: The distro I choose to use for this may not be the same one that you prefer to use.

Step-by-step guide

Advantage: You get to keep any customizations and configurations that you already have.
Disadvantage: The step-by-step guide might consist of many steps, and doing all of the steps yourself could potentially take a bit of time as well as it being possible that you end up accidentally skipping over one or more of the steps, or accidentally doing one or more of the steps differently, which could lead to a setup that doesn't work as it should, or that doesn't work at all.
Advantage: You get to use your preferred distro.
Disadvantage: If you use a different distro from what I do then the steps might not be exactly the same which could further make it difficult for users to follow the steps.

@ctsrc commented on GitHub (Nov 16, 2019): @WJKPK If I were to write up a guide on how to do this, would you prefer that the method used would be that I provide an complete image that you can just write to your SD card and put in the Raspberry Pi, or would you like step by step instructions on how to do it yourself? ## Advantages and disadvantages of each of those possibilities ### Complete SD card image * Advantage: Fast and easy to do. Just download the image, write it to SD card and edit a config file for Barrier server. * Disadvantage: If you are already using your Raspberry Pi for other purposes then all of your previous customizations and configurations would be lost. Depending on the amount of customization and configuration you are doing, it may be more work to redo all of that on top of a new SD card image than it would be to set up Barrier on your existing SD card. * Disadvantage: The distro I choose to use for this may not be the same one that you prefer to use. ### Step-by-step guide * Advantage: You get to keep any customizations and configurations that you already have. * Disadvantage: The step-by-step guide might consist of many steps, and doing all of the steps yourself could potentially take a bit of time as well as it being possible that you end up accidentally skipping over one or more of the steps, or accidentally doing one or more of the steps differently, which could lead to a setup that doesn't work as it should, or that doesn't work at all. * Advantage: You get to use your preferred distro. * Disadvantage: If you use a different distro from what I do then the steps might not be exactly the same which could further make it difficult for users to follow the steps.

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 06:05:27 -06:00

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@theycallmeloki commented on GitHub (Jan 16, 2020):

@ctsrc Could you help list generic steps to achieve the step by step guide? I am following the Arch intro to xrpa but I would like to handle a multi monitor multi node setup of over 10 displays and 3 nodes with windows mac and linux systems. Any additional input would be appreciated.

@theycallmeloki commented on GitHub (Jan 16, 2020): @ctsrc Could you help list generic steps to achieve the step by step guide? I am following the Arch intro to xrpa but I would like to handle a multi monitor multi node setup of over 10 displays and 3 nodes with windows mac and linux systems. Any additional input would be appreciated.

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