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[GH-ISSUE #1135] Headless Linux box share mouse and keyboard to windows #912

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opened 2026-05-05 07:16:13 -06:00 by gitea-mirror · 4 comments

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 07:16:13 -06:00

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Originally created by @lededev on GitHub (Apr 19, 2021).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/debauchee/barrier/issues/1135

Can I use barrier on a Linux box no monitor, but have USB port and mouse and keyboard, and share them to a Windows PC?
I need this because fiber HDMI can transmit video far distance, but some of them have no USB channel, to provide input devices.
A raspberry pi or openwrt box which have USB port, do this job I think is enough.
I tried USB over Ethernet, but the newest windows usbip still unstable, so I come here.

Originally created by @lededev on GitHub (Apr 19, 2021). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/debauchee/barrier/issues/1135 Can I use barrier on a Linux box no monitor, but have USB port and mouse and keyboard, and share them to a Windows PC? I need this because fiber HDMI can transmit video far distance, but some of them have no USB channel, to provide input devices. A raspberry pi or openwrt box which have USB port, do this job I think is enough. I tried USB over Ethernet, but the newest windows usbip still unstable, so I come here.

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 07:16:15 -06:00

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@lededev commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021):

progress

I am now using a RK3288 TV box, install Armbian, and barrier as server, connect USB kbd and mice.
because Armbian act like other TV box, it will directly go into user desktop by default. I can lunch barriers by using xfce4's autostart.
After this TV box power on, wait about 60s, press hotkey CTRL+ALT+o, my windows client got kbd and mice.

As the next step in the future, I will add some C++ code to make the switch screen action automatically. When server find remote client connected, it will switch screen input focus to remote client immediately, because a headless box hold USB HID devices is pointless.
The primary(headless) client which on server will only got input focus by using hotkey CTRL+ALT+p, for maintenance purposes.

filename: /home/user/.config/autostart/barriers.desktop

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Version=0.9.4
Type=Application
Name=barriers focus remote client
Comment=share keybd mice
Exec=/usr/bin/barriers --debug INFO --name headless --enable-crypto -c /home/user/remote_client.sgc --address :24800
OnlyShowIn=XFCE;
RunHook=0
StartupNotify=false
Terminal=false
Hidden=false

filename /home/user/remote_client.sgc

section: screens
        remote_client:
                halfDuplexCapsLock = false
                halfDuplexNumLock = false
                halfDuplexScrollLock = false
                xtestIsXineramaUnaware = false
                preserveFocus = false
                switchCorners = none +top-left +top-right +bottom-left +bottom-right
                switchCornerSize = 99
        headless:
                halfDuplexCapsLock = false
                halfDuplexNumLock = false
                halfDuplexScrollLock = false
                xtestIsXineramaUnaware = false
                preserveFocus = false
                switchCorners = none +top-right +bottom-right
                switchCornerSize = 99
end

section: aliases
end

section: links
        remote_client:
        headless:
end

section: options
        relativeMouseMoves = true
        screenSaverSync = false
        win32KeepForeground = false
        clipboardSharing = false
        switchCorners = none
        switchCornerSize = 0
        keystroke(Control+Alt+o) = switchToScreen(remote_client)
        keystroke(Control+Alt+p) = switchToScreen(headless)
end

@lededev commented on GitHub (Apr 20, 2021): * progress I am now using a RK3288 TV box, install Armbian, and barrier as server, connect USB kbd and mice. because Armbian act like other TV box, it will directly go into user desktop by default. I can lunch barriers by using xfce4's autostart. After this TV box power on, wait about 60s, press hotkey CTRL+ALT+o, my windows client got kbd and mice. As the next step in the future, I will add some C++ code to make the switch screen action automatically. When server find remote client connected, it will switch screen input focus to remote client immediately, because a headless box hold USB HID devices is pointless. The primary(headless) client which on server will only got input focus by using hotkey CTRL+ALT+p, for maintenance purposes. filename: /home/user/.config/autostart/barriers.desktop ``` [Desktop Entry] Encoding=UTF-8 Version=0.9.4 Type=Application Name=barriers focus remote client Comment=share keybd mice Exec=/usr/bin/barriers --debug INFO --name headless --enable-crypto -c /home/user/remote_client.sgc --address :24800 OnlyShowIn=XFCE; RunHook=0 StartupNotify=false Terminal=false Hidden=false ``` filename /home/user/remote_client.sgc ``` section: screens remote_client: halfDuplexCapsLock = false halfDuplexNumLock = false halfDuplexScrollLock = false xtestIsXineramaUnaware = false preserveFocus = false switchCorners = none +top-left +top-right +bottom-left +bottom-right switchCornerSize = 99 headless: halfDuplexCapsLock = false halfDuplexNumLock = false halfDuplexScrollLock = false xtestIsXineramaUnaware = false preserveFocus = false switchCorners = none +top-right +bottom-right switchCornerSize = 99 end section: aliases end section: links remote_client: headless: end section: options relativeMouseMoves = true screenSaverSync = false win32KeepForeground = false clipboardSharing = false switchCorners = none switchCornerSize = 0 keystroke(Control+Alt+o) = switchToScreen(remote_client) keystroke(Control+Alt+p) = switchToScreen(headless) end ```

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 07:16:17 -06:00

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@lededev commented on GitHub (Apr 21, 2021):

step 2 complete. Just add an option --headless-mode in server command line, with my PR https://github.com/debauchee/barrier/pull/1139 applied:
Exec=/usr/bin/barriers --debug INFO --name headless --enable-crypto -c /home/user/remote_client.sgc --address :24800
replace to
Exec=/usr/bin/barriers --debug INFO --name headless --enable-crypto --headless-mode -c /home/user/remote_client.sgc --address :24800
You will got an out of the box headless USB HID server.

Step 3 in future: I will replace my RK3288 TV box to an even more cheaper RK3188 TV stick, as headless Linux device.

@lededev commented on GitHub (Apr 21, 2021): step 2 complete. Just add an option `--headless-mode` in server command line, with my PR https://github.com/debauchee/barrier/pull/1139 applied: `Exec=/usr/bin/barriers --debug INFO --name headless --enable-crypto -c /home/user/remote_client.sgc --address :24800` replace to `Exec=/usr/bin/barriers --debug INFO --name headless --enable-crypto --headless-mode -c /home/user/remote_client.sgc --address :24800` You will got an out of the box headless USB HID server. Step 3 in future: I will replace my RK3288 TV box to an even more cheaper RK3188 TV stick, as headless Linux device.

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 07:16:19 -06:00

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@lededev commented on GitHub (Apr 30, 2021):

headless: add hotkey bind userscript
let headless server easy to restart service and reboot server, by using hotkey bind userscript.
Usage:
in remote_client.sgc section: options

        keystroke(Control+Alt+k) = userScript(/home/user/Barrier-script-restart.sh)
        keystroke(Control+Alt+l) = userScript(sudo reboot)

@lededev commented on GitHub (Apr 30, 2021): headless: add hotkey bind userscript let headless server easy to restart service and reboot server, by using hotkey bind userscript. Usage: in remote_client.sgc section: options ``` keystroke(Control+Alt+k) = userScript(/home/user/Barrier-script-restart.sh) keystroke(Control+Alt+l) = userScript(sudo reboot) ```

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 07:16:21 -06:00

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@lededev commented on GitHub (May 18, 2021):

Update PR, login screen reconnect delay change from 15s to 2s. Some more changes backport from upstream, to resolve pointer jump.

@lededev commented on GitHub (May 18, 2021): Update [PR](https://github.com/debauchee/barrier/pull/1139/commits/7ac22c31cbc845cd9a778eef8deced040bcda949), login screen reconnect delay change from 15s to 2s. Some more changes backport from upstream, to resolve pointer jump.

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