- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98
- Date added: July 20, 2007
- Total Downloads: 12,912
- Downloads last week: 109
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 12 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
Synergy is a cross-platform, open-source replacement for a KVM switch. Instead of looping multiple computers through a piece of hardware, it lets you control them from a single keyboard and mouse. As a software solution, you might want to just go with the KVM switch. Synergy can be extremely difficult to configure, especially determining precise computer names and server locations. Even though the program lets you rename computers with simpler aliases, it can still be challenging to configure Synergy properly.
The interface is uninspired, but at least it's not confusing. Once you get Synergy running, you can switch from one computer to the next simply by push your mouse off-screen. You can configure that switching location to be on any or all of the four sides of your main monitor. Users can also configure screensavers to start simultaneously, and can link log-in information so that one hard drive doesn't hibernate while you're working on another one. The clipboards can also be linked, making it dead easy to transfer small chunks of information, such as URLs, from one system to the next.
This is a difficult program to set up properly, but it works well once going and might even be considered a must-have, or at least a must-try, for anybody who uses more than one computer at a time.
Publisher's description
From Synergy : Synergy lets you easily share a single mouse and keyboard between multiple computers with different operating systems, each with its own display, without special hardware. It's intended for users with multiple computers on their desk since each system uses its own monitor(s). Redirecting the mouse and keyboard is as simple as moving the mouse off the edge of your screen. Synergy also merges the clipboards of all the systems into one, allowing cut-and-paste between systems. Furthermore, it synchronizes screen savers so they all start and stop together and, if screen locking is enabled, only one screen requires a password to unlock them all. Synergy is open source and released under the GNU Public License (GPL).What's new in this version:
New product.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.6 stars out of 12 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 12 user reviewsSee all 12 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Synergy 1.3.1
"Works Brilliantly - Save Money & Don't Buy a KVM"
Pros: It's easy to use and it works brilliantly.
Works with practically an unlimited amount of computers on the same network.
Got it set up and working in around 10 minutes.
You can't even tell that your not using a mouse that isn't even connected to the computer you're working - there is no lag at all.
Ow, and it's free. No advertising. No spam. It's just for free. It's awesome. Don't buy a KVM people, you're just wasting money (I'm serious)!
Cons: The user interface (that you don't use other than to set up the mouse/keyboard sync between your computers once) could do with a little make-over, as in, make things a little easier to understand and stand out.
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Version: Synergy 1.3.1
Pros: well it Helps alot when using multiply computers I have 3 computers on my desk 2 of which i use the most so using 1 keyboard and 1 mouse is really convenient also sharing a clip board means i don't have to type a web link as long as my screen to access it on the next computer
Cons: lag when u switch screens very fast and . I also occasionally play full screen games and when u switch screens (computer) the active window on the other computer goes to the background which minimizes the game which slows down the computer and this could cause game crashes on slower computers like 1 of mine. plane and simple u cant surf the net and play games with out it being minimizes.
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Version: Synergy 1.3.1
"Handy KM utility for those using multiple computers concurrently"
Pros: This is an open source product (check out www sourceforge net) and appears clean; especially useful when working desktop beside a laptop allowing a full-size keyboard and mouse to control both machines. When both are running Windows (one 98SE, the WinXP-pro) could find not character mapping problems. Can arrange multiple TCP/IP linked computers as being beside (left or righ) or above / below each other and move seamlessly from one to another.
Cons: Even though using high-speed (100mps) network and a Pentium D 3.0 ghz PC as the server, there are occasionally some annoying lags (but this could be the MS laser mouse that I am using ... have not tried other mice to pinpoint).
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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Synergy 1.3.1
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Synergy 1.3.1
"that thing rocks!! great 95% of the time"
Pros: when working on mutiple computers, having one keyboard and one mouse is neat. Synergy delivers the goods. it's great to have such a nice soft and for free!! have definitevly promote it around the office.
Cons: works great 95% of the time. the rest requires a simple stop/start of the soft and all starts working again. Don't use the shift key and the arrow keys to select text, it seems to mess up the keyboard everytime I do it. otherwise, great stuff.
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