Sit at one desk. Use the other.

What it does

One package on every computer. One switch decides whether a computer can be reached.

The whole desktop

Sound, microphone, clipboard and printers, in a window with a toolbar for USB devices, camera, folders and full screen.

Your camera, for any app

Send a camera as smooth video. On the other computer it's a normal camera that Teams, Zoom and browsers can use.

USB devices, both ways

Use the security key, webcam or drive plugged in here on the other computer, or the other way round.

Folders, both ways

Each computer's shared folder shows up on the other one while you're connected.

Finds your computers

PairDesk lists the computers on your network that accept connections. Typing just an IP address is enough.

Sets up the other computer for you

If you can sign in to it with SSH, PairDesk installs itself there and turns remote access on, without anyone at that screen.

Works without a monitor

A small PC in a cupboard keeps accepting connections with nobody signed in, after a short guided setup.

Survives Wi-Fi drops

It reconnects by itself and puts your USB devices and folders back. A sleeping computer is woken up first.

Keeps both sides up to date

When one computer has a newer PairDesk, it offers it to the other. An administrator there approves it with their password.

Leaves nothing behind

Extras are installed only when first needed, after saying why. Uninstalling removes exactly those again.

How pairing works

Two computers trust each other after one short code. There's no account and no cloud.

1. Turn on remote accessOn the computer you want to reach: Current computer, then Let paired computers connect.
2. Press + where you sitPairDesk shows the computers it found. Pick one, or type its IP address.
3. Sign in or type the codeIf it accepts SSH logins, sign in with its password and PairDesk pairs by itself. Otherwise type the code shown on its screen.
4. ConnectFrom then on it's one button. Pairing is undone on both sides with Unpair.

Both computers prove they know the code without sending it, so a computer in between can't take part. Each pairing uses a new random key, like a one-time password. When PairDesk uses SSH for you, it asks that computer's password once per session in its own window and never saves it.

Install

Install it on both computers. Updates then arrive with your normal system updates.

sudo wget -qO /usr/share/keyrings/knowreva.gpg https://pairdesk.knowreva.com/apt/knowreva.gpg
printf 'Types: deb\nURIs: https://pairdesk.knowreva.com/apt\nSuites: stable\nComponents: main\nSigned-By: /usr/share/keyrings/knowreva.gpg\n' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/knowreva.sources
sudo apt update && sudo apt install pairdesk

What stays safe