Help me setup my work computer with my personal workstation

[nightsdawn]

Hi there, I have a small room and I don't have enough space to set up my work computer along with my personal desktop. I have to use my work computer as they don't allow me to use my personal workstation. I would like to simply connect a power cord to my work computer and be able to use it with my display and I could probably do that along with Mouse without Borders but there is the problem of a single enthernet cord going to my personal workstation.  I don't want to have to reach behind everything and switch Ethernet wires each time I have to be on my work machine. I think it's possible to get internet via USB because I've done that with my phone before but not with another PC so that might be an option. However, I want to inquire upon the wealth of knowledge here about something.

Is it possible to setup my work machine to display and connect internet using only a USB wire? I would like to minimalize all wires so I can forget my work machine is even here.

I could also possibly remote in, but as my work deals with video games I am not sure if displaying through the internet would be a good idea?

 

Thanks!

[Jtalk4456]

I would imagine a workplace wants a direct ethernet connection to ensure no issues. Just my experience. I'm not sure about internet and display over a single usb, but as a manager I would not want the ability of my employee doing their job being based on a single USB. By chance do you have another room you could put it in that's quiet enough to work in and has an ethernet on the wall? or you could get a powerline adapter to get an ethernet wherever you need

[Bombastinator]

Assuming there is no security issue, one could fork your ethernet connection with a router.  I don’t know what “mouse without borders” is but it sounds like some sort of software KVM.  If so that’s keyboard, mouse and monitor.  If it isn’t there is software that will do that, or you could use a hardware KVM which is older school and is literally a set of switches in a box.  You hook up the hardware to it and throw the switch to connect the devices.  Might be hard to find or expensive.  I haven’t seen them around in a while.  I might want to set up a tunneled encryption setup to your work machine if I was an employer.  Such a thing would even work with a wireless router at least till quantum computing gets off the ground.  Then encryption may be PWNed.

[RoseLuck462]

I would get a network switch to connect all your computers to so it only requires one Ethernet cable to the router.

[Bombastinator]

33 minutes ago, RoseLuck462 said:

I would get a network switch to connect all your computers to so it only requires one Ethernet cable to the router.

Most correct.  Switch is superior to router.  I do tend to get those two confused.  So far as I can tell a switch is most often like a router but better.  I’m not sure if actual routers are even much done anymore.  

[LogicalDrm]

I have borrowed USB/Thunderbolt dock from work for this. It works mostly fine with my home laptop. Only issue being that my monitors are old, not DisplayPort. So I have to switch HDMI cable from laptop to laptop as home laptop is temporarily my main PC. I also noticed that using my desktop with the dock wasn't very stable. But thats one option.

 

I would pick KVM instead. But those are rather expensive if you are looking to get something other than VGA.

[trag1c]

On 10/1/2021 at 4:58 PM, Bombastinator said:

  I don’t know what “mouse without borders” is but it sounds like some sort of software KVM.  

It's a neat little application from a Microsoft employee that allows you to move your mouse between systems seamlessly. 

 

So you can have 2 systems and move the mouse between as if it's one big desktop.  It's very similar to a KVM but without having to toggle between systems.

[Blue4130]

On 10/2/2021 at 1:51 PM, Bombastinator said:

Most correct.  Switch is superior to router.  I do tend to get those two confused.  So far as I can tell a switch is most often like a router but better.  I’m not sure if actual routers are even much done anymore.  

I wouldn't say one is superior to the other. They perform different tasks. And yes, routers do exist. They are in 99% of homes with internet. Routers are what assign IP addresses on the majority of computers. Switches don't handle that. Switches are generally more simple and only give extra ports (There are exceptions of course)

[Bombastinator]

21 minutes ago, Blue4130 said:

I wouldn't say one is superior to the other. They perform different tasks. And yes, routers do exist. They are in 99% of homes with internet. Routers are what assign IP addresses on the majority of computers. Switches don't handle that. Switches are generally more simple and only give extra ports (There are exceptions of course)

Perhaps I’m thinking of switched routers.