Using two or more Windows computers in one space is not that uncommon. For example, you might have a laptop and a desktop in the same office that you work on at the same time. Having to change keyboards and mice every time you switch computers can be a bit of a hassle. But there is a solution to this with the Mouse Without Borders app.
The Mouse Without Borders application allows you to control two to four Windows computers with the same keyboard and mouse, without having to move cables or other hardware. Of course, Mouse Without Borders allows you to easily exchange files, folders, text, etc. between your computers, almost as if you were dragging and dropping or copying and pasting.
This software comes from Microsoft Garage and can run on Windows 7 and above. It's free, you can go to its website, download it and install it on at least two computers.
But, let's see how you can configure and work with Mouse Without Borders. After installation, search for the program in your computer menu and run it. After it opens, it starts with the question if you have already installed the program on another computer and, if this is your first computer you are starting, answer “No”.
If you are running this program on the second computer then tell it “Yes”.
Once you select “No” then the program will take you to the next step where the program will display a security code along with your computer name. Note it down somewhere because you will need it for the next step.
Now, go to the second computer, run the program, say “Yes” to the first question, then type the security code and name of your first computer in the corresponding fields, and click the “Link” button to continue.
If the connection is successful, the software will notify you on both your computer screens. Simply click the “Next” button on both computers to continue.
Now, click on the “Done” button to complete the installation process.
From now on, you can use the same keyboard and mouse that you have either wired or wirelessly connected to your main computer to operate your second computer. All you have to do is move your mouse to the right edge of your screen, and it should now be transferred to the second computer. There you can use the same mouse and keyboard to control the system. The good thing is that you can share files, folders and even copy and paste plain text between the computers as if you were transferring data from one window to another on a single computer.
Additionally, the software will show you the configuration details once the installation is complete, where you can modify them at your will.
By default, the software assumes that the second computer is on the right side of the main computer. If your second computer is on the left side, you can simply move the arrangement of the monitors to match their physical placement.
If the two computers are placed on top of each other (perhaps on different shelves for example), then select the “Two Row” checkbox. This option changes the layout so that you can match the setup to the actual physical layout of your systems.
Mouse Without Borders is pre-configured to work with your computer. There is no need to change the settings unless you know what you are doing. In general, you can access the settings panel by going to the “Other Options” tab in the main window. If you want, you can use the displayed keyboard shortcuts to perform quick tasks. Quick tasks include switching between machines, locking all boxes at once, taking snapshots of connected systems, etc.
As you can see, Mouse Without Borders is a very useful software if you have multiple Windows computers. You cannot use it with another computer running Linux or Mac, and its use is limited to four computers.
