Barrier is a versatile, open-source software application designed for sharing your mouse and keyboard across multiple computers using different operating systems. This guide will walk you through the installation and configuration of Barrier on Debian 12, also known as Bookworm.

Prerequisites

Before you begin the installation process, ensure the following prerequisites are met:

• A server running Debian 12 (Bookworm).
• A fresh operating system installation is recommended to avoid potential conflicts.
• SSH access to the server (or simply open Terminal if you’re on a desktop).
• An active internet connection is required to download the Barrier package.
• A user account with sudo privileges. The sudo command, which stands for “superuser do,” allows users to execute commands with the security privileges of another user, typically the superuser.

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Once your system is updated, you can proceed with installing Barrier.

Installing Barrier on Debian 12

Barrier can be easily installed using the apt package manager with the following command:

sudo apt install barrier

This command fetches the Barrier package from the Debian repositories and installs it on your system.

After the installation is complete, verify that Barrier has been installed correctly by running the following command:

barrier --version

Configuring Barrier

After a successful installation, the next step is to configure Barrier. The software can be set up as a server (the machine with the keyboard and mouse to be shared) or a client (the machine that will be controlled by the shared keyboard and mouse).

Configuring Barrier as a Server

1. Launch Barrier using the following command:

barrier

2. In the Barrier interface, select “Server (share from this computer).”
3. Click on “Configure Server” to set up the screens. Drag the monitor icons to match your physical setup.
4. Click “OK” to apply the settings, then click “Start” to start the Barrier server.

Configuring Barrier as a Client

1. Start Barrier on the client machine using the same command as above.
2. In the Barrier interface, select “Client (use another computer’s mouse and keyboard).”
3. Type the server’s IP address in the “Server IP” field.
4. Click “Start” to connect to the server.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed and configured Barrier on Debian 12 Bookworm.

As always, if you’re not comfortable performing these tasks yourself or if you simply don’t have the time, you might consider using a VPS management service. Shape.hostservices offer excellent Linux SSD VPS solutions, starting from just $3. With their assistance, you can focus on what you do best and leave the technical details to the experts.

Christian Wells