Tired of balancing monitors and mice on your server rack? This $90 gadget might be the remote-access fix your cluttered home lab or NVR setup desperately needs.
GL.iNet Comet KVM
The GL.iNet Comet KVM lets you replace keyboard, mouse, and monitor with an Ethernet connection
It works well, with good performance, a nice web interface, and specialty options for custom needs
At $90, it’s fairly pricey, especially when adding to a bunch of PCs, but it does the job.
It’s always a happy day when I find a new gadget. It’s a particularly happy day when that gadget solves an existing problem or (even better) removes a particularly grating annoyance.
Today is a happy day.
That’s because I deployed the GL.iNet Comet, a remote KVM. You’ll get a better feel for why this little box sparks joy if I explain the annoyance, and then show you how the Comet tackled the toleration.GL.iNet Comet KVM
Capable network KVM that lets you access PCs and servers remotely.No space for old mice
So here’s the situation: We have a home security camera NVR (network video recorder) sitting on the house’s server rack. While you can monitor the cameras from an app on your computer or phone, some of the configuration must be done from a monitor and mouse directly connected to the device’s back.
Not at all precarious. Not at all.
From what I can tell, that’s a security feature designed to prevent certain settings from being changed unless you have physical access to the server. It’s a smart feature, but it’s also a pain in the ass.
As you can see, the monitor is precariously balanced on top of my Mac mini server, and there’s no space at all for the mouse.
