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I'm searching for a solution, which is similar to VGA to Rj45, but not quite the same.

I need to have a virtual machine with a dedicated network port and route graphics from it to the display, about 30 meters away from it. But it's quite important to have a real TCP/IP network connection to the monitor, not just a physical extension of VGA over RJ45.

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5 Answers

up vote 4 down vote accepted

If I understand correctly, you want to take a physical VGA port and have access to it via IP. If so, specialist hardware will be needed at the server end; that's by no means an uncommon requirement, but it tends to be offered only on multiport KVM devices.

Adderview seem to do a one-port KVM-to-IP converter called the Adderlink IP. As far as I can tell, it plugs into the KVM ports on the server and presents the console over java and/or VNC interfaces, so you can use either a browser or a VNC client on the remote client system to access the server's physical console.

I haven't used that device myself, though I have an Adder KVM switch on my desk at home, and it's pretty good. I'm sure comparable devices will be available from other manufacturers.

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up vote 2 down vote

If you want video performance, you'd want to try SPICE instead of VNC or RDP

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I'm not really looking for the remote desktop solution, but rather an ability to route graphics directly to network without involving a graphic card on the sender side and plug it directly into the display on a recipient side. – ifesdjeen Nov 11 '10 at 8:37
then kvm over IP is the solution, though performance will not be as good as with remote desktops. – dyasny Nov 11 '10 at 8:41
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btw, since you're working with VMs and not a physical machine, routing their VGA output through a KVM is basically the same old VNC – dyasny Nov 11 '10 at 8:42
i wouldn't say that it's the same as VNC, since VNC requires a recipient to be another PC, at least. – ifesdjeen Nov 11 '10 at 8:47
true, kvm over ip seems to be the closest solution at that point. – ifesdjeen Nov 11 '10 at 8:48
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up vote 1 down vote

Most of us call that VNC.

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not quite, actually. i want to have a display about 50 meters from server, but without installation of additional hardware near the screen to support it. Although, VGA to RG45 switches do not work for me, since I'm not running a dedicated machine, but multiple virtual machines running on it, and all of them should route their desktop contents directly to display, without involving a graphic card. – ifesdjeen Nov 11 '10 at 8:36
unix people call it X or NX – The Unix Janitor Nov 11 '10 at 10:51
up vote 0 down vote

As you say the VGA to RJ-45 conversion wont work for you - they can't. With a Client type Hypervisor (VMware Workstation\Virtual Box ..) you could have one VM at a time redirected to the physical local graphics adaptor and then use a VGA-RJ-45 conversion on that. The graphics output of a VM running on any hypervisor (either the aforementioned client type or server type Hypervisors like Xen,VMware ESX(i), Hyper-V etc) can't just be redirected out a network port in any raw format.

For a scenario where you have multiple concurrent VM's your only option is to work with the remote desktop capabilities of the Guest OS, route traffic over a standard network connection and then provide a client at the remote end to consume that. Depending on the Guest OS and Hypervisor you will have a bunch of options VNC, RDP, PCoIP etc but in all cases you will have to use some form of remote desktop protocol so just having a screen at the remote point will not work for what you are describing.

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up vote 0 down vote

I am comming in very late to this but I think this is what you are looking for http://www.startech.com/AV/Extenders/VGA/Ethernet-to-VGA-over-IP-Converter~IPUSB2VGA

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Welcome to Server Fault! Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference. – Mark Henderson♦ Dec 31 '11 at 5:39

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