Two Computers, One Screen: HP LinkUp Gives Remote PC Control
byGizmoGladstone06-08-201111:10 AM - edited 11-08-201112:45 PM
Your laptop has all these files you’re working on and you need to get them over to your desktop. You don’t have a USB flash drive handy. “Oh, wait…I could just use my Pre2 as a storage drive….annnnnnd I forgot the cable at work. Great.” Now you need to email all this stuff to yourself. Does this story sound even remotely familiar? Honestly, it happens to me all the damn time. BUT, I finally spotted an app that’s been staring me in the face and actually solves this problem: HP LinkUp. With LinkUp, your computers can wireless connect over your home network and share one screen. Best part: It’s already on new HP consumer desktops.
What does this mean, exactly?
It means that your brand spankin’ new consumer desktop HP PC comes with pre-installed software that lets you open another computer in a window on your desktop. Then, you can work on files directly or just transfer them over. Or stream audio. Or video. Or whatever. That not clear enough? Here’s a quick video of how I got it working…
What do you need to make this happen?
Well, you need at least one HP computer that has HP LinkUp software on-board. The “Receiver” app is only available as a pre-install on HP computers. If you have another HP computer with LinkUp on it, you’re all set. Just connect up the two machines and you’re in business. (TECH NOTE: There needs to be a password for the user account on each machine in order for the software to work….)
Once you’re connected, it’s actually pretty simple. The window is your other computer. You can operate within that environment or jump back to the main computer’s desktop. Want to copy over a file? Just right click on it and “Send” it to the other computer. Piece of cake!
But what if only one computer has HP LinkUp installed on it?
No problem, you just need to download and install the LinkUp “Sender” software on the machine. The software will work on older HP PC or even a non-HP PC (as if you’re ever going to use a non-HP PC…. Crazy talk!). For the sake of my little experiment, I grabbed my wife’s laptop.
The software is a little hidden inside the HP site, but that’s why I’m here for you guys. With a little browsing tenacity, I have unearthed this download link for the LinkUp “Sender” software! Got the software? Cool. Now, so long as your machine runs Windows XP, Vista or 7, you’re in business. After the brief install, described in excellent detail here, you should be all set!
Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments!
Have you guys ever heard of a "century-old" app called VNC? How about services like LogMeIn or TeamViewer? Did you check your local AppStore - there will be at least a dozen apps for that. Most of these apps are cross-platform (Mac, Win, Linux) and work perfectly fine with iOS and Android devices.
It's not like I'm saying that these other programs never existed. In fact, I've used a couple of the programs you've listed up there. What I'm going on about here is that the LinkUp app is free, easy to use and comes on new HP computers.
As I understand it right now, you need to buy a Windows 7 HP PC that comes with the "receiver" software installed on it. Once you have that, you can grab the "sender" software I link to above. If you're not on the market for a new PC, you can certain try the other (some free, some paid) software that's available online -- Johnny mentioned some of the options above...VNC, TeamViewer and LogMeIn, for example.
I don't use homegroup a ton, but from my experiences, it is all about simply sharing your content across all the computers on a home network. With LinkUp, it does that as well, sure, but in the above example you can directly control all aspects of another computer from the TouchSmart's screen.
I'm new to the need of running 2 computers with one keyboard/mouse/monitor setup, and I've just bought an HP that has LinkUp. When using the keyboard, mouse, and monitor attached to this computer to control another computer with the "Sender" program, are all keystrokes, mouse-clicks, data sent/received done securely? I'm concerned about sensitive data being able to be "sniffed" on the internet.
IIRC TeamViewer uses 256-bit encryption. Does Linkup have functionality that TeamViewer lacks?
HP LinkUp came installed with my new HP Pavulion Slimline computer that runs Windows 7. I downloaded the software for use on my Compaq Presario desktop that runs Windows Vista. It works fine allowing me to command the Compaq from the new computer. The problem is,that since installing HP LinkUp on the Compaqthe compact monitor goes blank while it boots up and remains blank thereafter. I can still control the Compac (sender) from the Pavilion (viewer)but the monitor remains blank even when the two machines are connected through the HP LinkUp. This is a real problem! Is there a way to fix this?Or do I just have to do without HP LinkUp?
First, I know that this answer is probably coming too little, too late -- apologies. I never got a notification that your question appeared. ANYhow, I have a question in with the software team about the level of encryption in LinkUp, but I can tell you that it's a localized remote application. My gut tells me that it's a direct one-to-one connection done over a local network. When I hear more back, I'll let you know. Again, appologies for not seeing this question until now.
@NJSteve: I'll ping the guys on the team that have worked with LinkUp. I see that you tried posting up in the forums as well....hopefully, between the two spots, we'll see if someone can help.
i have allready installed hp linkup but i can not find the link up viewer inside at hp folder only one folder with diagnosis name and i can not connect with other pc.
I tried and tried to get linkup to work on my new computer with my old hp windows xp computer, spent hours working with hp support and it never worked, so after a few weeks I gave up. It would be nice if it did work though.
@manousosiarmaos: I don't quite know what your problem is from the description. Just out of curiousity, have you already tried hitting up the folks on the HP support forums? Maybe they've run into whatever problem you have... for example: http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/TouchSmart-PC/HP-Linkup-set-up-issue/td-p/1442057
@hxpenly: Really sorry to hear you're running into problems with it - I don't have an XP machine lying around, so I don't know how much use I'd be...I could try to ask someone here about it and see if I can learn anything more....we'll see what happens.
I just set-up HP LinkUp on my 3 Windows 7 HP computers. It works very well. It allows me to access programs on the 2 slave computers allowing me to save the cost of those programs. You can also move data from one PC to another. You can copy things from one computer and paste it to another (Either way). It's Great.
Once in a while the remote PC will not accept input from the keyboard and left clicks on links on web links do not work, so I just right click and open the page in a new tab.
I just wish the LinkUp program was installed on the other computers, so I could access any computer from any other computer. The other 2 computers are older os LinkUp is not installed on them.
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