Thunderbolt networking to Mac (studio or mini)?

Framework Desktop
1

Hi! I’m thinking about running Win 11 headless on my Framework Desktop so I can use my primary screen connected to my mac studio (i.e. I do not want to use slow KVM switches)

Questions:

  1. Does the framework desktop hardware support native Thunderbolt networking on any of the USB-C ports on the back?

…if yes, how would I best set it up to bridge the mac and windows machine together?

  1. what “remote desktop” software should I use for low latency, 4k, 60Hz
  • Moonlight+Sunshine?
  • Standard remote desktop?
  • some VMware Horizon like tool or Parallels RAS
  • other options?
2

Any of the USB 4 ports should be usable for USB 4 networking (which is the unencumbered name for Thunderbolt networking), yes.

When you plug your machines into eachother with a compliant cable, you should see a new network interface show up on both sides. Typically it will be assigned a negotiated link-local address somewhere in 169.0.0.0/8.

3

For windows 11 native remote desktop, you need the pro version and activate RDP.
Don’t know for Mac…

What to you want to use as remote APP?

I use to have bluetooth keyboard/mouse that can switch from 2 desktop, and for screen juste connect on 2 different port and switch with screen config. And did not need KVM :wink:

An other option for full remote access is RP4 based KVM over IP like https://pikvm.org/

but for 4K@60 en remote … note sure it can work.

4

thx, simple as that, will experiment

5

remote deskop i believe is called “windows app” on macos, but its said to consume tons of cpu, no retina/high-res support and generally slow and buggy