I tested every IP KVM in my Homelab

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I tested every IP KVM in my Homelab

我测试了家庭实验室里的每一款 IP KVM

Since the PiKVM came out in 2017, there’s been an explosion of IP KVMs. I’ve tested almost every one. But what are they good for? 自 2017 年 PiKVM 发布以来，IP KVM 市场迎来了爆发式增长。我几乎测试了市面上所有的产品。但它们到底有什么用呢？

You can use Remote Desktop, Screen Sharing, or VNC to remote control a computer from anywhere on a LAN. And if you don’t have a private VPN, you could use RealVNC, Raspberry Pi Connect, or wire up Tailscale or Pangolin for fully remote access. Those solutions are great, and so is SSH if you don’t need a full desktop. 你可以使用远程桌面、屏幕共享或 VNC 在局域网内的任何地方远程控制计算机。如果你没有私有 VPN，还可以使用 RealVNC、Raspberry Pi Connect，或者通过 Tailscale 或 Pangolin 进行完全的远程访问。这些方案都很棒，如果你不需要完整的桌面环境，SSH 也是不错的选择。

But there are situations where you don’t want to have remote control software running on the computer. When I’m benchmarking remotely, I don’t want screen sharing using up any resources. Or what if you have a computer you want access remotely no matter what. Screen sharing and SSH don’t work if the computer’s locked up—or turned off! 但在某些情况下，你并不希望在计算机上运行远程控制软件。比如当我进行远程基准测试时，我不希望屏幕共享占用任何资源。又或者，如果你有一台无论如何都需要远程访问的计算机，当它死机甚至关机时，屏幕共享和 SSH 就完全失效了！

Enter the IP KVM. High end server hardware has this feature built-in (HP’s ILO, Dell’s iDRAC, or IPMI), but not everyone has access to server motherboards. Even if you do, the BMC might be wildly out of date, or you might want to connect through a GPU, and not through the built-in VGA graphics. 这时 IP KVM 就派上用场了。高端服务器硬件内置了此功能（如 HP 的 ILO、Dell 的 iDRAC 或 IPMI），但并非每个人都能接触到服务器主板。即使你有，BMC 也可能严重过时，或者你可能希望通过 GPU 而非内置的 VGA 显卡进行连接。

IP KVM stands for “IP Keyboard Video and Mouse”. Basically, these devices allow you to control of your computer over an IP network. IP KVM 代表“基于 IP 的键盘、视频和鼠标”。简单来说，这些设备允许你通过 IP 网络控制你的计算机。

High-end IP KVMs have special features like PoE support, HDMI passthrough, and backup 5G modems. But sometimes you just want no frills remote KVM, and for that, there are even sub-$50 models you can buy. 高端 IP KVM 具备 PoE 支持、HDMI 直通和 5G 备份调制解调器等特殊功能。但有时你只需要一个简单直接的远程 KVM，为此，市面上甚至有低于 50 美元的型号可供选择。

In this post, I’ll run through all the KVMs I’ve tested. But before we get started, a word of caution: One of these devices actually got me a visit from the FBI. And all these things can be security holes, just waiting to be exploited. Any form of remote control needs to be treated like an open door into your network—make sure you put a good lock on it. 在这篇文章中，我将梳理我测试过的所有 KVM。但在开始之前，先提醒一句：其中一款设备甚至引来了 FBI 的造访。所有这些设备都可能成为安全漏洞，随时等待被利用。任何形式的远程控制都应被视为通向你网络的一扇大门——请务必给它装上一把好锁。

Keep them updated, don’t buy one if you don’t trust the vendor, and firewall them off as much as you can. Using an IP KVM allows remote BIOS access, which can be pretty dangerous! To see just how damaging things can be, check out this article about some pretty serious vulnerabilities some of the devices I’m about to review have run into. 保持设备更新，不要购买你不信任厂商的产品，并尽可能通过防火墙进行隔离。使用 IP KVM 可以进行远程 BIOS 访问，这非常危险！想了解其危害程度，可以查看这篇关于我即将评测的某些设备所遭遇的严重漏洞的文章。

But let’s start with the PiKVM. 让我们从 PiKVM 开始。

PiKVM

For me, this thing started it all. The folks at PiKVM built the open source software that was used in every first-generation clone, and cemented Raspberry Pi as the computer used in these things. My Dad and I tested all the PiKVM models, and I like everything but the price. I 100% recommend them, especially since you’re directly supporting the folks who wrote the software. But I also know many people stop looking once they see the price tag. 对我来说，一切始于此。PiKVM 的团队开发了开源软件，该软件被每一款第一代克隆产品所使用，并确立了树莓派作为此类设备核心计算平台的地位。我和我父亲测试了所有的 PiKVM 型号，除了价格，我对其他方面都很满意。我百分之百推荐它们，特别是考虑到你是在直接支持软件开发者。但我也知道，很多人看到价格标签后就望而却步了。

Going from $275 to $400 bucks, they offer features like HDMI passthrough, two-way audio, power controls, addons for KVM switching, 5G backup, and a fully open source software stack. They even have instructions for building your own, if you have a Pi and you want to save some money! 价格从 275 美元到 400 美元不等，它们提供了 HDMI 直通、双向音频、电源控制、KVM 切换插件、5G 备份以及完全开源的软件栈等功能。如果你有树莓派并想省钱，他们甚至提供了自制指南！

  • Prices: PiKVM v4 Plus (with CM4): $400(ish) on PiShop.us; PiKVM v4 Mini (sans-CM4): $270(ish) on CloudFree; PiKVM v3 (with Pi 4): $275(ish) on PiShop.us
  • 价格： PiKVM v4 Plus (含 CM4): 约 400 美元 (PiShop.us); PiKVM v4 Mini (不含 CM4): 约 270 美元 (CloudFree); PiKVM v3 (含 Pi 4): 约 275 美元 (PiShop.us)
  • Chipset: BCM2711 (Raspberry Pi 4/CM4)
  • 芯片组： BCM2711 (树莓派 4/CM4)
  • Topline features: 1080p at 60fps, HDMI passthrough, two-way audio support, ATX power control, multi-computer option with extra hardware, a PCI Express slot for 4G or 5G cards for redunant Internet, and uses around 3W of power
  • 核心功能： 1080p 60fps，HDMI 直通，双向音频支持，ATX 电源控制，通过额外硬件实现多机切换，用于 4G/5G 冗余网络的 PCIe 插槽，功耗约 3W
  • Open source: GPLv3 license, source is here, basis for almost all the Raspberry Pi-powered KVMs
  • 开源情况： GPLv3 许可证，源码在此，几乎所有树莓派驱动的 KVM 的基础

BliKVM

The BliKVM is basically a PiKVM, but cheaper, because the company benefitted from the software PiKVM already built. The hardware has the same benefits and tradeoffs. But on the software side, you’re not putting money back into the open source project that started it all. They modified the software and UI a bit, and they acknowledge where they get the software, but honestly? Starting over over $200 for a cheaper Allwinner version, they’re outclassed by newer KVMs. My favorite thing BliKVM did was their PCI Express version, that you can slot inside your computer. BliKVM 本质上就是 PiKVM 的廉价版，因为它受益于 PiKVM 已经构建好的软件。其硬件具有相同的优缺点。但在软件方面，你并没有回馈那个开创一切的开源项目。他们对软件和 UI 做了些许修改，也承认了软件来源，但说实话？对于一款超过 200 美元的廉价全志（Allwinner）版本来说，它已经被更新的 KVM 产品超越了。BliKVM 最让我喜欢的是他们的 PCIe 版本，你可以将其插在电脑内部。

  • Price: $235 to $300 on AliExpress
  • 价格： 235 至 300 美元 (AliExpress)
  • Chipset: Allwinner H616 or Raspberry Pi CM4
  • 芯片组： 全志 H616 或树莓派 CM4
  • Topline features: Versions with Pi or Allwinner chip, a PCIe card version you can stick inside a PC, and plenty of accessories if you need extra features like HDMI passthrough. A bit of a messy setup, but it has everything out of the box.
  • 核心功能： 提供树莓派或全志芯片版本，可安装在 PC 内部的 PCIe 卡版本，以及丰富的配件（如果需要 HDMI 直通等额外功能）。设置略显杂乱，但开箱即用。
  • Open source: GPLv3 license, source is here
  • 开源情况： GPLv3 许可证，源码在此

GL-iNet Comet

GL-iNet is quickly expanding their IP KVM offering. They kicked off their KVM journey with the $99 Comet. Like BliKVM, their software is a fork of PiKVM. So between that and using a cheaper single-core Arm SoC instead of Raspberry Pi, they can cut down the cost a lot. They also bump the supported resolution up to 4K, and they have external options for ATX power control or even a cute little FingerBot add-on, for remotely pushing buttons. GL-iNet 正在迅速扩展其 IP KVM 产品线。他们以 99 美元的 Comet 开启了 KVM 之旅。和 BliKVM 一样，他们的软件是 PiKVM 的分支。通过这种方式，加上使用更便宜的单核 Arm SoC 而非树莓派，他们大幅降低了成本。他们还将支持的分辨率提升到了 4K，并提供了用于 ATX 电源控制的外部选项，甚至还有一个可爱的小型 FingerBot 插件，用于远程按压按钮。

  • Price: $99.99 from GL-iNet
  • 价格： 99.99 美元 (GL-iNet)
  • Chipset: RV1126
  • 芯片组： RV1126
  • Topline features: 4K at 30fps, 8GB eMMC, option for ATX board and Fingerbot for remote power button pushes
  • 核心功能： 4K 30fps，8GB eMMC，可选配 ATX 板和 Fingerbot 以实现远程按压电源键
  • Open source: Self-hosted cloud feature, KVM UI based on PiKVM, source is here
  • 开源情况： 自托管云功能，基于 PiKVM 的 KVM UI，源码在此

GL-iNet Comet Pro

The Comet is barebones, so they also sent me a Comet Pro to test. Aside: Most of the KVMs I’m testing are review samples. Even though none of the companies paid any money or have a say in what I write, I want to be clear: I only paid for a few of the KVMs under test. The Pro isn’t quite double the cost, but it adds WiFi, 4x more onboard storage for bootable ISOs, a touchscreen, HDMI passthrough, and it still supports the FingerBot and ATX power control add-ons. GL-iNet has a couple other unreleased KVMs which I hope to test out someday (one for USB control, the other for 4-computer switching). Comet 属于基础款，所以他们也寄给我一台 Comet Pro 进行测试。顺便提一下：我测试的大多数 KVM 都是评测样品。尽管没有任何公司支付费用或干预我的写作，但我还是想说明：我只为其中少数几款测试设备付了费。Pro 版的价格不到 Comet 的两倍，但增加了 WiFi、用于启动 ISO 的 4 倍板载存储空间、触摸屏、HDMI 直通，并且仍然支持 FingerBot 和 ATX 电源控制插件。GL-iNet 还有几款未发布的产品，我希望将来能测试一下（一款用于 USB 控制，另一款用于 4 机切换）。

  • Price: $179.99 from GL-iNet
  • 价格： 179.99 美元 (GL-iNet)
  • Chipset: RV1126B (unconfirmed)
  • 芯片组： RV1126B (未确认)
  • Topline features: 4K at 30fps, built-in WiFi, 32GB eMMC, touchscreen, HDMI passthrough, option for ATX board and Fingerbot for remote power button pushes
  • 核心功能： 4K 30fps，内置 WiFi，32GB eMMC，触摸屏，HDMI 直通，可选配 ATX 板和 Fingerbot 以实现远程按压电源键
  • Open source: Self-hosted cloud feature, KVM UI based on PiKVM, source is here
  • 开源情况： 自托管云功能，基于 PiKVM 的 KVM UI，源码在此

Sipeed NanoKVM Cube

This is the little guy that got me an FBI visit. The NanoKVM Cube is so cheap at… 这就是那个让我引来 FBI 造访的小家伙。NanoKVM Cube 的价格非常便宜，仅需……

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