Why can not extend Mac Laptop to Win Laptop

Hi,

I have a MacPro M2, and I have a Dell Win Laptop. I have tried several apps to extend my Mac monitor to Dell however it doesn't connect. When I open screen mirroring from my Mac, I can see another device. But, after I clicked it, it gave an error as couldn't connect to it. I am using the same wifi. (I don't want to screen sharing, I want to use another one as a second monitor, for ex: moving one screen to another). Could you please help me with that?

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 13.4

Posted on Oct 8, 2023 9:38 AM

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4 replies

Oct 9, 2023 10:41 AM in response to zehranrgi

I'll try zehrangrgi ( i hope I spelled your name correctly)....the software/app should support both Ventura (which you have)and whichever version of Windows is on your Dell Win Laptop...plus you're trying to extend a Mac laptop's monitor to a Windows Laptor over Wifi only.... I don't think that's possible...not over Wifi only...you'd need a huge amount of data/bandwidth to make that happen, and Wifi alone just isn't capable.... I know you can get Wireless HDMI adapters...maybe some kind of powered Thunderbolt 3 dock with hdmi, USB-C, DisplayPort/mini Displayport ports that supports both Mac and Window or a KVM switch....that also has to play nicely with Mac and Windows...what exact model number of Dell Windows Laptop do you have ?? there should be a model number somewhere on the outside of it, or if you play around in Windows, then go to Hardware, it should tell you something about that Dell Windows Laptop.. the only reason I'm asking is that Dell has made thousands/millions of Laptops that run Windows, just like Apple has made thousands/millions of MacBooks, MacBook Pro's , ipads, etc., so yes, I/We ---need an exact model number of your Dell Laptop (feel free to write that down, post it here, and Google it, so you can see what hardware specs it has, so that I (we) can possibly, maybe try to help you ...no model number for Dell Windows Laptop given/known, then I'm sorry, but I really cannot help you with your problem/issue..



John B


JOhn B

Oct 9, 2023 10:57 AM in response to zehranrgi

Depending on exactly what you are trying to do and share with what you are calling extending…


While Apple can extend the desktop among macOS and other Apple devices and drag-and-drop and such among those using Universal Control, I’m not aware of an equivalent mechanism among Microsoft Windows systems, and definitely not cross-platform.


Closest I’m aware of is a KVM-ish tool known as Synergy, or Windows Terminal Server among Windows systems, or Microsoft RDP or VNC or similar to share a screen remotely. To extend a desktop as with Universal Control, or to display the macOS desktop remotely in a Windows system, no.


One Windows tool that might work here for sharing the macOS display from Windows is RealVNC running on Windows. macOS uses VNC (or Apple’s ARD, or Apple’s Screen Sharing app) to access and share its displays remotely.


Easiest approach? Scrounge an external display with a mix of connections compatible with both laptops, and with whatever display resolution and refresh you deem appropriate, and connect and use that from both.

Why can not extend Mac Laptop to Win Laptop

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