VirtualHere - Sharing USB devices over network

[ThinkPad]

I was browsing the web, and came across this: http://virtualhere.com/home

VirtualHere allows USB devices to be used remotely over a network just as if they were locally connected!

It seems quite easy to use. Very handy if you run Domoticz in a virtual machine and have a USB-device (RFXCOM / Z-Wave / P1) somewhere else in your house, that you want to connect to the VM.
I don't use this software, but just wanted to share it here.

Also have a look at a Serial to Ethernet converter, i use this one to share my OTGW over LAN. This makes me free of having my server near the OTGW. Luckily Domoticz already has native support for reading the OTGW over network, which makes this a easy solution.

If you wish you could also make your smartmeter available over network with that serial to ethernet converter. Domoticz also supports a P1 over LAN.
Only requires a bit of soldering to connect it physically to your smart meter.

For Z-Wave i don't know, i think you have to use the VirtualHere software, or something similar like 'ser2net' or 'socat' which can be ran on a Raspberry or old router with DD-WRT / OpenWRT. I only don't know how to map that back (client part).

In theory, i think you should even be able to run your Domoticz somewhere in the cloud (virtual private server (VPS)) and map your USB-devices over network with stuff like this VirtualHere

[gizmocuz]

would 'ser2net' not work ?

[ThinkPad]

would 'ser2net' not work ?

Yes, i mentioned that in my post. I have used ser2net with success on a OTGW connected to an old router (OpenWRT) and then choose 'OTGW over LAN' option in Domoticz.

But this is easier for starters i think.

[mrf68]

I use VirtualHere. I have a VM running Windows Server 2012 with Domoticz on it and 2 RPi's with both a RFXcom attached. One RPi is on the top floor, the other in the garden house. On the server they are mounted as COM3 and COM4, so Domoticz sees them as locally connected. And the KAKU stuff in the garden house are using the RFXcom there, the rest in my house use the on on the top floor. Works great.

[ThinkPad]

Cool, that's the kind of story i was looking for!

What is running on the Raspberry Pi to let VirtualHere work? Do they have some sort of SD-image, or do you just grab the default Raspbian image for Pi, and then install VirtualHere on it?

[mrf68]

Default Raspbian works. On the Pi you need to run the client 'vhusbdarmhf' which you can download from their site. Just start it from the commandline:

Code: Select all

./vhusbdarmhf -b

. The -b tells it to run in the background.

On the Windows Server you run the vhui64.exe. The GUI looks like this:


In Computer Management - Device Management you will see:


So, in Domoticz you will add them to the Hardware:


(edit: some typos)

[ThinkPad]

Thank you for the good explanation. I don't need VirtualHere now, but i'm sure it will help others.