WiFi Connection Guide

Windows Firewall Configuration

When the AndroMouse Server starts for the first time, the Windows Firewall will display a dialog asking whether to allow the application to communicate on your network. This is essential for the connection between your phone and computer to work.

How to configure the firewall:

1. When the Windows Firewall dialog appears, make sure the "Private networks" checkbox is selected
2. You can uncheck "Public networks" if you only use AndroMouse at home
3. Click "Allow access"

If you accidentally clicked "Cancel" or "Block" on the firewall dialog, you can fix this by going to Windows Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Firewall & network protection > Allow an app through firewall. Find AndroMouse Server in the list, check the boxes for Private (and optionally Public) networks, and click OK.

Windows Defender Exclusion (If Needed)

In rare cases, Windows Defender may flag the AndroMouse Server as a potentially unwanted application, or it may interfere with the server's ability to listen for incoming connections. If the server is being blocked or removed by Windows Defender, you can add an exclusion.

How to add a Windows Defender exclusion:

1. Open Windows Security from the Start menu
2. Click "Virus & threat protection"
3. Scroll down and click "Manage settings" under "Virus & threat protection settings"
4. Scroll down to "Exclusions" and click "Add or remove exclusions"
5. Click "Add an exclusion" and choose "Folder"
6. Navigate to the folder where AndroMouse Server is installed and select it

Verify Your Network Profile Is Set to Private

Windows classifies networks as either "Public" or "Private". When a network is set to Public, Windows blocks most incoming connections for security. AndroMouse requires your WiFi network to be set to Private so that your phone can communicate with your computer.

How to check and change your network profile:

1. Open Windows Settings (Win + I)
2. Go to Network & Internet > WiFi
3. Click on your connected WiFi network name
4. Under "Network profile type", select "Private network"

Setting your home WiFi to Private is safe and is the recommended setting for home networks. This allows device-to-device communication which is needed for AndroMouse, file sharing, and other local network features.

Accessibility Permissions

For AndroMouse to control your mouse cursor and type using the keyboard, macOS requires that you grant Accessibility permissions. Without this permission, the server will run but will not be able to move the cursor or simulate key presses.

How to grant Accessibility permissions:

1. Open System Preferences (or System Settings)
2. Navigate to Security & Privacy > Privacy tab
3. In the left sidebar, select "Accessibility"
4. Click the lock icon at the bottom-left corner and enter your Mac password to make changes
5. Click the "+" button and add AndroMouse Server, or check the box next to it if it is already listed
6. Click the lock icon again to save your changes

On macOS Ventura (13) and later, the path is: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility. Toggle the switch next to AndroMouse Server to enable it.

macOS Firewall Settings

If you have the macOS built-in firewall enabled, you may need to allow AndroMouse Server to accept incoming network connections. macOS may prompt you automatically when the server starts, but if it does not, you can configure it manually.

How to allow AndroMouse through the macOS firewall:

1. Open System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall tab
2. Click the lock icon and enter your password
3. Click "Firewall Options..."
4. Click the "+" button and add AndroMouse Server from your Applications folder
5. Ensure it is set to "Allow incoming connections"
6. Click "OK" and re-lock the settings

On macOS Ventura and later, go to System Settings > Network > Firewall > Options to find the same settings.

Extracting and Running the Server

After downloading the tar.gz archive, open a terminal and extract it:

Navigate to the extracted folder and make the server executable if needed:

Run the server:

The server will start and display your computer's IP address in the terminal output. Keep the terminal window open while using AndroMouse.

UFW Firewall Configuration

If you are using UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall), which is the default firewall on Ubuntu and many other distributions, you need to open the port that AndroMouse uses for communication. The default port is 2345.

To verify the rule was added correctly:

You should see port 2345 listed as ALLOW. If you use a different firewall (such as firewalld on Fedora or iptables), consult your distribution's documentation for equivalent commands.

uinput Permissions

AndroMouse uses the Linux uinput subsystem to simulate mouse and keyboard input. On some distributions, you may need to grant your user account permission to access /dev/uinput. If the server reports a permissions error, try running it with sudo:

For a permanent fix without using sudo, add a udev rule:

After adding the udev rule, you need to log out and log back in (or reboot) for the group membership change to take effect.

Wayland vs X11 Compatibility

AndroMouse Server works best with the X11 (Xorg) display server, which provides full support for simulating mouse and keyboard input. If you are running a Wayland session (the default on newer versions of Ubuntu, Fedora, and GNOME), input simulation may be restricted due to Wayland's stricter security model.

If you experience issues on Wayland:

• Try switching to an X11/Xorg session by selecting "GNOME on Xorg" or "Plasma (X11)" from the gear icon on the login screen
• On some distributions, you can set XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11 before launching the server
• Wayland support is actively being improved and may work fully in future versions of AndroMouse

Computer Not Detected Automatically

If the AndroMouse app on your phone does not show your computer in the device list, try each of these steps:

1. Verify the same WiFi network: Double-check that both your phone and computer are connected to the exact same WiFi network. Open the WiFi settings on both devices and confirm the network name matches.
2. Restart the server: Close the AndroMouse Server completely on your computer and reopen it. Wait a few seconds for it to initialize before checking the app again.
3. Check your firewall: Make sure your computer's firewall is allowing AndroMouse to communicate. See the Windows, macOS, or Linux setup sections above for firewall configuration instructions.
4. Restart WiFi on your phone: Toggle WiFi off and back on in your phone's settings. This forces the phone to re-establish its network connection and can resolve discovery issues.
5. Restart your WiFi router: In some cases, the router's internal network table may need a refresh. Power cycle your router by unplugging it for 10 seconds and plugging it back in.
6. Use manual connection: If automatic discovery does not work, you can always connect by entering your computer's IP address manually. See the Manual Connection section below.

Guest Network and AP Isolation

Many routers have a feature called AP Isolation (also known as Client Isolation or Station Isolation) that prevents devices on the same network from communicating with each other. This feature is almost always enabled on guest networks and sometimes enabled on the main network by default.

When AP Isolation is active, your phone can reach the internet but cannot reach other devices on the same WiFi network -- including your computer. This completely prevents AndroMouse from working.

Solutions:

• Switch to your main WiFi network: Do not use guest networks for AndroMouse. Connect both devices to your primary home WiFi network.
• Disable AP Isolation in router settings: Log in to your router's admin panel (usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 in your browser), find the Wireless or WiFi settings, and look for an option labeled "AP Isolation", "Client Isolation", or "Station Isolation". Disable it and save your settings.
• Contact your network administrator: If you are on a corporate, school, or hotel network, device-to-device communication may be blocked by policy. Contact the IT department for assistance.

VPN Interference

If you have a VPN (Virtual Private Network) running on either your phone or your computer, it can interfere with the local network connection that AndroMouse needs. VPNs route your traffic through a remote server, which can prevent your devices from seeing each other on the local network.

What to do:

• Disconnect the VPN: Temporarily turn off the VPN on both your phone and computer while using AndroMouse.
• Split tunneling: If your VPN client supports split tunneling, configure it to exclude local network traffic (traffic to 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x addresses). This allows AndroMouse to work while the VPN stays connected for other traffic.
• Check for system-wide VPN: Some antivirus apps on Android (such as certain ad-blockers) use Android's VPN slot to filter traffic. Check your phone's VPN settings and disable any active VPN connections.

Multiple Network Adapters

If your computer has multiple network connections active at the same time (for example, both WiFi and Ethernet, or WiFi and a virtual machine network adapter), the AndroMouse Server might bind to the wrong network interface. This means the server would be listening on an IP address that your phone cannot reach.

How to fix this:

• Disconnect other networks: If you have an Ethernet cable plugged in while also connected to WiFi, try disconnecting the Ethernet cable temporarily.
• Disable virtual adapters: Virtual machine software (VirtualBox, VMware, Hyper-V) creates virtual network adapters. Disable them temporarily in your network settings if you experience connection issues.
• Check the server IP: Look at the IP address displayed by the AndroMouse Server. If it shows an IP like 10.0.x.x or 172.x.x.x instead of your WiFi network's range (typically 192.168.x.x), the server is using the wrong adapter. Use manual connection with your WiFi adapter's IP address.

Connecting Manually in the App

Once you have your computer's IP address, follow these steps in the AndroMouse app on your phone:

1. Open the AndroMouse app
2. On the device discovery screen, tap the "Enter IP Manually" button
3. Type in the IP address exactly as shown by the server or your system (e.g., 192.168.1.100)
4. Tap "Connect"

Enter only the IP address without "http://", "https://", or any port number. The app uses the correct port automatically. If the connection fails, make sure the server is running on your computer and double-check that both devices are on the same network.

Use 5 GHz WiFi When Available

If your router supports dual-band WiFi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), connect both your phone and computer to the 5 GHz band. The 5 GHz band offers significantly lower latency and less interference compared to 2.4 GHz, which makes mouse movements feel more immediate and responsive.

The 2.4 GHz band is more susceptible to interference from Bluetooth devices, microwaves, baby monitors, and neighboring WiFi networks. If you notice occasional lag or stuttering with cursor movement, switching to 5 GHz often resolves the issue completely.

Note that 5 GHz WiFi has shorter range than 2.4 GHz. Make sure you are within a reasonable distance of your router when using the 5 GHz band.

Stay Close to Your Router

WiFi signal strength decreases with distance and through walls, floors, and other obstacles. For the best AndroMouse experience, position yourself in the same room as your WiFi router, or at least within clear line of sight. Weak WiFi signals lead to higher latency and occasional connection drops.

If your computer is far from the router but connected via Ethernet cable, that is fine -- the important thing is that your phone has a strong WiFi signal. Move closer to the router with your phone if you experience lag.

Reduce Network Congestion

Heavy network usage by other devices or applications can introduce latency on your WiFi network. Activities that consume a lot of bandwidth -- such as streaming 4K video, downloading large files, video calls, or online gaming -- can compete with AndroMouse's data packets and cause noticeable input delay.

If you experience lag during heavy network usage, consider pausing large downloads or streams temporarily. Alternatively, if your router supports Quality of Service (QoS) settings, you can prioritize traffic on the local network to reduce the impact of bandwidth-heavy activities.

Additional Performance Tips

• Keep the server app updated: We regularly release updates that improve connection stability and reduce latency. Check for updates periodically.
• Close unused background apps: On your phone, close apps that might be using the network heavily in the background to free up WiFi bandwidth.
• Restart your router periodically: Routers can develop performance issues over time. A monthly restart can help maintain optimal network performance.
• Use a WiFi 6 router: If you are in the market for a new router, WiFi 6 (802.11ax) routers provide better performance in environments with many connected devices and offer lower latency than older WiFi standards.
• Avoid WiFi extenders when possible: WiFi range extenders (repeaters) add an extra hop to your connection, which increases latency. If possible, connect directly to your main router rather than through an extender.