JetKVM Gives You a Keyboard, Video, and More From Anywhere

I’ve used a lot of KVM (keyboard, video, and mouse) switches over the years, but the JetKVM is a whole new ballgame. It’s a tiny and high-quality device that gives access to any computer from anywhere. Launched as a Kickstarter, it’s way more mature than I expected, and a lot cheaper than the competition at under $70. I bought four for me (and one as a gift) and wish I got more!

Note: The “Jet” in JetKVM makes me think of the 1973 single by Paul McCartney & Wings, so I’m using their songs as headers in this article. Turn on some power pop to get the full experience.

Band on the Run

I’m a nerd and I have lots of computers. Web servers, routers, home automation, and a whole lot more. Too many, really. I built a server into an old Macintosh SE and built a giant file server. That sort of thing. I even repatriated all of my web servers (which I swear I will eventually document), my Activepieces instance, my YOURLS link shortener, and more. Kubernetes? Yeah, I got that in my coffee table.

The problem is, none of this is really production-ready. And it always seems to fall over whenever I go out of town. So I’ve been relying on a combination of Home Assistant-driven Z-Wave switches, big honkin’ batteries, jump hosts, and luck to keep things running. But sometimes all this can fail: What if the server is powered off? Or stuck at POST? And what if you need to adjust something in the BIOS screen? Wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to reset the power or plug in a USB drive from anywhere?

Sure some computers have out-of-band management built in: My FreeNAS TrueNAS server uses a Supermicro motherboard with (sketchy) IPMI, and I’ve been using a really nice HPE ProLiant server with built-in iLO. But most of my devices are sorely lacking when it comes to remote management! Think of JetKVM as iLO for Everyone!

Let ‘Em In

That’s where the JetKVM comes in. While most KVMs are focused on multiplexing your keyboard and monitor for local servers, the JetKVM is a new kind of device: It’s designed to allow you to access one server from anywhere. It’s a simple-looking device with USB, HDMI, Ethernet, and Extension ports on the back and a cute color screen on the front. The whole thing is packaged in a sturdy die cast housing that sits solidly in place. And it’s tiny – about the size of the power brick for your NUC or external hard drive.

I’ve had pretty good luck with Kickstarters (though there have been some busts…) and the JetKVM is no exception: It was delivered pretty much on schedule and worked perfectly out of the box. The software is surprisingly mature (though not perfect) and the whole experience has been a good one. I’ve got no qualm about giving one to a nerdy friend at Cloud Field Day!

Silly Love Songs

This is no 3D-printed beta-test monstrosity. Far from it: The JetKVM device is solid, textured, and feels better in the hand than 95% of IT gear out there. It reminds me of unboxing my first Drobo, with sleek smoked-glass solidity that inspires confidence. The packaging isn’t quite Apple-level, but I’m glad they didn’t waste time or money on that. It’s nice enough to be on store shelves and a heck of a lot nicer than the last KVM I bought!

Another nice aspect of the JetKVM experience is that it comes with everything you need to get started and plugs right in. There’s no need to read the manual or fiddle with configuration: Plug the mini-HDMI-to-HDMI cable and USB-C-to-A cable into your server, plug the Ethernet cable in, and you’re up and running. The little screen shows all you need to know to get started: The IP address and connectivity state are simply and elegantly displayed along with the MAC address and JetKVM logo. This is literally a 1-minute setup!

Coming Up

The software works great on mobile or desktop and thankfully seems solid in Safari. The device emulates a USB keyboard and mouse and can pass through your device keyboard or use an on-screen virtual keyboard. The HDMI video can emulate a few popular monitors if needed, and you can even upload your own custom EDID file if you need some specific resolution.

I do wish the EDID selection included a lower-resolution option, since the text can be hard to read on a browser window. I tend to pick the Dell D7271H since it’s 1080p, but I’ve been thinking of whipping up a 1024×768 option called “NEC MultiSync” for giggles!

No More Lonely Nights

The JetKVM also includes a handy virtual media function, allowing you to mount an ISO image uploaded to the device or from a URL. A forthcoming update will allow you to stream an image directly through your browser too!

This is incredibly useful for provisioning new servers. I set up a “crash cart” JetKVM device in the basement, connected it to a spare PC, and did a complete Ubuntu install from the comfy couch upstairs. It was much easier than writing the image to a USB drive and huddling over the machine.

Unfortunately, the virtual media function only emulates a USB optical drive, so I first had to reconfigure the BIOS to boot from CD/DVD. Happily this is pretty easy to do using the virtual Ctrl-Alt-Delete and function keys, which don’t require a two-finger combination like most modern “multimedia” keyboards. But I had to be quick about it, since it takes a moment for the HDMI to “sync” and show up in the browser, so the BIOS tends to fly by.

Live and Let Die

The JetKVM is so good as-is that I’m already dreaming of enhancements to this little platform. Here’s a smattering of wish-it-was-better ideas:

1. I’d love a full-screen mode, preferably with picture-in-picture on iPadOS
2. Power over Ethernet support would be incredible (it’s apparently in the works)
3. The whole power situation is a little odd: It has a power splitter cable, but when I power my “crash cart” using a USB-C wall wart the JetKVM reboots when the attached PC shuts down
4. The Ctrl-Alt-Delete button should be on the main screen since I often open the virtual keyboard just for this one key combo
5. I’ve had a few instances of the virtual optical drive getting “stuck” with media so it would be nice to be able to completely turn that on and off
6. Speaking of that, I’d love a reboot button since I’ve had the whole device lock up once
7. I discovered accidentally that the cute little screen is a touchscreen, though the swipe-in-from-left menu only gives moderately-useful device info
8. I wish it had a full-sized HDMI port instead of the maddening mini-HDMI; at least it’s not a micro!
9. I hate that JetKVM Cloud can only authenticate using a Google account

One more thing: That RJ11 Extension port is very cool, promising incredible control over an ATX PC (using the ATX Power Control board). But I’m still waiting on my ATX extension boards so I couldn’t test it out. In theory the board sits between the power supply and motherboard, enabling you to remotely hard- and soft-reset the PC. And it powers the JetKVM even when the PC is off! But this is all theoretical since my boards are nowhere to be seen and apparently the software isn’t ready anyway. I’ll update this post when/if they arrive!

Listen to What the Man Said

The JetKVM is an excellent little device, and a real steal at $69. It’s wonderfully useful right out of the box and the planned software updates ought to make it even better. If you’re like me and have a few critical PCs without integrated out-of-band management (like HPE iLO or Supermicro IPMI) this little device is a lifesaver. And it even offers a few tricks those expensive enterprise solutions don’t offer!