Steamlink app (Android) recognizing USB devices but apparently not passing through to Windows

Hi,

now that virtualhere was fixed in the Android steam link app I wanted to use it (purchased it in July on Steam). My setup is this:
Android (Samsung Galaxy S20+ and Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+, both on Android 11) with a Saitek X52 USB joystick attached and VH app installed. With either of those Android devices I connect via steamlink to my Windows 10 computer at home. There I noticed 2 issues:
1) whenever I quit the steamlink app and launch it again the "virtualhere" menu within the android steamlink app shows no USB devices attached. To fix this, I have to go to the virtualhere's app info and force quit it on Android, then launch the steamlink app again. For now that's rather some inconvenience only.

2) Way worse, the USB joystick is set to "shared" in the android steamlink app but I hear no USB sound in whindows when connecting to it via steamlink, nor is it properly detected. The joystick works only as a ordinary steamlink joypad (which makes a big difference in games such as Elite Dangerous). I also tried a USB headset just to see if that makes any difference but I hear no USB sound on connecting, nor do I see it in windows listed anywhere.

Number 2 is really a game breaking issue unfortunately. The joystick used to work fine when I tried the Android virtualhere app once ( on-steamlink as trial). Btw, the vh app on Android shows "trial expired", not sure if that is related (normally, it should not as I use VH android version but you never know).

Also, just to make sure, is all the following correct?
- I installed the VH app on Android but do not run it on my own.
- I fire up steamlink and connect to my windows PC host and it should just work.
- I do not need to install virtualhere on the windows PC host.

If yes, what info or data can I contribute to narrow down the issue?

#2

To elaborate on the joystick working fine:
when it used to work with the non-steamlink VH app the joystick was detected as "Saitek" correctly, e.g. in Elite Dangerous. Now all it sees is a joypad. The difference is that not all buttons work and the entire controller settings in the game change because of the different model (as it is only a joy*pad* now). The 2 axis and a very few buttons do work.

#3

Those steps are correct.

Can you try these steps for me:

1. Selected the saitek from the steamlink app menu and start streaming.
2. Minimize big picture and then see if virtualhere is running at the bottom right of the screen in the task bar. If so open the client here.
Do you see the saitek listed there as "In-Use"?

Can you see the "Android Hub" listed there also?

#4

Hey,

thanks for your reply. No VH icon is visible on Windows, I do not even see any VH related processes running in the task manager. I even tried to install VH via steam on Windows and ran it manually but it shows no active hubs.

I should have added that I try to run this setup via internet, not over local/same network. Yet I am not aware of any port forwardings or so for the steamlink VH version?
I forwarded port 7575 TCP and UDP to the server device just in case but it made no difference yesterday.

This morning I created a VPN (LAN to LAN / site to site type with built in router functionality) from both locations and now it works. Seems to be network related then. Yet this causes unnecessary overhead and will affect gaming performance. What options do I have with the VH steamlink app over the internet without VPN?

#5

OK yeah it wont work over the internet, steam doesn't setup the forwarding.

You have to either setup the forwarding yourself or use https://www.virtualhere.com/easyfind (The fastest because it wont use a relay and uses UDP but costs money)

zerotier might also be an option too, and i think for just one device its free.

#6

Thanks Michael. Apart from the apps, are there any ports besides 7575 TCP I need to forward on the server side network?

#7

Virtualhere is simple it ONLY uses TCP 7575. (UDP 5353 is used also if Auto-Find is being used but this is not relevant in your case)

#8

Thanks. Unfortunately it's not working despite the port forwarding. Does the steamlink vh version really support that? I added the server IP plus port manually in the client VH app and it says the licence expired, then shows all devices I got connected on my remote android phone (the server). So apparently the connection / port forwarding does work - just not through steamlink.

#9

OK email me and ill sort it out. mail [at] virtualhere.com (mail[at]virtualhere[dot]com)