What is the difference between Absolute Mouse and Relative Mouse?

For the GL.iNet KVM, the Mouse Mode on the console provides two options: Absolute and Relative. These two modes differ significantly in mouse control behavior, applicable scenarios, and user experience, which are detailed as follows to help you choose the appropriate mode based on your actual needs.

Absolute Mouse

Absolute Mode is designed to achieve seamless and synchronized mouse control between the local host computer and the remote device. When this mode is enabled, the mouse cursor on the local host and the cursor on the remote screen are mapped to the same coordinate system. You can smoothly and seamlessly move the local mouse cursor across the local console and the remote screen — the remote cursor will follow the local cursor's movement in real time.

A minor delay may occur during use, which is a normal phenomenon caused by network transmission and video encoding. This delay will make the remote cursor slightly slower than the local host's cursor, but it will not affect the overall smoothness of operation.

Relative Mouse

Unlike Absolute Mode, Relative Mode does not synchronize the coordinates of the local and remote cursors. The mouse cursor on the host computer and the one on the remote screen are in separate layers. Before controlling the remote device, you must first click on the remote screen to obtain control focus.

During the control process, the remote cursor is "confined" within the remote screen window — it cannot smoothly move out of the remote control page across the screen. The edge of the remote screen acts like a frame, limiting the movement range of the remote cursor, and you need to press Esc to switch control back to the local host.

In Relative mode, you can adjust the Relative Sensitivity, which ranges from 0.1 to 2.0.

Key Differences

Features	Absolute Mouse	Absolute Mouse
Cursor Coordination	Local and remote cursors are synchronized (same coordinate system)	Local and remote cursors are in separate layers (no coordinate synchronization)
Control Operation	No need to click to obtain focus; seamless cross‑screen movement	Must click the remote screen to get focus; cannot move cross‑screen seamlessly
Delay	Slight delay (network/video encoding)	Almost no delay (only sends movement increments)
Applicable Scenarios	Smooth multi‑screen control, frequent switching, precise positioning (remote office, graphic design)	Old devices / BIOS / UEFI that do not support Absolute Mouse mode; avoiding accidental clicks; unstable networks (lower latency)

Summary

Absolute Mouse prioritizes a smooth and integrated control experience, while Relative Mouse focuses on compatibility and stability.

For most daily remote control scenarios of the GL.iNet KVM, Absolute Mode is the recommended default option; Relative Mode can be selected when encountering compatibility issues or special operation needs.

• Use Absolute Mouse for smooth daily remote control.
• Use Relative Mouse for BIOS access, older devices that do not support absolute positioning, or to avoid accidental clicks.

---

Still have questions? Visit our Community Forum or Contact us.