Debian

Install the host on Debian 13 ("trixie") or newer and LMDE 7. Debian 12 is too old for the package; build from source there, or upgrade. Your desktop decides what can stream: GNOME and Sway can, KDE streams at up to 60 Hz, and Cinnamon needs gamescope (Requirements).

One command instead? The guided installer (preview) does steps 2 to 4 and warns when step 1 is missing:

curl -fsSL https://punktfunk.unom.io/install.sh | sh

1. GPU driverCopy Anchor Link

• NVIDIA: the driver lives in non-free, which a default install doesn't enable. Enable it, install, reboot:

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  sudo sed -i 's/^Components: .*/Components: main contrib non-free non-free-firmware/' /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.sources
  sudo apt update && sudo apt install nvidia-driver firmware-misc-nonfree

  If nvidia-smi can't reach the driver afterwards, Secure Boot is blocking it: Troubleshooting.

• AMD / Intel: nothing to install. The host package pulls in the VAAPI drivers, and Mesa carries Vulkan Video.

2. Install the hostCopy Anchor Link

Add the repo and install the host, the console and the plugin runner. It's the same repo Ubuntu uses:

sudo install -d -m 0755 /etc/apt/keyringscurl -fsSL https://git.unom.io/api/packages/unom/debian/repository.key | sudo tee /etc/apt/keyrings/punktfunk.asc >/dev/nullecho "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/punktfunk.asc] https://git.unom.io/api/packages/unom/debian stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/punktfunk.listsudo apt updatesudo apt install punktfunk-host punktfunk-web punktfunk-scripting

sudo apt upgrade updates it from then on. Restart the host afterwards with systemctl --user restart punktfunk-host, or let the console update it.

3. Let it use your controllersCopy Anchor Link

Join the groups, then log out and back in:

sudo usermod -aG input "$USER"       # virtual gamepads
sudo usermod -aG punktfunk "$USER"   # virtual Steam Deck controller

4. Start itCopy Anchor Link

From a terminal inside your desktop session:

systemctl --user enable --now punktfunk-host punktfunk-web

Debian enables no firewall. If you run one, the package installed profiles for ufw and firewalld: Ports & firewall.

Next: Quick Start, step 3: open the console and pair a device.

Cinnamon, Linux Mint and LMDECopy Anchor Link

Cinnamon can't give the host a virtual display, so stream games through gamescope instead:

sudo apt install punktfunk-gamescope
echo 'PUNKTFUNK_COMPOSITOR=gamescope' >> ~/.config/punktfunk/host.env
systemctl --user restart punktfunk-host

Each client then gets its own headless gamescope: Steam / gamescope. Linux Mint 22 can't host at all (why).

MoreCopy Anchor Link

• Your desktop: GNOME, Sway, KDE, gamescope.
• Stream with nobody logged in: Running as a service.
• Streaming to a Debian box: the Linux client isn't packaged for Debian, so use the Flatpak.