Connect with Moonlight

punktfunk speaks the GameStream protocol, so Moonlight connects to it like it would to any GameStream host — no punktfunk-specific app needed. It's a great option for a browser, a smart TV, or any device without a native client.

Many platforms also have a native punktfunk client with lower latency and built-in discovery/pairing — including Windows and Android (phone and Android TV). See Clients before reaching for Moonlight.

1. Make sure the host is running with GameStream enabled

Moonlight needs the GameStream planes, which are opt-in. Run the host with --gamestream:

punktfunk-host serve --gamestream

(Bare serve is the secure native-only default and stock Moonlight clients can't connect to it; the native plane is always on, and --gamestream adds the Moonlight-compat surface.) GameStream pairs over plain HTTP and its legacy control encryption is weaker than the native plane's, so only enable it on a trusted LAN. If you run the host as a service, make sure its ExecStart includes --gamestream. The host advertises itself on the network, so Moonlight usually finds it on its own.

2. Add the host in Moonlight

Open Moonlight. Your host should appear automatically on the same network. If it doesn't, use Add Host manually and enter the host machine's IP address.

3. Pair

Select the host and choose Pair. Moonlight shows a 4-digit PIN. On the host, you confirm pairing (from the web console, or it accepts the ceremony when armed) — see Pairing & Trust. Once paired, Moonlight remembers the host.

4. Stream

Pick an app/desktop and start streaming. The host creates a virtual display at the resolution and frame rate Moonlight requests (set these in Moonlight's settings), encodes it on the GPU, and streams it. Mouse, keyboard, and controllers flow back to the host.

Tips

• Set your resolution and frame rate in Moonlight's settings before connecting — the host matches whatever Moonlight asks for, creating the virtual display at that exact mode.
• Codec: HEVC (H.265) is a good default; AV1 is available if your client supports it.
• Bitrate: start moderate and raise it. For very high bitrates, the native clients have a built-in speed test; with Moonlight, set the bitrate manually.
• Moonlight uses the GameStream protocol, not punktfunk's native FEC/encryption extensions. On a solid LAN this is fine; on a lossy link a native client holds up better.
• Comparing Moonlight's performance overlay with a punktfunk client's stats HUD? The numbers measure different slices of the pipeline — see Understanding the Stats Overlay for a line-by-line comparison matrix before drawing conclusions.