The Tool Desk
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Run the emulator and game on one capable PC, then stream that session to a TV, handheld, or other device. The host PC does the work; the receiving device shows its video and audio and sends controller input back. You do not need to install the emulator and game setup on every screen.
How one-host game streaming works
The PC running the emulator is the host. A streaming host app captures its screen or a selected application, encodes the video, and sends it over your home network. A client app on the other device decodes the stream and returns input, such as controller buttons.
For a flexible setup with non-Steam emulators, use Sunshine on the host and Moonlight on each receiving device. Moonlight describes Sunshine as its recommended open-source host on the Moonlight project site. If your emulator or game is launched through Steam, Steam Remote Play may be a more direct fit.
Choose the streaming approach
| What you want to do | Approach | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Stream a non-Steam emulator or the host desktop | Sunshine on the PC and Moonlight on clients | Supports an application or desktop workflow, but you must configure the host and pair clients. |
| Stream a Steam-managed game or Steam-launched emulator | Steam Remote Play with Steam Link | Integrated with Steam; Remote Play Together is a separate feature for inviting other players. |
| Connect multiple emulator instances for classic multiplayer | RetroArch Netplay | Synchronizes separate RetroArch instances; it does not simply send one running session to another screen. |
Valve documents Steam Remote Play as a way to extend Steam to phones, tablets, and TVs using Steam Link. Remote Play Together is specifically for inviting others into a game; only the host needs to own and install it. For ordinary one-player streaming from a PC to another room, use a client stream rather than treating Remote Play Together as the same feature. See Steam Remote Play.
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Set up Sunshine and Moonlight on your home network
1. Choose a host PC
Use a PC that runs your chosen emulators reliably and can stay awake while you play. The streaming setup does not remove the host’s emulation workload: select hardware for the systems you intend to emulate and the stream resolution you want. The cited setup documentation does not specify one minimum PC requirement that fits every emulator.
2. Connect the host and clients
Put the PC and receiving devices on your home network. Moonlight recommends a good wireless connection for the client and strongly recommends connecting the PC server to the router by Ethernet. It recommends a mid- to high-end wireless router and identifies 5 GHz Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) or Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) as strongly recommended client connections; these are project recommendations, not guarantees of a particular frame rate or latency. If the host is not already wired, Ethernet is an optional way to connect it to the router.
Moonlight lists official clients for Android, iOS, Apple TV, PC and Mac, Chromebook, and Raspberry Pi 4, among other platforms. Some additional TV and console options listed by the project are community or homebrew ports, so support is not identical across every device. Check the Moonlight client information for your platform.
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3. Install the host and client apps, then pair
- Install Sunshine on the gaming PC and Moonlight on each device that will receive the stream.
- Start Sunshine and open its configuration interface. Install or configure controller emulation as needed; Sunshine’s setup guide notes that a reboot may be required after installation for controller emulation.
- Open Moonlight on a client while it is on the same network. The host will normally appear in the client list. Select it and enter the PIN shown in Moonlight into Sunshine’s pairing flow.
- If automatic discovery does not find the PC, enter the host’s IP address manually in the Moonlight client.
Follow the current platform-specific instructions in the Sunshine usage guide and Moonlight setup guide. Moonlight’s guide also describes the older GeForce Experience/GameStream host route, but its site says NVIDIA is discontinuing that host software and recommends Sunshine for new setups.
4. Add and launch your emulator
Sunshine includes Steam and Remote Desktop entries. For an emulator that is not listed, add it through Sunshine’s Applications interface or stream the desktop and launch the emulator there. The exact application entry depends on the host operating system and where the emulator is installed; use Sunshine’s configuration rather than assuming a particular path.
Configure the emulator’s display and controls on the host. Test the emulator in full screen and verify the controller mapping from the actual client. Emulator behavior can vary with the operating system and controller combination.
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5. Move the session between rooms
Disconnecting or closing a Moonlight client stream can leave the application running on the host, so you can connect from another paired device and resume the session. When you want to stop the application itself, explicitly choose Quit App in the client; save first, because quitting can terminate the host application.
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Improve a choppy or delayed stream
- Check that the host PC has a stable connection to the router; Moonlight strongly recommends Ethernet for the PC server.
- Check the client’s Wi-Fi signal and, where possible, use the recommended 5 GHz Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 connection.
- Confirm the client device can decode the stream in hardware. Moonlight says PC clients need hardware-accelerated H.264 decoding for best results; older PCs may not stream at 60 FPS without lag. Android results also depend on hardware video decoding.
- Test one emulator and one client before setting up the whole library. A good connection and capable decoder matter, but the documentation does not promise performance for a particular home network.
Confirm the controller path
Sunshine’s compatibility documentation lists gamepad emulation for generic controllers, DualShock/DS4, DualSense/DS5, Nintendo Switch Pro, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. Moonlight’s FAQ explains that GameStream input forwarding supports gamepad input through virtual Xbox 360 controllers. Specialty devices such as flight sticks and steering wheels do not pass through directly, so verify the specific controller and client combination before relying on it.
Keep RetroArch Netplay separate from screen streaming
RetroArch Netplay is for synchronizing multiple RetroArch instances for classic multiplayer, not for showing one host’s running game on a TV or handheld. Its FAQ requires participants to use the same RetroArch version, core version, and exact content. The host must accept incoming TCP connections on port 55435, which commonly involves router port forwarding. The FAQ says the current netplay model is unsuitable for PSX, N64, Dreamcast, GameCube, Wii, and 3DS netplay. See the Libretro Netplay FAQ.
Streaming from outside the home is a separate setup
Moonlight’s setup guide covers additional networking for connections from outside your home. Its 5 Mbps upload figure is documented for the legacy GeForce Experience route, not as a universal requirement for Sunshine or local in-home streaming. Start with a same-network setup; remote access requires separate configuration and should not be inferred from successful local pairing.
Quick Recap
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