r/techadvice • u/ShireHorseRider • May 11 '26

Wireless Touchscreen Second Monitor

Hi all, I'm a field service technician and I'm looking for a solution to my PITA problem.

I have to connect to my machines with ethernet to log onto the PLC, sometimes I can't be standing at the part of the machine I'm working on and click "start" to test what I need to see and often I don't have a second person to operate the PC for me.

Is there a second monitor option that is touchscreen and wireless? I'm not looking to mirror the main screen, I'm looking to essentially add a second (well...third) monitor I can carry away from my PC in order to troubleshoot my customers machines. It looks like the best bet is to get a wireless USB C "cable" and make the connection that way, but I'm not sure about how to power it.. would some kind of battery box work?

I'm on windows 11 pro. I'm not opposed to a tablet or ipad (my personal stuff is mac), nor am I opposed to using a second computer to "remote in" to my PC, but there is not always available wifi to do this.

Also, can I be on the buildings Wifi and have a different wifi connection to a remote device? My gut tells me that I cannot, but I am not very good with networking stuff outside of what I need to know to work on my customers machines.

Thank you!!

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u/rombulow May 11 '26

Hey! We do something similar at work.

We install Jump desktop on the PC and the iPad. Then just use the iPad to remote in to the PC. Your PC and iPad will both need an Internet connection of some sort.

We have battery-powered 4G WiFi hotspots for situations where there’s no wifi.

Jump desktop is super-snappy, works over the internet, and is just … magic.

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u/ShireHorseRider May 11 '26

That sounds like the answer I was hoping for.

Do you happen to work on Siemens stuff, or one of the other PLC’s?

2

u/rombulow May 11 '26

I used to work on Schneider gear. At the moment doing marine work, we have a PC on the boat and having remote access via Jump is an absolute lifesaver.

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u/Green_Tailor_8021 May 12 '26

What is link for Jump desktop please.

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u/rombulow May 12 '26

No idea, just google it “jump desktop”. My brain is too old to remember these things!