PCVR when PC isn't directly connected to router?

[Starburstnova]

I'm new to VR and I'm trying to figure out the best solution for me to play PCVR.

My main PC is not directly connected to my router, and as of right now I have no feasible way to make that happen.

So, that means a Link cable is my best option, right? I bought one, and the quality looks fantastic...but unless I'm mistaken, there's no easy way to take screenshots while using Quest Link. I have to exit the game, then go into a menu, which starts a countdown, and I have to re-enter the game and reposition myself and hope I get the timing and positioning right. That's not going to work for me. I like to take a lot of screenshots when gaming, and gaming screenshots need to be speedy as they often rely heavily on timing.

Every alternate solution for PCVR that I've seen(SteamLink, Virtual Desktop, etc) seems to be exclusively for wireless connections and require that the PC is directly connected to the router. How can I do PCVR gaming and take screenshots quickly and easily?

[oculusness · Accepted solution]

@Starburstnova  you're mostly correct in that you can't take screenshots in PCVR, but there are some exceptions. If your using steam VR with your Quest headset then you can take screenshots

Steam Community :: Guide :: How to Take Screenshots in SteamVR

If you're running Oculus Mirror while playing PCVR you can also capture screenshots of the gameplay on the PC with the screenprint key.

If you can get a separate router just for the PC to stream to the headset or D-link which does the same thing.

DWA-F18 VR Air Bridge | D-Link

[Starburstnova]

@Oculus9 Thanks, I really appreciate the help!

I did try SteamLink/SteamVR on both my PC and my laptop. Works perfectly on my laptop, and that I can bring downstairs and plug directly into the router...it's just not as powerful, and I suspect more often than not I'll want to be playing upstairs, so I was hoping for a solution for my PC. SteamVR does kinda work on my PC though too...it pops up with a warning that it detects I don't have a router directly connected and it's not supported/intended to be used that way. The quality varies. The first couple times I tried it, it seemed like it worked decently, all things considered. Today when I tried it, it was extremely pixelated...so clearly even if it works sometimes, it's not reliable.

SteamLink is only intended to be used wirelessly though, right? I did find someone saying a workaround to use it wired was to boot up Quest Link, then run SteamVR through that...but then I have the same issue where the screenshot shortcut doesn't work and pops up the Quest Link menu instead. I suppose I could try just using my keyboard for screenshots, but usually I have to move far enough away from my desk so I'm not knocking things over or punching my monitors haha. Unless I'm playing mixed reality, I'd likely be fumbling around.

I just looked into the Air Bridge, and I was really hopeful, but it looks like that also requires the PC to be directly plugged into the router, at least according to their Amazon page. It looks like this PRISMXR Puppis S1 doesn't (at least it's not mentioned anywhere on the page, and there are multiple reviews saying it's a good alternative to a direct ethernet connection), so that might be the way to go? I'll need to do a little more research but I'm optimistic there's something out there that will work.

[oculusness]

@Starburstnova  you can use steam VR wired on a quest 1/2/3/3s headset on stream VR games, and take photos from info in the previous link. If you want to run Oculus/meta titles in steam VR you will need the Revive addon - https://github.com/LibreVR/Revive. 

A small wireless keyboard you can carry or have close by to take the screenprint may help.

D-link only needs a decent internet connection for its setup. After that a router is not required for the PC D-link combo to run.

[Starburstnova]

Good to know! Judging from how it seemed to work well enough wirelessly at first, I'm assuming it would still help a lot with stability even if the PC isn't directly plugged in. Thanks again!