FAQ

What platforms are supported?

Platform	Host (Share)	Client (Connect)
Linux	Yes	Yes
macOS	No	Yes
Windows	No	Yes

Hosting requires Linux because the bundled streaming engine depends on Linux-specific APIs for GPU encoding and display capture.

Do I need a GPU?

No. If no compatible GPU is detected, the app falls back to software encoding. However, a dedicated GPU (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) provides significantly better performance and lower latency.

Does it work over the internet?

Yes. The app uses STUN for NAT discovery and UPnP for automatic port mapping. In most cases, it establishes a direct peer-to-peer connection without any manual router configuration.

If both peers are behind strict NATs that block direct connections, the connection may fail. A relay fallback is planned for a future release.

What does the connection code contain?

The code encodes the host's public IP, port, and a TLS fingerprint. It's not a password — it's the information needed to find and securely connect to the host. The TLS fingerprint ensures the connection can't be intercepted.

Is the connection encrypted?

Yes. All traffic is encrypted with TLS + ChaCha20. The connection is peer-to-peer — data flows directly between machines and doesn't pass through any relay server.

What resolution and framerate does it stream at?

The app matches your current display resolution at 60 FPS. Bitrate is set automatically based on resolution (20 Mbps at 1080p, 40 Mbps at 4K). There are no manual controls — the defaults work well for most setups.

Can I host from macOS or Windows?

Not currently. Hosting requires the Linux streaming engine. macOS and Windows builds are client-only. Windows host support is on the roadmap.

The AppImage won't run / sandbox error

Try running with the sandbox disabled:

ELECTRON_DISABLE_SANDBOX=1 ./Astral-Travel-*.AppImage

This is sometimes needed depending on your Linux distribution's security configuration.

Where are config files stored?

~/.config/astraltravel/ — managed automatically. You shouldn't need to edit anything here.

Is this open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub.