IGEL OS Problems tedirecting USB devices to VMware Horizon View session


Hello! Actually we got problems redirecting USB devices to horizon view session. – though we permitted nearly everything for tests:

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1. devices usb-access control policy: Default rule: permit, standard access rule: read/write

2. class rules by that (we test with audio headset): permit audio (not necessary when default permit I think?)

3. setting in horizon client global: redirect by start, connect at plugin

permit class audio, permit device (by VID and PID)

… but actually we don’t see the device in our vm.

do you got some other idea?

thanks in advance!


Hi! Can you see the device in the Device Manager on Windows side?


For your own safety the generic USB redir allow rule, does not give you really all devices. People with UD Pocket wouldn’t love that at all. But there’re other devices that break things when redirected like network devices.

And audio devices like you try to redirect are better left with the TC, because lowlevel usb audio is not tolerating delays. It can work in some installations but it can get choppy and very unpleasant at others (or when the server is on a higher load).

So normally you just use RTAV to enable the microphone part and let the headphones be handled by the normal local (pulse ) audio.


Not being blocked by group policies? if you are using the vmware view admx settings? vmware view agent configuration view usb configuration


No! Devices aren’t seen on windows side.. and @member not blocked by group policies. by our actual teradici pcoip LG clients the passthrough is no problem..

We’re just testing to redirect a specific device by its PID and VID. in production it will be a special cardreader for some mates. not for smartcard logon but for a garage card system which will be read. So we just want to see that this specific PID and VID is redirected to transmit it to the real device later.


I had a look at our redirection profile and we basically do the same but without the USB access control (not configured in our setup). Instead our default rule is deny


With my logitech headset (PID 0a0c), I only need to add the Device in the USB device rules to get it re-directed. Haven’t changed any USB-access rules.

You could also check the logs. The relevant log is in /var/log/vmware/vmware-usbarb-*.log


thanks for your input guys!…

for sure our default rule will be deny as well, but for tests, that the device is allowed for sure we configured allow…

hm maybe our problem is more in windows /vm context here, because when I check the log /vmware-usbarb… I can see the following:

2020-10-07T14:19:56.888+02:00| usbArb| I125: USBGL: kevent: removing USB device 1-2.2

2020-10-07T14:19:58.455+02:00| usbArb| I125: USBGL: kevent: adding USB device 1-2.2

2020-10-07T14:19:58.706+02:00| usbArb| I125: USBArb: Getting descriptor for device 0x11046d0a45 for client 15166, type 1, index 0, languageID 0x0

2020-10-07T14:19:58.706+02:00| usbArb| I125: USBArb: Getting descriptor for device 0x11046d0a45 for client 15166, type 2, index 0, languageID 0x0

looks like the device is attached but not displayed in windows.


Did you try removing the usb access rules?


One more thing. Smart card reader devices (exactly as sound devices) being redirected as USB may not be accessible in remote Windows session due to Windows restriction. So, Windows blocks access to such devices for any applications running in remote session.


Check out this post igelcommunity.slack.com/archives/CBJDENFFY/p1602076380084500 @member supplied a best practice on usb redirection.


Thanks again for your input guys!

… I missed one funny fact. The device is redirected the whole time. just the sound couldn’t be played through the headphones – but the device itself can be used because I can change the volume of windows VM by the keys on the headset. So the connection is there.

thanks anyway @member @member


If just the sound is not coming through the headset check out this setting. Sometimes screens offer sound using hdmi. Maybe look into that 😉


Hello, for audio devices, it’s recommended NOT to redirect the device. Instead use the standard Audio Virtual Channel to redirect outbound audio, and use RTAV to redirect microphones.

For that you would want to remove USB redirection rules, and simply confirm the device works outside of Horizon and is set as default input / output on the IGEL OS


Thanks guys! @member the audio device was just a test for redirecting VID and PID. 🙂 Thanks anyways for your inputs @member and @member!

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