# Open questions and on-device checks

Research as of 2026-09-25, eight days after the Frame's retail release
(2026-09-18). Most first-party detail comes from Valve's Steamworks developer
pages. Searches of Reddit and the Steam forums turned up **almost no
end-user reports** about SSH, desktop streaming, or macOS. Treat that as
"not documented yet", not "doesn't work".

## Verified on device (2026-09-25)

Checked over SSH from the Mac, read-only, on SteamOS 0.3.0 (`VARIANT_ID=vr`,
build 20260922.6101926, kernel 6.18, aarch64):

- **1–2.** Developer Mode + Set User Password gave working SSH with no terminal
  steps. `sshd` is enabled and active. The user is `steamos` (in `wheel`) and
  the hostname is `frame`.
- **3.** `frame.local` resolves from the Mac; `avahi-daemon` is active.
- **5.** `/etc/ssh/sshd_config` has `Include /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/*.conf`.
  The existing drop-ins are `20-systemd-userdb.conf` and `99-archlinux.conf`, so
  `01-frame-keys-only.conf` would sort first as intended. (`--harden` itself
  hasn't been run.)
- **8.** The in-headset desktop is `kwin_wayland` + `plasmashell` nested
  inside gamescope (1280×800), with `XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000/nested_plasma`,
  `WAYLAND_DISPLAY=wayland-0`, `DISPLAY=:2` and a private D-Bus bus. SteamVR
  (`vrserver`, `vrcompositor`) and `xrdp` are running.
- **9.** `rsync`, `flatpak`, `python3`, `git`, `qdbus6` and `xrdp` are present.
  `wl-copy`, `xclip`, `xsel`, `kdeconnect-cli`, `tailscale`, `krfb` and `wayvnc`
  are **not** (Tailscale can be added in `~`; see [tailscale.md](tailscale.md)). `paste-to-frame.sh` now uses Klipper over D-Bus and round-trips
  text correctly.
- Flathub is already configured as a **system** remote; Chromium is the only
  installed Flatpak. `/` is 10 GB (42% used); `/home` is 929 GB.
- `push.sh` copied a test file with rsync.
- **10.** `install-apps.sh remmina --vnc-host <mac>.local` installed Remmina as
  a `--user` Flatpak over SSH and wrote the profile. The desktop's
  `XDG_DATA_DIRS` includes the user Flatpak exports, so it shows up in the menu.
  The Frame can reach the Mac's Screen Sharing port (5900).
- **11.** Answered 2026-09-27 (BUILD_ID 20260925.6191901, macOS 27.0): the
  pre-seeded profile connects and shows the Mac in its own panel. It asks for
  the Mac account login rather than the VNC password, needs scale-to-fit at
  Retina resolutions, and doesn't show the Mac cursor without
  `scripts/mac-cursor-ring.lua`. It's usable but noticeably laggy. See
  [streaming.md](streaming.md).

- **Panels.** An X11 window on gamescope's `:0` with its own `STEAM_GAME` id
  gets its own SteamVR overlay (`valve.steam.desktopgame.<id>`). Three were
  created side by side with `panel-on-frame.sh`. See [panels.md](panels.md).

Still open: 4, 6, 7, 12–15, 16 (off-LAN and after a reboot), 17–21.

## Check on the headset (in order)

1. **Is Developer Mode available on a retail unit?** Valve's pages are aimed at
   developers. Confirm that **Steam Settings → System → Enable Developer Mode**
   and **Developer → Set User Password** both exist on your OS channel (Stable
   vs Beta).
2. **Does SSH work straight after that, with no terminal steps?** From the Mac,
   run `nc -z frame.local 22`, then `./scripts/connect.sh`.
3. **Does `frame.local` resolve from the Mac (mDNS/Avahi)?** If not, use the IP
   and set up a DHCP reservation.
4. **Does SSH stay enabled after a reboot and after an OS update?** Also check
   that `~/.ssh/authorized_keys` survives an update.
5. **Is the `sshd_config.d` include present?** Check before `--harden`:
   `ssh frame 'grep -n Include /etc/ssh/sshd_config'`.
6. **What does Steam Link on macOS show when connected to `frame`?** Is it the
   VR view, a flat mirror, or the desktop? Does keyboard/mouse input reach the
   headset?
7. **Does the xrdp session work from Microsoft Windows App on macOS?** Valve
   only documents Windows Remote Desktop Connection. Is clipboard sync
   supported?
8. **What kind of session is the in-headset Linux desktop?** It could be a
   normal Plasma Wayland session (with a `wayland-*` socket in
   `/run/user/$(id -u)`), X11, or something nested in SteamVR. This decides
   whether `paste-to-frame.sh` works. `ssh frame 'ls /run/user/$(id -u); loginctl list-sessions'`.
9. **Are `wl-copy`, `xclip`, and `rsync` present on the image?**
   `ssh frame 'command -v wl-copy xclip rsync flatpak'`.
10. **Can Flatpaks be installed `--user` over SSH, and do they appear in the
    headset's desktop?** Test with `./scripts/install-apps.sh remmina`.
11. ~~**Remmina → macOS Screen Sharing**~~: answered 2026-09-27; see above
    and [streaming.md](streaming.md).
12. **Moonlight Flatpak (aarch64) + Sunshine on macOS:** VNC works but is
    noticeably laggy, so this is worth trying.
13. **KDE Connect**: is it preinstalled or installable on the Frame, and does
    it pair with KDE Connect for macOS?
14. **Bluetooth keyboard pairing** on the Frame, for the rare times you do need
    to type locally.
15. **ADB**: does `adb shell` over USB-C from a Mac (not just a Windows PC)
    reach the Linux side? Does USB power from the Mac cope?
16. ~~**Tailscale**~~: answered 2026-09-25. A userspace `tailscaled` in `~`
    runs as a lingering user service with no sudo; see [tailscale.md](tailscale.md).
    Still open: reaching the Frame from outside the home network, and the service
    starting after a reboot.
17. **Floating panels in the headset** (see [panels.md](panels.md)): panels
    from `panel-on-frame.sh` show up and take controller input (verified
    2026-09-27 with `mac-screen`). Still open: do they offer **Float in
    World** / **Move** / **Size**? Do floating positions survive closing and
    reopening the app, or a reboot?
18. **`LEPTON_NO_CLEANUP=1 %command%`** as Lepton Development's launch
    option: do ADB-installed apps survive closing and reopening it?
19. **Typing in Android apps:** Lepton has no IME installed. Does the SteamVR
    keyboard or a Bluetooth keyboard reach Android text fields, or does an
    F-Droid keyboard (installed and enabled with `ime enable`/`ime set`) work?
20. **F-Droid 2.0** (Compose 1.12): does it run? If so, the catalogue can
    install it instead of 1.17.2.

21. **DeoVR local files:** does DeoVR's file browser show `Videos → VR`
    (the symlink from `push-vr-video.sh`) or `Z:\home\steamos\Videos\VR`, and do
    the colour-coded test clips play in 3D (red left eye, cyan right) for both
    H.264 and H.265? Does the DLNA browser find a server on the Mac?

## Verified 2026-09-27

- **Recovery images exist** for the Frame at
  `https://steamdeck-images.steamos.cloud/recovery/`; the root filesystem inside
  is btrfs and runs, as a userland, on ARM64 Linux. See
  [recovery-and-images.md](recovery-and-images.md).
- **Frame Control's server runs on the Frame itself** (the iPhone app does
  this), including headset capture, 31 fps live video and file uploads. See
  [iphone.md](iphone.md).
- **Password pairing and `sudo -S`** work against the recovery image's own
  sshd and sudo (not yet against the headset, whose password we don't hold).

## Still open (2026-09-27)

- Does `podman exec <lepton container> /system/bin/sh -c 'wm size'` change an
  instance's display the way `adb shell wm size` does?
- Can the recovery image, or its kernel, boot in a VM at all?
- Does a real sleep, restart or shut down from the iPhone app work (via
  `sudo -S systemctl`)?
- The Mac EDL flashing script in `~/Downloads/steam-frame-recovery/` hasn't
  been run against a Frame.

## Unconfirmed claims made in these docs

- `/home` and `/etc` persist across Frame OS updates. This is inferred from
  Steam Deck behaviour.
- Steam Remote Play with a Mac as host is broken. That's based on community
  reports, not tested with the Frame.
- `connect.sh --harden`, `serve-bootstrap.sh` and
  `bootstrap-on-frame.sh` haven't run against real hardware.

## Remote wake (2026-09-28)

Goal: the Frame sleeps on the charger but Frame Control can wake it to reach
it over SSH. Findings so far are in the Wake-on-WLAN row of
[how-the-frame-works.md](how-the-frame-works.md). Independent review: GPT-6
Astra (xhigh), 2026-09-28.

- **Magic packet from `deep`: no (tested 2026-09-28).** Unicast and broadcast packets didn't wake it, the chip came back in MHI RESET, and Wi-Fi stayed broken until a restart. Details are in how-the-frame-works.md. Don't leave WoWLAN on with `deep`.
- **`s2idle`: no (tested 2026-09-28).** Same chip reset and broken Wi-Fi as `deep`. SteamOS doesn't pick `deep` itself (no `sleep.conf.d`, no `mem_sleep_default`, and no sleep hook touching ath12k), so this was a clean one-setting test. Wake over Wi-Fi is out until a SteamOS/ath12k update. Re-test after updates.
- **Recovering from the broken Wi-Fi: reboot cleanly, never `modprobe -r ath12k`.** On 2026-09-28, unloading the wedged driver oopsed the kernel (`Unable to handle kernel paging request`) and the Frame reset itself. The next boot had truncated Steam files (`steamclient.so`, then `steamui.so`), and the displays were broken for the whole boot (`msm_dsi … wait for video done timed out` from 28 s in, 240 times). `vrcompositor` segfaulted on its first present, `steamvr.service` took the gamescope session and Steam down every ~15 s, and the screen said "There was an issue launching Steam". Steam's updater also hung on the same GPU wait. The fixes: Steam re-verified its files, a leftover pending-install manifest identical to the `.manifest` was moved aside, and a clean reboot brought the displays back (0 DSI errors). The USB-C cable gives SSH at 10.86.200.233 when Wi-Fi is down. Checks and fixes are in [frame-doctor.md](frame-doctor.md).
- **Charger / smart-plug wake (hypothesis):** during confirmed sleep, test
  physically attaching the charger, detaching it, and switching off its AC
  supply, each separately. If one works, a Home Assistant smart plug on the
  charger can wake it while it keeps deep sleep.
- **RTC dark wake:** a root `WakeSystem=yes` timer that checks for queued
  work and suspends again. Needs a root unit.
- **Controller wake:** does a paired controller's button wake it? `hci0` is a
  UART radio with no paired devices listed, so the controllers may use a
  separate link.
- **AC-only Never:** `system_idle_suspend_ac_sec = 0`, with battery left at
  15 min. This is Steam's own setting and needs no sudo, but the Frame stays
  awake with its displays off rather than suspended. Measure wall power and
  confirm the displays blank.
- **Off the LAN:** a sleeping Frame's Tailscale can't receive anything, so
  something awake on the LAN has to send the packet (for example the
  EdgeRouter's `etherwake`, already used for lxso2, or the Mac).