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How To Remotely Turn On Computer from LAN and WAN

Posted By Raymond In Category: Computer

Oct
21
2007
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Wake on LAN (WOL, sometimes WoL) is an Ethernet computer networking standard that allows a shut-down computer to be turned on remotely. Most of new motherboards that has integrated ethernet controller supports this feature. You can enable the Wake on LAN feature in the Power Management section of the motherboard’s BIOS.

So what is so useful about Wake on LAN? You see, I am required to do computer maintenance at a company that has more than 10 computers. I can only do that when all of the employees have gone home otherwise I’ll be interrupting their working hours. If I don’t use Wake on LAN, I need to ask them to leave their computer turned on and sometimes I need to manually turn them on if they forgot to leave it on. But with Wake on LAN, client systems can be easily remotely powered up and I can remote access to do maintenance.

There are two ways of how Wake on LAN can work. The first one is you want to turn on a computer on the same local area network and the second one is you want to turn on a computer on another location through the internet. I didn’t know that Wake on LAN can work through Internet until an old friend of mine Dennis from www.annoying.dk told me about it.


This is how Wake on LAN works. The target computer is shut down, with power reserved for the network card. The network card listens for a specific packet, called the “Magic Packet”. The listening computer receives this packet, checks it for the correct information, and then boots if the Magic Packet is valid. A magic packet is data consisting of “FF FF FF FF FF FF” followed by 16 repetitions of the listening network device’s MAC address.

Here is how you can turn on a computer on the same local area network using Wake on LAN.
There are many many Wake-On-LAN tools that can be downloaded on the Internet and of course I always try my best to find the easiest one to use.

1. Nyxbull Wake on LAN
FREE Wake on LAN tool
Only MAC address is required and works on LAN. Freeware.
[ Download Nyxbull Wake on LAN v1.0 ]

To find MAC address, double click on the network icon located at tray bar, go to Support tab and click on Details button. The physical address is your MAC address. It is in 00-11-22-33-44 format.

Another way is to open up command prompt and type “arp -a“. The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) command can only display MAC address of other computer that is turned on. You can’t use it to display your own MAC address.

2. FUSION WakeUp on Lan
Fusion wake up on LAN
Also FREE. What I really like about this tool is it has the ability to get MAC address from IP address. If the target computer is off, you can still try the Get MAC button because it can search in the cache. As for the password box, you can leave it blank.
[ Download Fusion WakeUp On LAN ]

Unfortunately I couldn’t find any simple Wake On LAN tool that can save a list of MAC Address. It will be so much convenient if I can just select the MAC address from the list and click a button to boot up a computer.

We’ll now continue to the more interesting part, booting up computer on another location through Internet. Let’s say I am in Singapore on a business trip and I need to turn on my computer to retrieve some files. It may seem impossible but it is possible. For Wake-on-LAN over the internet, you must have a router that is turned on in order to wake up a computer over the internet.

At first I found Depicus Wake on Lan tool that is able to boot up a computer using Wake-on-LAN over the internet.
how to Wake on lan over the internet
One thing I find very confusing about this tool is the Subnet Mask entry. It somehow modifies the entered IP address to become something else. I have just tried different numbers for the last part of the subnet mask, until the small graphical interface tool finally showed my IP in the status bar. The description about the whole Subnet Mask thing on that website is:

How to calculate the subnet-directed broadcast address
1) Convert machine address to binary e.g. 10.208.20.1 = 00001010.11010000.00010100.00000001
2) Convert the Subnet Mask to Binary e.g. 255.255.240.0 = 11111111.11111111.11110000.00000000
3) Invert the Binary Subnet Mask e.g. 11111111.11111111.11110000.00000000 becomes 00000000.00000000.00001111.11111111
4) Or the machine address and the inverted subnet mask e.g. 00001010.11010000.00010100.00000001 Or 00000000.00000000.00001111.11111111 = 00001010.11010000.00011111.11111111 = 10.208.31.255

Please don’t ask me about it… I spent many hours trying to understand and also searching on the Internet for more information about subnet directed broadcast but couldn’t find much. I gave up… No not on Wake-on-LAN over the Internet, but only on this tool.

Update: You can forget about calculating the subnet directed broadcast. Just use the subnet mask 255.255.255.255 and it’ll send the magic packet to the IP address and MAC Address that you’ve specified. Thanks to Ed for this tip.

Then I found 2 websites that allows sending magic packets to boot up computer over the internet. It is a free service that can be used by anyone.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you configure your router to forward port 9 to the computer that you want to boot up otherwise it will not work because the Magic Packet can’t get in your network. Refer to PortForward.com on how to configure port forwarding for your router.

1. Wake-On-LAN Online
Wake on lan Online
You must know the external IP address, MAC address and also the Port. The default port for WoL over the Internet is 9. Some use port 7. Enter the correct information, hit the “Wake Up!” button and it’ll send the magic packet to turn on your computer. I’ve tried it and it worked.

2. RemoteWakeUp
Remote Wakeup
The requirement is save as above. You need to enter IP address/hostname, MAC address and port.

Update: Here’s a third website that provides free Wake on LAN over the internet service.
3. Depicus Wake on LAN over the Internet
Depicus Wake On LAN over the Internet
Other than entering IP Address, MAC Address and Port, you need to enter subnet mask as well. Just enter 255.255.255.255. Thanks to Ed again for this tip.

If both of the websites is down and you desperately need to remotely wake up a computer, try using a free PHP script created by Soeren. You need to upload it to a webhost that supports PHP. It may not work on some web servers, because the socket functions it makes use of are often disabled on web servers, for security reasons I assume. This is how the Wake-on-Internet PHP script look like.
Wake on LAN PHP script

If Wake-on-LAN doesn’t work for you, try using Wake on Lan Monitor/Sniffer. You can use this tool to test if the magic packet is reaching your computer or not.
Wake on lan Sniffer
[ Download Wake on LAN Monitor/Sniffer ]

Tip: There are some routers that supports Dynamic DNS. This is a very useful feature where if your IP address changes, you can still keep track of your current IP address. My Belkin N1 wireless router has this feature and it’s easy to configure. I only need to sign up with DynDNS.org, and enter the information in my Belkin router.
Router support Dynamic DNS

If you’re interested in knowing how to wake a computer up over the internet using linux, check out Dennis blog.


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    • http://www.templodehorus.blogger.com.br Horus

      Hi ray, your post is very cool, my name is antony, i live from brazil sorry my english.i have software, advanced windowscare v2 pro version 2.5.1. the register is very hard find, nobody find this version, please help, thanks big man!!!! congratulations, your website is the best of the best….

    • http://www.raymond.cc/ Raymond

      Sorry Antony, I can’t help you with your crack problems.

    • vahig

      hey ray, is there a way to turn off the pc? or its just to turn on?

    • http://www.selo.tk veki

      hey ray.. so that works if i just c/p IP adress of the remote computer in the correct field.. and press WAKE ON LAN

    • BIGfan

      Hi,
      With the depicus WOL I think they are talking about the Wildcard Masks. Cisco has a lot of easy to understand documents on this.

    • http://www.raymond.cc/ Raymond

      @vahig: You can try the “shutdown” command in Windows. Or if you’re looking for more powerful shutdown tool, try PowerOff.
      http://users.pandora.be/jbosman/applications.html

      @veki: No. Most important is the Physical/MAC address. Also the router must forward a port.

      @BIGfan: I am not sure about depicus WOL. I spent many hours trying to figure it out but failed. Please share with us if you know anything about it.

    • Alex

      I share the same quiestion as vahig but with the addition, is it possible to turn of the computer, from another computer. I live at two houses you see and sometimes i leave the pc on at one and i have to cycle back to turn it off. Can you help?

    • http://www.raymond.cc/ Raymond

      Alex, PowerOff can turn off a computer from another computer.

    • RIOTOUS

      Well Mr Raymond,

      Your site is really the Top!!!!

      I’ll be nearly 1 Year that i’m here as a member on this BLOG!

      I’m really proud to be a member of Raymond blog.

      Thanks for all!

    • http://www.rtsecurity.com Alex

      Hi Raymond,

      Thanks for your review of our Wake-On-LAN Online tools.
      We are pleasure that it works fine and would like to note that we plan to add ‘schedule’ option in the online version soon. It is also available more advanced desktop software version RSHUT PRO for WOL and remote shutdowns.

    • Ed

      @ Raymond

      Have a look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake-on-LAN

      Also, in the Depicus Wake on Lan tool, just use always subnet mask of 255.255.255.255. this makes the ip address the single unique address you type in the Internet Address. I guess other subnet mask can be used when you have a group of PC in same office with consecutive ip address.

    • http://www.raymond.cc/ Raymond

      You’ve been a great help Ed :) I’ve used the subnet mask 255.255.255.255 and it works! I should update this post.

    • Ed

      @ Raymond

      I checked other WOL programs on the wikipedia page I posted above, and at least couple of them will keep a list of comuters, like you wanted. (sorry, I forgot which, and I did not install any programs, so might be couple more)

    • Pingback: Getting WOL (wake on lan) to work over internet | www.annoying.dk

    • albrteny

      very help full way raymond good work

    • http://www.selo.tk veki

      cool, thanks Ray!!

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    • http://www.indoconsoles.blogspot.com indoconsoles

      Great Post Buddy.
      I blog it in my blog.
      Thanks….

    • Metodius

      There is something about sub-net calculation that is not understandable:
      Let us say that there are (as usually are) computers with addresses: 10.10.1.10 and 10.10.1.20
      both with subnet mask 255.255.255.0
      If you use OR than both computers are adressed 10.10.1.255. Which one will I wake up (or get MAC)?
      May be XOR instand OR is suposed to be used?

    • Ethan

      i have a linksys router and i put wirlesss adapter in it and have wol enabled and i wus just wondering is it only works for wirelesss networks (wan) or lan

    • David

      Hi Ray! How you are accessing remote computer after it\’s turned on? if remote computer has password you should logon before you can load Windows and use Remote Desktop. without password RD doesn\’t work, right?

    • Baba khatri

      Hi Ray ! Hava you any method to turn on Linux system remolty . i have two site there is i m using Linux i m useing RF technology how i can on my Linux server for one site from other site.

    • Eddiet20

      Very cool!!! I used the wake up from the internet entered my home IP and MAC addy from my office and Voila! My home computer turned on. I used a remote support proggy to turn computer off and access everything THANKS!!!!!

    • Jamshed

      Now I start the MCSE. Can you help me in this regard

    • EDG

      Bit confused why wol over internet wont work for me. I use an ISP who changes my external IP regularly but no problem I can get that using No-IP\\\’s service. I am assuming the MAC address is for the actual network card not the router. The port is open and directed to the IP address of the computer (fixed) but I get nothing even using the sniffer.

      What am I doing wrong please?

    • Paul Denton

      Nice article, I already use VNC to control my machine but sometimes I forget to leave my PC on. This will help a lot, the only thing I need now is a decent router which supports dynDNS.

    • Nathan

      @Paul Denton

      You don’t need dynDNS supporting router, there are programs that you can run on your computer that periodically check your IP and update your dynDNS.

    • Peter Mallard

      Just a quick point about the software to set dynDNS. If your computer is off, waiting for a (wake-on-lan). then the program you have on your conputer to set your ip address with dynDNS wont be running. if it changes while its off..

      (think i got that right lol)….

    • Phil White

      I have “GotomyPC”. I can log on to the computer and then just issue the normal shutdown command. I have used this for years, just didn’t know how to turn it on remotely.

      Thanks, big help!

    • Ronan

      Does anybody know any thing about Alpiron looks like it can shutdown and startup servers and workstations

    • alan

      hey well i tried to turn m computer on but my computers is on a rivte network wht do i do?

    • mono_maister

      WHAT A NICE THING!!!! YOU JUST SAVE ME LOT WORK HOURS, because someone have lost the keys of the server’s room, I had to work remotly, but, for a mistake turned off the server, but, I was able to turn it on again with the software Fusion WOL, thanks a lot for your advise.

    • Rajesh

      Hi, Ray
      You’r a great man.

    • Peter

      Very informative, thank you so much! ive been looking for a way to turn my computer on from school + use logmein =)

    • WatR

      My Name Is WatR .
      And Sum How I Came Across Ths Internet Thinqy Paqe Whadd Is It ?
      Ids How Dum Bud How Alqee .

      And Liek Totally Alqee Dudez

      ROCK ON .
      Hhahahahha
      Once Aqain Whad Is Ths ?

    • Devon

      I tired using FUSION WakeUp on Lan but it did not turn on my other computer. I added mac address and it did not work.

    • Biju

      Thx my friend, your post was of great help. It saved me a lot of money. I was going to buy a remote power switch and “ATX push to on” from Deltronix. Thx again.

    • Biki

      Hi reymond,

      I have problem with fusion WOL. I don’t know why, but I type in IP, press get mac or type that in too, and nothing..after about 30 sec it tells me that computer could not be turned on!! Do you know about this problem and how should I solve it???
      P.S. I have 20 computers in LAN and I took IP and MAC manualy from each one, to be sure…

      Thanks in advance!!!

    • Dave

      Thanks for such a great discussion on the WOL issue. I have been able to turn on my rack computer from within the LAN but have not been able to get it to work over the internet. I’m using wakeonlangui and am sure I have the port opened ok (ran PFPoerChecker) (I also tried using the two online WOL services… My router is a Linksys WRT54G, v.4.20.8. Have spent many hours researching the port forwarding issue and trying various things. ex. Tried disabling “Block Anonymous Inernet Requests….to no avail. Are there any other settings that I have missed? Like so many things in this arena, one piece of missing information is all you need to mess up everything:) Many thanks! Dave

    • http://eunos.weebly.com/ Eunos

      Hi Raymond, this is really helpful. I was about to get a timer hardware to switch my office computer on and off at set timings. My only problem was I need to turn it on at times when the hardware is set to “off”. Have racked my brains over this…until I read what you’ve posted. A million thanks!

    • Jim

      There’s probably a more elegant way, but you can shutdown the computer by going into the command prompt under Windows accessories, and entering “shutdown /s”, without the quotes. You get a message that the computer will shutdown in about one minute, which is enough time to log off. I use remote desktop in Windows 7 Professional, which works quite well. Remote desktop is also available in XP Professional. I never tried Vista.

    • Prakash

      excellent ! & Thanks

    • Nuclear_Ice

      Hey man! Just so you know an easier way to get the mac address is type ipconfig /all in the cmd and the physical address is your mac address.

    • Wilson7777

      Hi Raymond,

      Do you know which port (if any) Wake on Lan or Fusion uses to turn on LAN computers? We use a lot of VPN tunnels to different sites using fireboxes but all of the computers and sites are on the same domain so I thought these utilities would work but they haven’t so far. I suppose I could use the WOL over Internet, but I would rather use the WOL utilities.

      Thanks.

    • rrj

      Hi,
      My problem appears to be that my router is flushing the ARP or dropping the IP/MAC association after a few minutes so wol via internet works for the first few minutes but after that the router doesn’t see the computer as it no longer has an IP address associated. Router is Belking F5D7230-4. not supported by Tomato or DD WRT. Any help appreciated
      thanks

    • Rode

      hi man… i have been using your product WakeOnLan where you just add the mac adres and everything is happy jaja… however i need to not use the program for example i want to turn on 10 computers and i want to do it like a bat or something like that maybe you could help me to send those magic packets thanks.

    • Diogenis Chortaridis

      Thank you very mutch.

      I have a problem with Wake On Lan in a Laptop IBM Thinkpad R50E with an Intel pro 100 ethernet adapter.
      I have done all the settings in Bios and In the Windows XP.
      The laptop wakes On from Power Off and after 3-4 seconds shuts down immediately.
      The same Laptop wakes on from hibernation without problems.
      I have tested another older Laptop IBM Thinkpad R40 with the same ethernet adapter and all are Ok with the WOL.

      Please tell me what can I do to find solutions into my WOL problem.

      Thank you.

    • luiz

      i want to know if there exists a software that saves a list of ips and mac adress os a lot of machines…

      thanks a lot :)

    • joe

      when i send the magic package,my pc dosn’t wake up right away.butdoes at 12midnight.any reasons forthis?

    • http://horizontalequations kapil

      wow friend damm good, great for guyz like me (net administrators)

    • dalaidakkar

      to enable wake on lan on belkin router you need to use the port forwarding section to forward paquet 9 UDP to the broadcast address of your network e.g. (192.168.2.255) the belkin router wouldn’t allow you to do this but here’s the trick

      Add a new entry with the port forwarding of port 9 to port 9 of any ip on your router and save then use your belkin backup feature to save setttings to a .cfg text file on your pc, then open this file on your text editor and find the entry you just added, change the last 3 digits of the ip to .255 and save the file. Then restore the router settings from this file and voila… now you can use any web service like http://www.depicus.com/wake-on-lan/woli.aspx or a program to do your wake on wan. if you have any doubts you can email me at aldiablo [at] gmail.com Dakkar

    • Holbud

      As far as i know this will only work with routers that will send the magic packet on the local broadcast address.
      Most Home brew routers do not allow local broadcast via internet as this would allow anybody who knew your external ip address to start your computors if they find the router port No.
      An example of this is the netgear dg834, this router requires a modified firmware to allow WOL.

      Most routers flush the ARP after a few minutes and lose the ip address of any previously connected computors so unless you can send the magic packet to the Mac address via local broadcast then i dont think this will work.

      I think this is correct ( maybe not all of it ) :)

    • Doug

      What about windows 7?

    • Jat

      U r just a genius ….

      Jeez….crazy

    • Jo

      How can I find out if someone in IT has access to my computer via “Remote Wakeup”?

    • Eric

      Good article! I tested a WOL for my Asus system and it worked like a charm. Saved me driving an hour to turn the PC on!

      Cheers!

    • Declan

      Ha I woke up all my school pcs by this thanks

    • ET Jr.

      one of the best articles i’ve read recently… thank you very much!

    • Joe Stojsic

      WOW is only possible about 5-30 minutes after the computer has been shut down since that is how long it takes for its MAC address to be automatically flushed from the router it is connected to. This makes WOW impractical unless you dare to risk installing some third party firmware on the router to change this timeout to be much longer. http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1690824

    • Joe Stojsic

      I have found a quicker and safer way to WOW than messing with firmware. Just make sure the MAC address is not flushed from the ARP table of your router by setting it to permanent. This can only be done if your router supports telnet (or some other Command Line Interface). On my Netcomm NB9WMAXXn I access telnet by running opening a DOS window then typing telnet 192.168.1.1 then arp (which gives me the format for the command which on my router is arp add eg arp add 192.168.1.100 00:ae:2e:0f:21:07 You would probably do well to make the IP address “static” too or else a friend may visit with their laptop and it will dynamically get assigned your magic IP.

    • magic bag

      thank you i just recently know about wol

    • amala rangnekar

      Excellent work! :)
      We have been trying to implement this technology for our college project, and this article of yours was indeed helpful. :) Please could you also give us some tips on how you have made this software(the coding part)? (We are using it srtictly for study purposes and not commercial, your content will not be misused.)

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