How to turn on a computer remotely: Have you ever wanted to remotely turn on your computer to be ready to use as soon as you get to the office, as seen in some sci-fi movie? This feature has been in computers and laptops for years and is called “Wake-on-LAN.” Network administrators use an ancient method to remotely turn on computers connected across the same network without turning them on manually. However, it is disabled by default on most devices. However, it is supported in the network card. So, below, we review how to activate and use it and explain its operation, so let’s start directly.
Although it is an old feature, activating the “Wake-on-LAN” feature now in your device may provide you with convenience in your daily routine; for example, if we assume that your job is to answer your company emails and you are a little late for work, but you want to turn on the company computer Before your arrival to find enough time to prepare your quick cup of coffee, then all you have to do is open a dedicated application on your smartphone. With the press of a button, the computer will be ready immediately as soon as you arrive. You can also use any computer other than a phone, such as another laptop or a smart speaker (like Alexa), if a slightly more complicated method is okay.
Wake-on-LAN is based on a simple premise; Any computer sends and receives information through small pieces called “packets,” and when you activate the feature, your computer waits to receive a particular packet of data called (Magic Packet), which it translates as a message to run, instead of pressing the power button. This feature does not work remotely; the computer and the device the computer is running (which sends the Magic Packet) must be connected through the same network. But this is not the only requirement for the feature to work; some steps are required to ensure its activation.
Wake-on-LAN requirements
Before starting anything about the requirements, it is necessary that your computer is connected to the Internet via an Ethernet cable, so the feature will work best on laptops and desktop computers that are always connected to the Ethernet network. Also, you may have to turn off the Wi-Fi from the target computer for the feature to work efficiently. After that, you must go to your device’s BIOS or UEFI settings screen to ensure that the option responsible for activating the feature is activated.
Let’s agree that the way to enter the BIOS screen differs from one device to another, but the common factor between them is pressing a key while the computer is running; For example, on our ASUS laptop, we needed to press and hold the F2 button and turn on the device while continuing to press the F2 key until the BIOS screen appeared. Still, your device may require pressing the Delete button, F10, or Esc. Generally, if you do not know how to access the BIOS screen, review the topic How to enter UEFI mode directly from Windows. We also posted a topic on how to enter the BIOS screen on all devices so that you can refer to it.
In the BIOS screen, look for an option that controls Wake-on-LAN technology and change it to Enabled instead of Disabled. For example, we found this option in the BIOS on an ASUS motherboard under the Advanced section under the name “Power On By PCI-E/PCI” while on another device called “Wake on LAN” under the Power section. The location of the option to activate it varies depending on the manufacturer; it may be a standalone option or included in a feature or menu; if you can’t find it, search online for how to access it using your computer or motherboard version. The feature may be enabled by default, but it’s okay to make sure. Once this change is made, press F10 to save the changes and exit the BIOS screen.
After you have finished activating the feature from the BIOS screen, if you found it within the settings, you will now need to activate the part from the Windows system itself by pressing the right mouse button (right-click) on the Start icon on the taskbar and selecting Device Manager, or you can search for Device Manager after Click on the Start menu button. In the window that appears, go to the Network adapters box, and you will find the name of the Ethernet unit or the definition of the network card, whose name usually ends with the word Adapter or Controller. Do not choose VPN or TAP; for example, after finding it, click on it with the right mouse button and select Properties.
When another window opens, go to the Power Management section, and make sure that the three available options are selected: Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, Allow this device to wake the computer, Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer as shown In the image attached above.
Before closing the window, after activating the options mentioned, go to the Advanced section. In the Property menu, scroll down to select the “Wake On Magic Packet” option and then choose “Enabled” from the adjacent Value menu. Once completely done, you can click on the OK button to save your changes.
All that remains is to open the “Settings” application in Windows 10 or 11 by pressing the Win + I (e) keys together or searching for it after pressing the Start menu button. Then go to the Network & Internet section, click on Ethernet, and then click on the network name connected to it via the Ethernet cable. Now scroll down until you reach the Properties section to find in front of the “Physical address (MAC)” field the MAC address consisting of 12 numbers and letters; copy it if needed.
Counter of the device from which the computer is running
After setting up the computer, there is nothing left but to set up the device through which the computer is operated. Here we prefer to use the smartphone, as the feature is intended for quick solutions, and this is not usually suitable for computers. If you use an iPhone, you can rely on the Wake Me Up application to send the Magic Packet to the computer and run it via the Wake-on-LAN feature. We recommend the free Wake On Lan application to play the same role if you use an Android phone.
Ensure that the phone and the computer are connected to the same network or router, then open the application on your phone, and the computer’s name should appear in front of you immediately, confirming that both devices are connected to the same network. But if it does not appear, press the plus sign below, then press “Enter Manually,” name your computer, type the Mac Address of your device, and click “Add Device.”
Download For (Android or iOS)
It’s time to test the feature; go to the target computer and open the Start menu, and instead of pressing Shut Down, press Sleep to enter the system into sleep mode. Wait for your computer to enter Low Power Mode. Then open the Wake On LAN app on your smartphone, tap on your device name, and wait a few seconds for your computer to turn on without touching it!
The feature may not work despite following the steps, and this means that one of the steps has not been followed. You must ensure that your computer and phone are connected to the same network and that your computer is in Sleep mode. If the RGB lights are not working or the power button is not glowing, Try turning on the computer, as usual, to see what happens, and finally, make sure that the Ethernet cable is connected correctly.
You can also browse the previous sections for more information.
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