Wake-on-LAN
With the Wake-on-LAN utility you can power on a PC remotely. This is accomplished by the generation of a "magic packet" to remotely power on PCs attached to networks. When the remote network adapter hears a magic packet created for the unique MAC address of the device, the network adapter alerts the computer to power on. If Wake-on-LAN has been enabled in the BIOS settings, the system powers on as if the power button had been pressed. To accomplish this you will first need to ensure your PC is configured to accept a Wake-on-LAN remote command. You must also identify the IP address and MAC address of the remote device. When the device shuts down, the network interface card (NIC) is still receiving power, and listening on the network for a magic packet to arrive.
To get started, launch the Wake-on-LAN tool and enter the MAC address and IP address of the PC you want to Wake-Up. The MAC Address and IP address can be determined by opening a command prompt and typing the command ipconfig /all or on older system by typing the command winipcfg. You must use the correct target MAC address and IP address to be able to remotely locate and turn on a specific computer. The Remote Wake-on-LAN tool sends a series of Magic Packets to the target PC in an attempt to power on the device.
To wake a remote computer:
- Enter the MAC address and IP address of the device you want to wake.
- Click Wake Up PC.
- On the window indicating the packets were sent, click OK.
You can wake a laptop only when it is plugged in to a charger.