How to set up and use Wake-on-LAN to remotely turn on office computers

Wake-on-LAN (WoL) allows you to power on a computer remotely by sending a special network packet, often called a “magic packet”. This is particularly useful for small businesses and home offices that need to perform after-hours maintenance, push software updates, or access files on a workstation without leaving a machine running 24/7. This guide covers the three key stages: enabling WoL in the computer’s BIOS/UEFI, configuring the operating system, and sending the wake-up command from another device on the same network or via a VPN.

Before You Begin

Wake-on-LAN works over a wired Ethernet connection in almost all cases. While some modern computers support “Wake on Wireless LAN” (WoWLAN), it is far less reliable and often disabled by default for security reasons. For a business environment, we strongly recommend using a cabled connection for any machine you intend to wake remotely.

Step 1: Enable Wake-on-LAN in BIOS/UEFI

The first step is to enable the feature at the hardware level. The exact wording varies between manufacturers, but the setting is usually found in the power management or advanced settings section of the BIOS/UEFI.

1. Restart the computer you want to wake remotely.
2. During startup, press the key to enter BIOS/UEFI setup. Common keys are F2, Del, F10, or Esc. The correct key is usually displayed briefly on the screen.
3. Navigate to the Power Management, Advanced, or ACPI settings tab.
4. Look for an option named one of the following:
   • Wake on LAN
   • Power On By PCI-E/PCI
   • Resume by LAN
   • Remote Wake Up
5. Set the option to Enabled.
6. If you see a separate option for Wake on Magic Packet, enable that as well. Some systems also have Wake on Pattern Match — this is not required and can cause unintended wake-ups, so leave it disabled.
7. Save your changes and exit. The key is usually F10 or F4, but check the on-screen prompt.

Step 2: Configure the Network Adapter in Windows

After enabling WoL in the BIOS, you must also configure the network adapter driver within Windows. This step is often missed and is the most common cause of WoL not working.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand the Network adapters section.
3. Right-click your Ethernet adapter (it usually has a name containing “Ethernet”, “PCIe”, “Gigabit”, or the manufacturer name such as Intel, Realtek, or Broadcom) and select Properties.
4. Click the Advanced tab.
5. In the Property list, look for entries related to Wake-on-LAN. Common names include:
   • Wake on Magic Packet
   • Wake on LAN
   • Shutdown Wake-On-Lan
   • Wake on Pattern Match
6. Set the value for Wake on Magic Packet to Enabled.
7. If you see Shutdown Wake-On-Lan, set it to Enabled as well. This allows the machine to wake from a full shutdown state (S5), not just sleep.
8. Click the Power Management tab.
9. Tick the following checkboxes:
   • Allow this device to wake the computer
   • Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer
10. Click OK to save the changes.

Step 3: Disable Fast Startup (Recommended)

Windows Fast Startup (also called hybrid shutdown) can interfere with Wake-on-LAN on some systems. When Fast Startup is enabled, the computer enters a hibernation-like state instead of a full shutdown, and some network adapters do not respond to magic packets in this state.

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
3. Click Choose what the power buttons do in the left sidebar.
4. Click Change settings that are currently unavailable.
5. Under Shutdown settings, untick Turn on fast startup (recommended).
6. Click Save changes.

If you prefer to keep Fast Startup enabled for quicker boot times, test WoL with it on first. If the machine does not wake from a full shutdown, disable Fast Startup and test again.

Step 4: Note the MAC Address and IP Details

To send a magic packet, you need the target computer’s MAC address. You will also need to know whether you will send the packet to the computer’s IP address or use a broadcast address.

1. On the target computer, open Command Prompt or PowerShell.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

3. Find the Ethernet adapter section that is currently active.
4. Note the Physical Address — this is the MAC address. It is a 12-character hexadecimal string, formatted like AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF.
5. Also note the IPv4 Address and Subnet Mask for the network.

Step 5: Send the Magic Packet

There are several ways to send the magic packet. Choose the method that best suits your environment.

Option A: Using a Mobile App (Simplest for Occasional Use)

1. On a phone or tablet connected to the same office Wi-Fi network, install a Wake-on-LAN app. Reliable options include Wake On Lan (Android) or Wake Me Up (iOS).
2. Open the app and add a new device.
3. Enter the target computer’s MAC address and a friendly name (e.g., “Reception PC”).
4. If prompted for an IP address or broadcast address, enter the computer’s IP address or the network broadcast address (e.g., 192.168.1.255).
5. Tap the device in the list to send the magic packet. The computer should power on within a few seconds.

Option B: Using a Windows Utility

1. Download a lightweight WoL utility such as WakeOnLan (by NirSoft) or WakeMeOnLan.
2. Run the utility on a computer that is already powered on and connected to the same network.
3. Add the target computer by entering its MAC address and IP address manually, or use the utility’s network scan feature to discover devices.
4. Select the target computer and click the Wake Up button.

Option C: Using a Router with Built-in WoL

Many business-grade routers and some consumer routers include a Wake-on-LAN feature in their administration interface. Check your router’s manual for specific instructions. Typically, you would:

1. Log in to the router’s web interface.
2. Navigate to a section such as Network Tools, Advanced, or Management.
3. Look for a Wake on LAN or WoL option.
4. Select the target device from a list of connected clients (the router may have already recorded its MAC address).
5. Click Wake Up or Send.

Step 6: Test and Verify

After configuring everything, run a full test to confirm the setup works end-to-end.

1. Shut down the target computer completely (not sleep or hibernate).
2. Wait 30 seconds to ensure the network adapter has fully powered down.
3. From another device on the same network, send the magic packet using your chosen method.
4. Watch the target computer. It should power on and boot into Windows within a few seconds to a minute, depending on hardware speed.

If the computer does not wake, work through the troubleshooting section below.

Troubleshooting

The computer does not wake at all

• Double-check that WoL is enabled in both the BIOS/UEFI and the Windows network adapter settings. Both are required.
• Verify you are sending the magic packet to the correct MAC address. A single incorrect character will cause the packet to be ignored.
• Ensure the computer is connected via Ethernet, not Wi-Fi. WoL over Wi-Fi is unreliable and often unsupported.
• Confirm the sending device is on the same subnet. If the target computer is on 192.168.1.0/24 and the sending device is on 10.0.0.0/24, the magic packet will not reach it unless your router forwards broadcast traffic.
• Try sending the magic packet to the network broadcast address (e.g., 192.168.1.255) instead of the computer’s specific IP address. Some network adapters only listen for broadcast magic packets.

The computer wakes from sleep but not from a full shutdown

• Check the Shutdown Wake-On-Lan setting in the network adapter’s Advanced properties. Set it to Enabled.
• Disable Fast Startup in Windows as described in Step 3.
• In the BIOS, look for a setting called ErP Ready, EuP, or Deep Sleep. If enabled, disable it. These power-saving modes cut power to the network interface when the machine is off.

The computer wakes randomly without anyone sending a packet

• Disable Wake on Pattern Match in the network adapter’s Advanced properties.
• Ensure only Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer is ticked in the Power Management tab.
• Check for scheduled tasks or Windows Update settings that may be waking the machine. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run powercfg /waketimers to see active wake timers.

WoL stops working after a Windows update

• Windows updates can occasionally reset network adapter settings. Re-check the Advanced and Power Management tabs in Device Manager after major updates.
• If the network driver was updated, the new driver version may have different default settings. Re-apply the WoL configuration.

Security Considerations

Wake-on-LAN is generally safe within a trusted local network, but there are a few points to keep in mind:

• Do not expose WoL to the public internet. Magic packets are unauthenticated — anyone who can reach the network and knows a MAC address could power on a machine.
• If you need to wake computers from outside the office, use a VPN connection to the office network first, then send the magic packet from within the VPN tunnel.
• Keep an inventory of MAC addresses for machines you manage. This makes it easier to send wake commands and reduces the chance of targeting the wrong device.
• For machines that contain sensitive data, consider whether WoL is appropriate. A machine that can be powered on remotely is still protected by its login password, but WoL does introduce an additional attack surface.

For more information on connecting devices to your office network, see How to connect to Wi-Fi.

If you have followed this guide and WoL still does not work, or you need assistance configuring your router for Wake-on-LAN, Open a Ticket and our support team will help you investigate.