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How to Set Up Wake-on-LAN to Turn On a PC Remotely

Wake-on-LAN lets a fully powered-off computer turn itself back on when it receives a specific network signal, which is genuinely useful for accessing a home PC or server without leaving it running around the clock. Here is how to set it up.

  1. Enable Wake-on-LAN in BIOS/UEFI

    Restart the target PC and enter its BIOS or UEFI setup (commonly by pressing Delete or F2 during startup). Look under a Power Management section for an option named "Wake on LAN," "Power On by PCI-E," or similar, and enable it.

  2. Enable it in the network adapter's settings

    On Windows, open Device Manager, find the network adapter, open Properties, and under the Power Management tab check "Allow this device to wake the computer." Then under the Advanced tab, find "Wake on Magic Packet" (naming varies slightly by adapter) and set it to Enabled.

  3. Find the target PC's MAC address

    You will need the exact MAC address of the PC's network adapter to send it a wake signal β€” the same address covered in a general MAC address lookup guide, findable via Command Prompt on Windows or through your router's connected-devices list.

  4. Give the PC a fixed local address

    Set up a DHCP reservation for the target PC in your router's settings (or configure a static IP directly on the PC), so its local address never changes β€” this matters more for accessing the PC after it wakes than for the wake signal itself, which relies on the MAC address, not the IP.

  5. Send the magic packet to wake it

    Use a Wake-on-LAN app (widely available for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android) and enter the target PC's MAC address to send the wake signal. Test this first from another device on the same home network before attempting it remotely.

  6. Enable waking it from outside your home network

    To wake the PC while away from home, forward the relevant UDP port (commonly port 9) on your router to your local broadcast address, and use a DDNS hostname pointing at your home network so you have a stable address to send the wake command to.

What a magic packet actually contains

A Wake-on-LAN "magic packet" is a specially formatted network broadcast containing the target device's MAC address repeated 16 times in a row within the packet's payload. The network adapter, even while the rest of the computer is powered off, stays in an extremely low-power listening state specifically watching for this exact pattern, and triggers the motherboard to power on the system when it sees it.

Why Wake-on-LAN sometimes does not work

A common cause of failure is Windows' "Fast Startup" feature, which does not fully shut down the network adapter the way a true shutdown does, and can interfere with WOL depending on the specific hardware. Wake-on-LAN also requires the PC to still be receiving power to the motherboard and network adapter β€” it cannot work if the machine is switched off at a power strip or its PSU switch, since there is no power available to keep the adapter listening at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Wake-on-LAN work over Wi-Fi?

Rarely reliably. Most Wi-Fi adapters fully power down in low-power states in a way wired ethernet adapters do not, so they cannot stay listening for a magic packet. A wired ethernet connection is strongly recommended for a PC you want to wake remotely.

Can I use Wake-on-LAN over the internet without a VPN?

Yes, by forwarding the wake port on your router and using a DDNS hostname to reach your home network, though this does expose that port to the internet. Using a VPN to connect into your home network first, then sending the wake command from inside it, is the more secure alternative if you want to avoid opening a port publicly.