Free Wake-on-Lan utility for Windows
WakeMeOnLan is a free Wake-on-Lan (WoL) tool that lets you wake your PC up from a remote location, a utility that’s often included in programs like SoftPerfect Network Scanner and Manage Engine Free. Even if you’re not home or work, you can easily access one of your devices and start it up, as long as it has power connected to it. You also need to have your BIOS set up correctly for it to work.
The first step the tool takes is collecting the MAC addresses of all your devices on the network. It’s essential that you only use wired connections, as it doesn’t cover wireless computers or laptops. As soon as the devices are connected, you can wake them up at any time from any location via the internet.
Waking up your computer
There are many apps and programs today that let you access your computer from a different location so that you can see and send files. However, it only works properly if you can wake your computer up in order to log into Windows. While some devices have this set up in the BIOS, WakeMeOnLan also helps configure the settings to make it possible.
Collecting MAC addresses
To make the process work, WakeMeOnLan collects the MAC addresses on your network. There’s a basic user interface that presents all the necessary information for your to analyze, while you can also keep a record of the addresses for when you want to wake the computers. You’ll need to check on the BIOS if the WoL feature is supported and enabled.
Wired vs. wireless connections
The most significant requirement of WakeMeOnLan is that it’s connected to the internet via a LAN cable, hence the name of the tool. If you have any computers or laptops connected wirelessly, the utility won’t add the MAC addresses for you to access them.
Rise and shine
WakeMeOnLan is ideal if you want to access your PC remotely, but you need to wake it up first. It has basic settings and no complicated configurations, but not all devices support this feature. There are some remote-viewing programs like TeamViewer that also perform this function for you, depending on the sleep state of your device.
