For better security and a faster web browsing experience on your Windows 11 PC, you may want to change your DNS settings next.When we are away from home and need to use a PC that is powered off, what can we do? Wake on LAN is a useful feature for this case. For more on Windows 11 networking, take a look at how to set up a metered connection. This is also a great way to keep your PCs powered down, saving you money on your energy bills in the process. The steps above should help you get started, and if you’re using WoL on Windows 10, the steps shouldn’t seem too dissimilar. If you enable Wake on LAN on Windows 11, you’re free to access and control your PCs remotely. Once a PC is running, you can use Remote Desktop (RDP) to connect to it. Next, right-click the remote machine you want to wake and select “ Wake Up” from the menu. If it has an unusual hostname, you might want to rename the machine first. If you need to find the name of the remote PC, press Start > Settings > About. For the FQDN/IP field, type in the PC’s hostname.

Leave the Broadcast field as the default entry. You can also provide a group name (to separate PCs into specific groups) and a descriptive note.Ĭlick the Wake Up tab and type in the MAC address of the remote PC, then select the Broadcast IP button. Launch the app via Start, then press File > New Host. Now that you have the MAC address, you can start with the WakeOnLan app. Scroll down to see the Physical Address (MAC) listed in the connection information. Open Settings via the Start menu, then select Network & Internet > Ethernet. You can also find the MAC Address via Settings.

The MAC Address is the “ Physical Address” entry you’ll see listed in the results. Scroll down through the list of data to find the Ethernet adapter. Launch either utility via the Start menu and type ipconfig /all. You can find it by using the command line or PowerShell. Find the Remote PCs MAC AddressĪfter you download and install the software, you’ll need to know the MAC address of the remote PC you want to wake up. For this article, we’re using WakeOnLAN, but you’re free to use another WoL tool. You could also try WakeMeOnLAN(created by NirSoft). Several free, open-source Wake on LAN tools are available, including the imaginatively named WakeOnLAN (produced by Aquila Technology. You’ll next need a special Wake on LAN tool to send the magic packet to wake up your PC. How to Use Wake on LAN on Windows 11Įnabling WoL on Windows 11 is just the start. You’ll need to double-check that your PC is in sleep or hibernation mode for this to work and make sure to connect your PC via Ethernet only. Wake on LAN is now enabled on your PC and you begin using it, but if it doesn’t work, restart your PC first. Scroll down and highlight the Wake on Magic Packet in the Property option, set the “Value” box to Enabled, and click OK. Now, select the Advanced tab in the Ethernet adapter properties window. Right-click on the Ethernet adapter and select Properties.Ĭlick the Power Management tab and make sure to check all of the available options, including Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer. Next, scroll down and expand Network Adapters in the Device Manager window. To do this, right-click the Start button and select Device Manager from the menu that appears. If your BIOS/UEFI settings are configured, you can then configure Windows 11 to support Wake on LAN functionality. These steps will vary, depending on your PC, so if you’re unsure, consult your PC manufacturer’s support documentation. Next, check for settings under “Power Options” or the “Advanced” section in the BIOS/UEFI menu and enable the Wake on LAN option. Usually, you can get to the BIOS/UEFI menu by hitting Del or by pressing a function key like F2 or F12 during the boot-up process. Enabling Wake on LAN in BIOS/UEFIīefore going to Windows 11, you need to make sure Wake on LAN is enabled in the PC’s BIOS or UEFI settings. A P2P network between PCs is required, and the PC being “woken up” needs to be in sleep mode or hibernation mode. You’ll need to get a USB 3.0 to RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet LAN adapter (you can also get a USB-C Ethernet adapter). If you have a PC without an Ethernet port, you can’t use Wake on LAN out of the box. To use Wake on LAN on Windows 11, you’ll need to make sure your network is configured to allow it.įor example, you’ll need to make sure that all of your PCs are connected to your network using a wired Ethernet connection, as this feature isn’t supported on Wi-Fi networks. If you want to enable Wake on LAN on Windows 11, here’s what you’ll need to do. This allows easier access to other Windows machines across a network, meaning you don’t need to physically touch the other PC to wake it up and begin using it. If the packet is detected, your PC wakes up. The remote PC “listens” while in sleep or hibernation mode for the data packet.

Wakeonlan over the internet