What do I need to know about Wake on LAN?

What is Wake on LAN?

Wake on LAN (WoL) is a feature that allows a laptop to be woken up from standby, hibernate, or shutdown mode by a special network packet (called a Magic Packet). This feature is typically used by system administrators within companies who need to remotely access PCs and laptops for maintenance, without the need for anyone to be physically present at the device.

Compatibility

All XMG and SCHENKER laptops with a LAN/RJ45 port support Wake on LAN, as long as they are connected to an external power source. This means that even when the laptop is turned off, it can still receive the WoL packet and power up.

Laptops without an integrated LAN port do not support Wake on LAN, even if a LAN port is added through a USB adapter or docking station.

External Power Supply Required

Wake on LAN requires a continuous external power supply because the LAN port must remain active to listen for the Magic Packet, even when the laptop is powered off. As soon as the laptop is disconnected from the mains power (e.g., when running on battery), Wake on LAN will no longer function.
The external power supply can be provided via USB-C (USB Power Delivery) or the original AC adapter that comes with the laptop.

Network Configuration

Wake on LAN works by sending a "magic packet" directly to the MAC address of the target device’s network card. This packet is usually sent as a broadcast within the local network, meaning the IP address of the target device is not required. However, for the magic packet to reach its destination, network devices such as routers or firewalls must be configured to allow these special packets. In cases where Wake on LAN is used over subnets, VPNs, or the internet, additional settings such as port forwarding, IP helpers, or forwarding broadcast packets may be necessary to ensure reliable WoL functionality.

Further information:

As we primarily focus on hardware manufacturing (and not system configurations), we unfortunately cannot provide direct support for specific network configurations beyond these general guidelines. Thank you for your kind understanding.