Wake-On-LAN

If you have multiple computers in your local network, it's possible to start them without having to get up from your desk. Thanks to the Wake-On-LAN signal (WOL) that's built into all modern Windows editions, you can send magic packets to your workstations remotely.

Wake-On-LAN is a tiny application that proposes a simple solution for getting this job done: it gives you the possibility to send WOL signals in the command prompt window by specifying the MAC address of the other machine.

Installing this program isn't required, which means that you can launch the .exe file as soon as it's downloaded. If double-clicking the file doesn't do anything, make sure to first open a console window and then call Wake-On-LAN's process.

The syntax for this program is wol.exe mac_address [adapter_ip] [port] [/pwd password] [/d subnet], which can be found out anytime by entering "wol" or "wol.exe" without any arguments. Several examples are provided to demonstrate how a line of command may look like.

It's only mandatory to write the MAC address of the other PC, as the additional switches are optional. After hitting the Enter key, the program tells you whether or not the packet was sent successfully.

You can specify the IP address of the network interface, port number, subnet address as well as SecureOn password if you previously set it up. The key can have up to six raw characters or hexadecimal code. The hex pairs can be separated by colons, dashes or periods. Instructions on how to enable WOL are available on the developer's website.

Taking everything into account, Wake-On-LAN provides a simple and straightforward method for sending magic packets to other workstations in the local network to turn them on. Although it's available as a command-line application, it's really easy to use.