Wake-on-LAN — Remote PC Power-On in a Gaming Club
Wake-on-LAN — Remote PC Power-On in a Gaming Club
Section titled “Wake-on-LAN — Remote PC Power-On in a Gaming Club”Wake-on-LAN (WoL) lets you power on any gaming PC in the hall directly from the IZI CRM — without walking to the machine and pressing the power button. This is especially useful at opening time: the administrator powers on all machines from one screen while still at the counter.
How WoL Works with IZI Boot
Section titled “How WoL Works with IZI Boot”IZI stores the MAC address of each PC when the IZI client first registers with the CRM. When you click Power On in the Hall section:
- IZI sends a “magic packet” — a special broadcast containing the PC’s MAC address
- The PC’s network card receives the packet (it stays powered in standby even when the PC is off)
- The network card signals the motherboard to start
- The PC boots, the IZI client starts, and the PC appears in the CRM as online
The whole cycle takes 30–60 seconds.
Requirements for WoL to Work
Section titled “Requirements for WoL to Work”- Wired Ethernet — WoL does not work over Wi-Fi
- BIOS/UEFI setting enabled — Wake on LAN or Wake on PCI-E option
- Windows network adapter setting — “Allow this device to wake the computer”
- Standby power to the network card — PC must stay plugged into a power outlet even when off
Step 1. Enable WoL in BIOS/UEFI
Section titled “Step 1. Enable WoL in BIOS/UEFI”- Restart the PC and enter BIOS (usually Delete, F2, or F10 at startup — depends on motherboard manufacturer)
- Find the power management section: Power Management, Advanced, or APM
- Enable one of these options (name varies by manufacturer):
- Wake on LAN
- Wake on PCI-E
- Power On by PCI-E / PCI
- Save and exit BIOS
Step 2. Configure the Network Adapter in Windows
Section titled “Step 2. Configure the Network Adapter in Windows”- Open Device Manager → Network Adapters
- Right-click the wired network adapter → Properties
- Go to the Power Management tab
- Check Allow this device to wake the computer
- Optionally check Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer
- Click OK
Step 3. Verify in IZI CRM
Section titled “Step 3. Verify in IZI CRM”After configuring BIOS and Windows:
- Shut down the PC completely
- In the IZI CRM Hall section — find the PC card (it will be grey — offline)
- Click on the card → Power On
- Wait 30–60 seconds — the card should turn green
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”| Symptom | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| PC doesn’t respond to WoL | Wi-Fi connection | Connect by Ethernet cable |
| WoL enabled in BIOS but PC won’t wake | Windows adapter setting | Enable “Allow this device to wake the computer” |
| PC wakes but immediately goes back to sleep | Windows fast startup interferes | Disable fast startup: Control Panel → Power Options → Turn on fast startup (off) |
| WoL works on LAN but not remotely | Router blocking magic packets | Forward UDP port 9 on the router or use a WoL relay |
Using WoL in Daily Operations
Section titled “Using WoL in Daily Operations”With WoL configured, the morning opening routine takes seconds:
- Administrator arrives and opens the CRM
- In the Hall section — selects all PCs
- Sends “Power On” command
- By the time they finish the opening checklist, most PCs are already online
Combined with IZI Boot remote image deployment, WoL also enables recovering a crashed PC without physically approaching the machine.
See Also
Section titled “See Also”Frequently asked questions
Does Wake-on-LAN work over Wi-Fi?
No. WoL requires a wired Ethernet connection. The network card must receive standby power from the motherboard when the PC is off — this only works reliably over a physical cable.
The PC doesn't wake up even though WoL is enabled in BIOS — what to check?
Check: 1) the PC is connected by cable, not Wi-Fi, 2) the network card has power standby enabled in Device Manager → Network Adapters → Adapter Properties → Power Management → Allow this device to wake the computer, 3) the router or switch is not blocking magic packets (UDP port 9 or broadcast).
Does WoL work if the PC is completely shut down vs in sleep mode?
With proper BIOS configuration — yes, from a full shutdown. The motherboard must supply standby power to the network card even when the PC is fully off (S5 state). This is enabled in BIOS under 'Wake on LAN' or 'Power On by PCI-E'.
How does IZI send the WoL command?
IZI sends a magic packet to the PC's MAC address stored in the device record in the CRM. The command is available from the Hall section — device card → Power On button. MAC address is registered automatically when the IZI client first connects.
After enabling WoL, how long does a PC take to come online in the CRM?
Typically 30–60 seconds: POST, Windows boot, IZI client start, registration with the server. After that the PC card in the Hall section turns green.