11/7/2009 Wake-on-LAN - Wikipedia, the free enc…

Wake-on-LAN
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wake-on-LAN is an Ethernet computer networking standard that allows a computer to be turned on or woken up
by a network message. The message is usually sent by a simple program executed on another computer on the local
area network. Wake-on-LAN is also known as Wake on LAN, WOL, or sometimes WoL. It may also be
known as Remote Wake-Up or RWU.

Contents
1 Technical details
1.1 System requirements
1.1.1 Intel/AMD based PC
1.1.2 Mac hardware (OS X)
1.2 How it works
1.3 Magic packet
1.3.1 Sending the magic packet
1.4 Security
1.4.1 TLS Encryption for WOL
2 Other machine states and LAN wakeup signals
2.1 Unattended operation
3 Wake on Internet
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

Technical details
System requirements

Wake on LAN (WoL) support is implemented on the motherboard of a computer and the network interface, and
as such, is not dependent on the operating system running on the hardware, although the operating system can
sometimes control the WoL behaviour. If the network interface is a plug-in card rather than being integrated into the
motherboard, the card may need to be connected to the motherboard by a cable. Motherboards with an embedded
Ethernet controller which supports WoL do not need a cable.

Intel/AMD based PC

Older motherboards must have a WAKEUP-LINK header onboard connected to the network card via a special
3-pin cable; however, systems supporting the PCI 2.2 standard and with a PCI 2.2 compliant network adapter
card do not usually require a WoL cable as the required standby power is relayed through the PCI bus.

PCI version 2.2 supports PME (Power Management Events). PCI cards send and receive PME signals via the PCI
socket directly, without the need for a WoL cable.[1]

Wake on LAN must be enabled in the Power Management section of a PC motherboard's BIOS setup utility. It
may also be necessary to configure the computer to reserve power for the network card when the system is shut
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down.

In addition, in order to get WoL to work it is sometimes required to enable this feature on the interface card. Details
of how to do this depend upon the operating system and the device driver.

Laptops powered by the Intel 3945 chipset or newer (with explicit BIOS support) allow waking up the machine
using wireless network connection (802.11 protocol). This is called Wake on Wireless LAN (WoWLAN).[2]

Mac hardware (OS X)

Modern Mac hardware features integrated WoL functionality, controlled via the OS X System Preferences Energy
Saver panel, in the Options tab. Marking the Wake for Ethernet network administrator access checkbox
enables WoL.

Apple's Apple Remote Desktop client management system can be used to send WoL packets, but there are also
freeware and shareware Mac OS X applications available.

How it works

Wake-on-LAN is platform-independent, so any application on any platform that sends magic packets can wake up
computers running on any platform. It is not restricted to LAN (Local area network) traffic.

The computer to be woken is shut down (sleeping, hibernating, or soft off; i.e., ACPI state G1 or G2), with power
reserved for the network card, but not disconnected from its power source. The network card listens for a specific
packet containing its MAC address, called the magic packet, broadcast on the broadcast address for that
particular subnet (or an entire LAN, though this requires special hardware or configuration).

The magic packet is sent on the data link or OSI-2 layer and broadcast to all NICs within the network of the
broadcast address; the IP-address (OSI-3 layer) is not used.

When the listening computer receives this packet, the network card checks the packet for the correct information. If
the magic packet is valid, the network card takes the computer out of hibernation or standby, or starts it up.

In order for Wake on LAN to work, parts of the network interface need to stay on. This consumes standby power,
small compared to the computer's normal operating power. If Wake on LAN is not needed, disabling it may reduce
power consumption while the computer is switched off but still plugged in.[3]

Magic packet

The magic packet is a broadcast frame containing anywhere within its payload: 6 bytes of ones (resulting in
hexadecimal FF FF FF FF FF FF), followed by sixteen repetitions of the target computer's MAC address.

Since the magic packet is only scanned for the string above, and not actually parsed by a full protocol stack, it may
be sent as a broadcast packet of any network- and transport-layer protocol. It is typically sent as a UDP datagram
to port 0, 7 or 9, or, in former times, as an IPX packet.

Sending the magic packet

All software and services mentioned in this section are some of the many available, and are not particularly
recommended above any other.

Many web sites allow a magic packet to be sent to a specified MAC address without charge.[4][5]

Simple dedicated programs and scripts have been written to send magic packets to a specified Ethernet adapter,
either locally or over the Internet. Many can be downloaded free of charge. Free WoL programs for Microsoft
Windows GUI, Windows command line, ASP, VBScript, scripting COM, and Pocket PC are available here
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(http://www.depicus.com/) amongst other places; for Apple Macintosh here
(http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/networking_security/wakeonlan.html) ; and executable programs, C
source code and Perl and Python scripts for Linux, Unix, NetWare, Win32, OS/2, Mac OS X, and BeOS 5 here
(http://gsd.di.uminho.pt/jpo/software/wakeonlan/mini-howto/wol-mini-howto-3.html) .

It is also possible, of course, for any script or program which has access to the target LAN, locally or over the
Internet, to include code to wake up a machine, perhaps to make available a resource supplied by a machine which
may be switched off at the time. Source code for a developer to add WoL to a program is readily available in many
computer languages.[6] As an example, a networked machine running Microsoft Windows and with a program
called wolcmd.exe can access resources on a machine connected to the LAN and with MAC address
00:11:22:33:44:55 by invoking a script:

wolcmd 001122334455 10.0.0.2 255.255.255.255 7 pause ftp 10.0.0.2

This will wake up the machine at 10.0.0.2, then FTP in after a pause to allow the machine to wake up.

Security

Magic packets are sent via the data link or OSI-2 layer, which is not secure and can be used or abused by anyone
on the same LAN.

Firewalls may prevent clients within the public WAN from accessing the broadcast address of the private LAN.

Certain NICs support a security feature called "SecureOn". It allows users to store within the NIC a hexadecimal
password of 6 bytes. Clients have to append this password to the magic packet. The NIC wakes the system only if
the MAC address and password are correct. This security measure significantly decreases the risk of successful
brute force attacks:

Still, only a few NIC and router manufacturers seem to support such security features.

Abuse of the WoL feature only allows computers to be switched on; it does not in itself bypass password and other
forms of security.

TLS Encryption for WOL

Some PCs include technology built into the chipset to improve security for WOL. For example, Intel AMT (a
component of Intel vPro technology), includes Transport Layer Security (TLS), an industry-standard protocol that
strengthens encryption.[7]

AMT uses TLS encryption to secure an out-of-band communication tunnel to an AMT-based PC for remote
management commands such as WOL. AMT secures the communication tunnel Advanced Encryption Standard
(AES) 128-bit encryption and RSA keys with modulus lengths of 2,048 bits.[8][9] Because the encrypted
communication is out-of-band, the PC’s hardware and firmware receive the magic packet before network traffic
reaches the software stack for the operating system (OS). Since the encrypted communication occurs “below” the
OS level, it is less vulnerable to attacks by viruses, worms, and other threats that typically target the OS level.[10]

IT shops using WOL through the Intel AMT implementation can wake an AMT PC over network environments
that require TLS-based security, such as IEEE 802.1x, Cisco Self Defending Network (SDN), and Microsoft
Network Access Protection (NAP) environments.[10] The Intel implementation also works for wireless
networks.[10]

Other machine states and LAN wakeup signals

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In the early days of Wake On LAN the situation was relatively simple: a machine was connected to power but
switched off, and it was arranged that a special packet be sent to switch the machine on.

Since then many options have been added and standards agreed. A machine can be in 7 power states from S0
(fully on) through S5 (powered down but plugged in) and disconnected from power, with names such as "sleep",
"standby", and "hibernate". In some reduced-power modes the system state is stored in RAM and the machine can
"wake up" very quickly; in others the state is saved to disc and the motherboard powered down, taking at least
several seconds to awake. The machine can be woken from a reduced-power state by a variety of signals. In a
particular example, the Gigabyte 8KNXP motherboard with built-in Intel PRO/1000 CT network adapter, there
are 3 motherboard BIOS settings and 6 network adapter settings which affect wakeup. The problem is often to
prevent the machine waking up immediately after going to a reduced power state.

Clearly the machine's BIOS must be set to allow WOL. To allow wakeup from powered-down state S5, wakeup
on PME is also required. The Intel adapter allows "Wake on Directed Packet", "Wake on Magic Packet", "Wake
on Magic Packet from power off state", and "Wake on Link".[11] Wake on Directed Packet is particularly useful as
the machine will automatically come out of standby or hibernation when it is referenced, without the user or
application needing to explicitly send a magic packet. Unfortunately in many networks waking on directed packet
(any packet with the adapter's MAC address or IP address) or on link is likely to cause wakeup immediately after
going to a low-power state. Details for any particular motherboard and network adapter are to be found in the
relevant manuals; there is no general method. Knowledge of signals on the network may also be needed to prevent
spurious wakening.

Unattended operation

For a machine which is normally unattended precautions need to be taken to make the WoL function as reliable as
possible. For a machine procured to work in this way, WoL functionality is an important part of the purchase
procedure.

Some machines do not support WoL after they have been disconnected from power (e.g., when power is restored
after a power failure). Use of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) will give protection against a short period
without power, although the battery will discharge during a prolonged power cut. If a machine is not designed to
support WoL if left powered down after power failure, it may be possible to set the BIOS to start it up
automatically on restoration of power, so that it is never left in an unresponsive state. A typical BIOS setting is AC
back function which may be on, off, or memory. On is the correct setting in this case; memory, which restores
the machine to the state it was in when power was lost, may leave a machine which was hibernating in an
unwakeable state.

Other problems can affect the ability to start or control the machine remotely: hardware failure of the machine or
network, failure of the BIOS settings battery (the machine will halt when started before the network connection is
made, displaying an error message and requiring a keypress), loss of control of the machine due to software
problems (machine hang, termination of remote control or networking software, etc.), and virus infection or hard
disk corruption. Use of a reliable server-class machine with RAID drives, redundant power supplies, etc., will help
to maximize availability. A device which can switch the machine off and on again, controlled perhaps by a telephone
signal, can force a reboot which will clear problems due to misbehaving software.

For a machine not in constant use, energy can be conserved by putting the machine into low-power RAM standby
after a short timeout period. If a connection delay of a minute or two is acceptable, the machine can timeout into
hibernation, powered off with its state saved to disk.

Wake on Internet
See also: Sleep Proxy Service

The computer being woken does not know whether the wakeup signal comes from another machine on the same
network or from anywhere else. If the magic packet can be made to reach a computer, it can originate anywhere
(e.g., from the Internet). This can be achieved by a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which makes the remote
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computer appear to be a member of the Local Area Network (LAN). In the absence of a VPN, a computer
connected to a router can be woken if a magic packet sent over the Internet is routed to it. This requires any
firewall to be set up to allow entry of the WOL signal to a specified port. The port can be forwarded to the
computer to be woken up; or some routers permit the packet to be broadcast to the entire LAN. However, some
routers do not support this as they will not forward broadcast packets.

In case the computer being woken is communicating via Wi-Fi, the wake-up-packet can be sent via Wireless
Multimedia Extensions (WMM).[12]. This was not possible in previous implementations of Wake on LAN.

See also
Alert on LAN
Intel vPro
RTC Alarm
Sleep Proxy Service
Wake-on-Ring
Wired for Management

References
1. ^ Using Wake-On-LAN WOL/PME to power up your computer remotely
(http://xlife.zuavra.net/index.php/60/)
2. ^ Intel Centrino Mobile Technology Wake on Wireless LAN
(http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/resources/doc_library/tech_brief/wowlan_tech_brief.pdf)
3. ^ Less Watts: Ethernet Tips & Tricks (http://www.lesswatts.org/tips/ethernet.php)
4. ^ Mestrone online WoL sender (http://stephan.mestrona.net/wol/)
5. ^ RSHUT online WoL sender (http://www.rshut.com/products/wol/mobile)
6. ^ Wake-on-LAN class (source code) (http://www.codeproject.com/KB/IP/wolclass.aspx)
7. ^ "Intel vPro Technology White Paper (http://download.intel.com/products/vpro/whitepaper/crossclient.pdf)
". Intel. http://download.intel.com/products/vpro/whitepaper/crossclient.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
8. ^ "Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Instructions Set
(http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/3788.htm) ". Intel.
http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/3788.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
9. ^ "Hardening Measures Built into Intel Active Management Technology
(http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/3703.htm) ". Intel.
http://softwarecommunity.intel.com/articles/eng/3703.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
10. ^ a b c "Intel Centrino 2 with vPro technology and Intel Core2 processor with vPro technology
(http://download.intel.com/products/vpro/whitepaper/crossclient.pdf) ". Intel.
http://download.intel.com/products/vpro/whitepaper/crossclient.pdf. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
11. ^ Remote Wake-Up: Intel Network Adapters User Guide (http://driveragent.com/archive/17228/image/7-0-
93)
12. ^ Glenn Fleishman (2009-08-28). "Wake on Demand lets Snow Leopard sleep with one eye open
(http://www.macworld.com/article/142468/2009/08/wake_on_demand.html) ". Macworld.com.
http://www.macworld.com/article/142468/2009/08/wake_on_demand.html. Retrieved 2009-09-15. "How it
works", "Energy Saver preference pane"

External links
Troubleshooting Remote Wake-up Issues (http://support.intel.com/support/network/sb/cs-008459.htm)
Useful WOL troubleshooting information from Intel
Wake-on-LAN Packet sniffer (http://www.profshutdown.com/wakeonlan_troubleshoot.aspx) A free tool to
troubleshoot and setup Wake-on-LAN

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AMD's Magic Packet Technology white paper (http://www.amd.com/us-
en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/20213.pdf) Publication# 20213
Wake-on-LAN white paper by Philip Lieberman (http://www.liebsoft.com/pdfs/Wake_On_LAN.pdf)
Describes the IBM / Intel alliance that created Wake-on-LAN
SmallNetBuilder Guide to Set up WOL (http://smallnetbuilder.com/content/view/29941/53/)
Wake-on-LAN History and How-To Guide (http://gsd.di.uminho.pt/jpo/software/wakeonlan/mini-
howto/wol-mini-howto-2.html)
Wake-on-LAN Security Best Practices (Microsoft, 2008) (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/bb693549.aspx)
Wake On Local Area Network (LAN) (http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?
c=power_mgt.pr_power_mgt_wol) WOL guide for Microsoft Windows from Energy Star (EPA)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake-on-LAN"
Categories: Networking standards | BIOS | Remote control | Ethernet

This page was last modified on 1 November 2009 at 15:06.

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