WOL Server on additional pc

[mobiusnz]

OK - This is related to WOL for MVP's - I have 5 pc's that are always on in my household (Some relate to a business). 1 of these is an SBS Server that is never in standby, all the rest go to standby to try and save power (And wear and tear). What I'm wondering after my reading about WOL with MVP's is could someone write a service that runs on an additional pc that listens for the MVP's UDP broadcast and then sends a WOL packet to your predetermined MAC address. This way I could leave the Lounge GBPVR pc in standby - when the software on my SBS server (always awake) hears the UDP broadcast from the MVP it sends the WOL packet to my Lounge pc.

I'm hoping 2 things here:

1) - Other people have this scenario of 1 pc that needs to always remain on and yet they'd like to save power on the HTPC.

2) - Listening for the UDP broadcast is easy and wouldn't require too much programming (or resources to run).


Another option is to buy a Linksys router or similar - write a linux firmware replacement that does this task - that way its a solid state device with low power consumption that could sit on the LAN and wake the HTPC on demand. There must be a very cheap router out there that this sort of thing is doable on?

[sub]

Its not a project I want to take on, but it would be relatively simple to do this and it would work.

[mobiusnz]

Its not a project I want to take on, but it would be relatively simple to do this and it would work.

It's nice to hear its theoretically sound - maybe I'll play around on my linux pc - I have another always on Linux box as a spam gateway for inbound email - I might try and do it there! I know little about perl etc but I imagine its possible with perl - if so maybe its time I learnt - I have a basic (yes Basic™ not Basic/Simple) programming background and perl looks nice and simple.

I take it you don't have the same scenario then Sub - how do you deal with it:

A) - Always leave HTPC on

B) - Played with Wakeup settings and made it "work"

C) - Get off butt and hit keyboard button.

[sub]

I have my main HTPC on 24x7.

[fred250]

Hi mobiusnz,

I have a similar setup as yours with only one computer on 24x7.
I wrote this small program that can wake my HTPC when the MVP needs it.
It's not a service but you may try it out anyway. It needs .net 2.0.

good luck

/Fred

[jksmurf]

mobiusnz,

Not sure on this, but perhaps using a linskys WRT54G with HyperWRT Thibor 15c as shown in the pic below is what you had in mind? It works nicely with Static IP's by MAC Address and is very stable.

The HyperWRT s/w

Forums
HyperWRT
Linksysinfo

Make sure you flash the CORRECT f/w for the device you purchase! v5 and 6 of the GS range are NOT compatible.

k

[mobiusnz]

Hi mobiusnz,

I have a similar setup as yours with only one computer on 24x7.
I wrote this small program that can wake my HTPC when the MVP needs it.
It's not a service but you may try it out anyway. It needs .net 2.0.

good luck

/Fred

How does this work - I already have a command line WOL tool - is that what this is or does it actually listen for the MVP broadcast and automatically send the WOL.

If it just sends a WOL packet when requested manually I can already do this - and by the time I go to the office pc to do it I might as well have hit the keyboard in the lounge.

[mobiusnz]

mobiusnz,

Not sure on this, but perhaps using a linskys WRT54G with HyperWRT Thibor 15c as shown in the pic below is what you had in mind? It works nicely with Static IP's by MAC Address and is very stable.


Make sure you flash the CORRECT f/w for the device you purchase! v5 and 6 of the GS range are NOT compatible.

k

I already have the ability to send a WOL packet from the command line - I want a piece of software to do it for me when the MVP needs it - Ie when the MVP sends out a broadcast looking for its Server the software would see the packet and send the WOL. Walking to my office, Logging into a router via Internet explorer and sending a WOL packet is a lot harder than walking to the lounge and pushing the keyboard once.

I can get a Uniden remote control from a car alarm and a uniden Relay I could setup so I hit the remote which triggers the relay which pushes a button on a keyboard or mouse or similar - I'm considering this as a wireless method of waking up the lounge pc and attach the remote to the bedside table, currently my wireless system is

"Sophie (7 year old daughter) - Can you hit the spacebar" - This works well on sunday mornings sleeping in but no so good late at night

Oh well..... I'll get round to something eventually - its not really a big issue - I may just schedule the HTPC to wakeup at 7, 7:30, 8 and 8:30 so its awake in the mornings when I'm most likely to want to use the MVP and the HTPC has gone to sleep.

[jksmurf]

Walking to my office, Logging into a router via Internet explorer and sending a WOL packet is a lot harder than walking to the lounge and pushing the keyboard once.

Right you are. Like I said I am "not sure on this". For some reason I thought it WAS automatic (like a port-forwarded "WAKE UP" call). But it does appear to be a manual event

Sorry.

k.

[fred250]

How does this work - I already have a command line WOL tool - is that what this is or does it actually listen for the MVP broadcast and automatically send the WOL.

If it just sends a WOL packet when requested manually I can already do this - and by the time I go to the office pc to do it I might as well have hit the keyboard in the lounge.

In short terms this is what it is/does:
It's a command line tool which take a MAC address as parameter and
listens on UDP 16881 and sends a WOL-packet whenever it receives a broadcast.

Execpt that it's not a service I think i'ts pretty much what your're looking for.
I'm thinking of making it a service but I havn't had the time yet.
If interested I'll give you the source and you can go from there.
It's pretty simpe, about 100 rows of code.

Until someone has built a decent dongle with WOL I'll be using it. It's far better than running up and down the stairs

/Fred