How to Wake Your Computer Remotely with iPhone (Wake-on-LAN)

Published March 11, 2026 · 5 min read

Imagine you're away from home and need to access a file on your desktop computer. The problem: it's turned off. With Wake-on-LAN, you can power it on from your iPhone without anyone pressing the power button. Here's how it works and how to set it up.

What Is Wake-on-LAN?

Wake-on-LAN (WoL) is a networking standard that allows a computer to be turned on remotely by sending a special network message called a "magic packet." The computer's network adapter stays partially powered even when the machine is shut down or sleeping, listening for this specific packet. When it arrives, the adapter signals the motherboard to boot up.

WoL has been around since the late 1990s and is supported by virtually all modern desktop computers, many laptops, and some NAS devices. It's simple, reliable, and doesn't require any software to be running on the target machine.

How the Magic Packet Works

A magic packet is a small network broadcast containing a specific pattern: six bytes of 0xFF followed by the target computer's MAC address repeated 16 times. That's it — just 102 bytes total.

The network adapter on the sleeping computer recognises this pattern and triggers a power-on. Because the packet uses the MAC address (a unique hardware identifier) rather than an IP address, it works even when the computer has no IP assigned.

Requirements for Wake-on-LAN

Before you can wake a computer remotely, a few things need to be in place:

• Wired Ethernet connection — WoL works most reliably over Ethernet. WiFi Wake-on-LAN exists (sometimes called Wake-on-Wireless-LAN or WoWLAN) but support is inconsistent and often unreliable
• BIOS/UEFI support enabled — Wake-on-LAN must be turned on in your computer's firmware settings
• Operating system configured — Windows, macOS, and Linux all have additional settings to allow WoL
• Same network — the device sending the magic packet needs to be on the same local network (unless you configure your router for WoL forwarding)

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

1. Enable WoL in BIOS/UEFI

1. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS/UEFI setup (usually by pressing Del, F2, or F12 during boot)
2. Look for a setting called Wake-on-LAN, Power On By PCI-E, or Resume By LAN (the exact name varies by manufacturer)
3. Enable it and save your changes

2. Configure Your Operating System

Windows:

1. Open Device Manager and find your Ethernet adapter
2. Right-click > Properties > Power Management tab
3. Check "Allow this device to wake the computer"
4. Also check "Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer"
5. In the Advanced tab, ensure Wake on Magic Packet is set to Enabled

macOS:

1. Open System Settings > Energy
2. Enable "Wake for network access"

Linux:

1. Install ethtool if needed: sudo apt install ethtool
2. Check current setting: sudo ethtool eth0 | grep Wake-on
3. Enable WoL: sudo ethtool -s eth0 wol g
4. Make it persistent by adding the command to a startup script or using a systemd service

3. Find Your Computer's MAC Address

You need the MAC address of the Ethernet adapter on the computer you want to wake:

• Windows: Open Command Prompt and run ipconfig /all. Look for "Physical Address" under your Ethernet adapter
• macOS: System Settings > Network > Ethernet > Details > Hardware. The MAC address is listed there
• Linux: Run ip link show and look for the "link/ether" line

4. Send the Magic Packet with PingKit

Now that everything is configured, you can wake your computer from PingKit:

1. Open PingKit and go to the Wake-on-LAN tool
2. Enter your computer's MAC address and give it a friendly name (e.g., "Desktop PC")
3. Save the device — PingKit remembers it so you don't have to enter the MAC address again
4. Tap Wake to send the magic packet
5. Your computer should power on within a few seconds

Troubleshooting

If your computer doesn't wake up after sending the packet, check these common issues:

• Computer is fully powered off vs sleeping — some systems only support WoL from sleep or hibernate states, not from a full shutdown. Try putting the computer to sleep instead of shutting it down
• Fast Startup (Windows) — Windows' "Fast Startup" feature can interfere with WoL. Disable it in Power Options > "Choose what the power buttons do" > uncheck "Turn on fast startup"
• Wrong MAC address — double-check that you're using the MAC address of the Ethernet adapter, not the WiFi adapter
• Router blocking broadcasts — some routers block broadcast packets. Check your router's settings for any broadcast filtering options

Wake-on-LAN from Outside Your Network

Standard WoL only works on the local network. To wake a computer from outside your home (over the internet), you need to configure port forwarding on your router to forward UDP port 9 to the broadcast address of your local network. This is more advanced and carries some security considerations, so only set it up if you understand the implications.

A safer alternative is to use a VPN to connect to your home network first, then send the WoL packet as if you were local.