How to Enable or Disable Wake on LAN (WOL) in Windows 11

Understanding Wake on LAN (WOL)

Wake on LAN, or WOL, is a handy feature that lets you turn on your computer remotely. Even when your PC is asleep or shut down, its network card can listen for a special ‘magic packet’ that tells it to power on.

Step 1Check Your Computer’s BIOS/UEFI Settings

Before you configure Windows 11, you must complete a crucial step within your computer's basic settings, called BIOS or UEFI. This BIOS/UEFI interface provides your computer's hardware with initial instructions when you turn the computer on.

Accessing BIOS/UEFI

To get started with Wake on LAN, you first need to access your computer’s BIOS or UEFI settings. You do this by restarting your PC and pressing a specific key, like Delete, F2, F10, or F12, right when the manufacturer’s logo appears.

Finding the WOL Setting

Inside the BIOS/UEFI menu, you'll need to find the specific setting for Wake on LAN. Look for options labeled 'Power Management,' 'Advanced Settings,' or 'APM Configuration,' and search for terms like 'Wake on LAN' or 'Power On By PCI/PCIe.'

Saving and Exiting

Step 2Configure Network Adapter Settings in 🪟 Windows 11

Now that your computer’s firmware is set up, you need to tell Windows 11 to allow your network adapter to wake the computer.

Accessing Network Adapter Properties

To configure Wake on LAN within Windows 11, start by opening your Settings app. You can click the Start button and then the Gear icon, or simply press Windows Key + I. Then, go to 'Network & internet' and select 'Advanced network settings'.

In the Advanced network settings screen, you’ll see a list of your network adapters. Find the one you use for your wired internet connection (usually labeled as Ethernet) and click on it to expand its details. Then, click Edit under “Network adapter details.”

Enabling Wake on Magic Packet

In the network adapter's properties window, navigate to the 'Advanced' tab and find the 'Wake on Magic Packet' setting. Change this setting to 'Enabled' so your network card can respond to the special wake-up signal.

A magic packet is a special network signal that wakes up a WOL-configured computer. This magic packet contains a unique pattern your network adapter recognizes.

Configuring Power Management Options

On the 'Power Management' tab within your network adapter's properties, ensure 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' is checked. Most importantly, make sure 'Allow this device to wake the computer' is also checked.

• Make sure Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power is checked. This allows Windows to put the network adapter into a low-power state where it can still listen for the magic packet.
• Crucially, check the box that says Allow this device to wake the computer. This is the main switch for WOL in Windows.
• You’ll also see an option called Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer. It’s a good idea to check this box. It adds an extra layer of security by ensuring that only the specific magic packet can wake your PC, not just any random network traffic.

Click OK to save all your changes.

Step 3Adjusting Device Manager Settings (Alternative Method)

Sometimes, the settings you need are directly in the Device Manager. This gives you another way to access and control your network adapter's power features.

Opening Device Manager

Open Device Manager in a couple of ways. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager from the menu. Alternatively, press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter.

Locating Your Network Adapter

To find your network adapter, open Device Manager and expand the 'Network adapters' section. Locate your wired Ethernet adapter, which usually has 'Ethernet' in its name, and double-click the wired Ethernet adapter to open its Properties window.

Configuring Advanced and Power Management Tabs

Within the network adapter's Properties, go to the 'Advanced' tab and set 'Wake on Magic Packet' to 'Enabled.' Then, on the 'Power Management' tab, ensure 'Allow this device to wake the computer' is checked, and consider checking 'Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer.'

• First, go to the Advanced tab. Scroll through the list of properties and find Wake on Magic Packet. Set its value to Enabled.
• Next, click on the Power Management tab. Ensure that Allow this device to wake the computer is checked. It’s also recommended to check Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer. Make sure Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power is also checked.

Click OK when you’re done.

Step 4Disabling Fast Startup (Often Necessary)

Windows 11's Fast Startup feature can sometimes prevent Wake on LAN from working correctly. This feature speeds up boot times by saving system data on shutdown, but it can leave network devices in a state that blocks WOL signals.

Accessing Power Options

To disable Fast Startup, go back to the Control Panel. Search for “Control Panel” in the Windows search bar and open it. Once the Control Panel is open, change the “View by” option in the top right corner to Large icons or Small icons, then click on Power Options.

Finding Shutdown Settings

In the Power Options window, click on “Choose what the power buttons do” in the left-hand sidebar.

Disabling Fast Startup

To disable Fast Startup, go to your Power Options, click 'Choose what the power buttons do,' and then select 'Change settings that are currently unavailable.' Uncheck the box next to 'Turn on fast startup (recommended)' and click 'Save changes.'

Click Save changes. Your computer will now perform a full shutdown instead of a hybrid shutdown, which can help WOL function reliably.

Step 5Enabling WOL Using Command Prompt or PowerShell

For those who prefer using the command line, you can enable Wake on LAN with a simple command. This is a quick way to manage the setting if you know the exact name of your network adapter.

Opening Windows Terminal as Administrator

First, open Windows Terminal with administrative rights. Click the Start button, type “Terminal,” right-click on “Windows Terminal” in the search results, and select Run as administrator.

Listing Devices That Can Wake Your PC

You can find out which devices are set to wake your PC by using a command in Windows Terminal. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt and type 'powercfg -devicequery wake_programmable,' then press Enter to see a list of potential wake-up devices.

powercfg -devicequery wake_programmable

This command will list all devices that are currently configured to potentially wake your computer. Look through the list and find the exact name of your Ethernet adapter. It will look something like “Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (7) I219-V” or “Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller.”

Enabling Wake on LAN

After identifying your network adapter's exact name using the previous command, you can enable Wake on LAN with another command. Type 'powercfg -deviceenablewake "Your Network Adapter Name Here"', replacing the placeholder with your adapter's name.

powercfg -deviceenablewake "Your Network Adapter Name Here"

For example, if your adapter name is “Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (7) I219-V,” the command would be:

powercfg -deviceenablewake "Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (7) I219-V"

Press Enter to execute the command. If successful, the device will now be enabled for waking your computer.

Step 6Disabling WOL Using Command Prompt or PowerShell

If you ever need to turn off Wake on LAN, you can also do it from the command line. This is useful if you’re troubleshooting or no longer need the feature.

Opening Windows Terminal as Administrator

As before, open Windows Terminal and make sure you select Run as administrator.

Listing Devices Currently Waking Your PC

The command `wmic path win32_networkadapter where "NetConnectionStatus=2" get NetConnectionID, Name` shows devices set up to wake your computer. This command helps you identify which network adapters are configured for Wake on LAN (WOL), a feature allowing your computer to be turned on remotely.

powercfg -devicequery wake_armed

This will show you a list of devices that are actively armed to wake your PC. Find your Ethernet adapter in this list.

Disabling Wake on LAN

If you need to disable Wake on LAN later, you can use a similar command in Windows Terminal. Type 'powercfg -devicedisablewake "Your Network Adapter Name Here"', making sure to substitute your network adapter's actual name, and press Enter.

powercfg -devicedisablewake "Your Network Adapter Name Here"

For instance:

powercfg -devicedisablewake "Intel(R) Ethernet Connection (7) I219-V"

Press Enter. This command will disarm the device, preventing it from waking your computer via WOL.

Summary

Wake on LAN (WOL) lets you turn on your Windows 11 PC from afar using a special network signal. To set it up, you'll need to enable WOL in your BIOS/UEFI, configure your network adapter's advanced and power management settings in Windows, and potentially disable Fast Startup.

• Check BIOS/UEFI: Restart your PC and enter its BIOS/UEFI settings (often by pressing Delete, F2, F10, or F12 during startup). Find and enable the Wake on LAN or similar option. Save and exit.
• Configure Network Adapter: Go to Windows Settings › Network & internet › Advanced network settings. Select your Ethernet adapter, click Edit, and in the Advanced tab, enable "Wake on Magic Packet." In the Power Management tab, check "Allow this device to wake the computer" and optionally "Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer."
• Disable Fast Startup: Search for Control Panel, open it, go to Power Options, then "Choose what the power buttons do." Click "Change settings that are currently unavailable" (requires admin rights) and uncheck "Turn on fast startup."
• Use Command Line (Optional): Open Windows Terminal as administrator. Use commands like `powercfg /devicequery wake_armed` to list devices and `powercfg /deviceenablewake "Your Adapter Name"` or `powercfg /devicerestoredefault "Your Adapter Name"` to enable or disable WOL.

Wake on LAN (WOL) setup provides convenient remote access, or you can turn the WOL feature off if it is not needed.