Wake-on-LAN — Power On Computers Remotely
Wake-on-LAN is a feature built into most motherboards: send a specific magic packet to the network, and a sleeping computer powers itself on. MiniMax Converter generates and sends those packets — from one machine to another on your LAN. Save a list of your devices by MAC address, click any one to wake it up. Useful for "I left my work computer at the office and forgot to start the build" situations.
What you need on the target
BIOS / UEFI: "Wake on LAN" enabled (usually under Power Management). OS: Windows allows network adapters to wake the computer in the network adapter's power settings. Linux: the NIC needs ethtool -s eth0 wol g. macOS: System Settings → Energy → "Wake for network access". Network: the target must be cabled (most WiFi cards don't support WoL while suspended).
How to use the sender
- Open Tools → Network → Wake-on-LAN.
- Add a device: friendly name + MAC address. Save.
- When you want to wake it: click the device row → Send. Three magic packets are sent (some NICs need multiple to be reliable).
- Optional: SecureOn password — some enterprise NICs require a 6-byte password embedded in the packet. Set it once per device.
- After ~10-30 seconds the target should be online. Ping or SSH to confirm.
Why this needs to be a real app, not a web tool
Most online WoL "tools" can't actually send the packet — JavaScript in a browser has no permission to craft raw network packets. They generate the packet bytes for you to send manually. A real desktop app actually sends them. That's the difference.
Questions and answers
My target is on a different subnet — does WoL work?
Only if your router supports "directed broadcast" forwarding (rare on home routers; common on enterprise gear). For most home setups: same LAN segment only.
What's a SecureOn password?
An optional 6-byte password embedded in the magic packet that the target NIC checks. Without the right password, the packet is ignored. Used in enterprise environments where unauthorized wake-ups are a concern.
Why does my target not wake?
Most common: WoL isn't enabled in BIOS, or the OS power-management cut power to the NIC during sleep. Check the target's "wake reason" log on next boot — it tells you what woke it (or that nothing did).
Does this work over the internet?
Not directly — magic packets are typically LAN-only. To wake a home machine from the internet, you need a VPN or a port-forward to broadcast. Not the tool's job.
Related tools
Get MiniMax Converter
Cross-platform desktop app. Linux free for non-commercial use; Windows & macOS one-time €20 license. No subscription, no telemetry, no account.