Vnc And Sleep Mode: Can They Coexist?

can vnc wake from sleep

Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a connection-based protocol that allows users to remotely access another computer. A common issue with VNC is that it does not always work when the host computer is asleep. This has prompted users to find ways to wake their computers from sleep using VNC. There are several ways to do this, including using the Wake-On-LAN feature, installing TightVNC, and using the Screen Sharing application for macOS.

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VNC Wake-on-LAN setup

VNC Wake-on-LAN can be set up to wake up your PC when it is asleep. This can be done by running TightVNC on your Windows PC. TightVNC acts as a Windows service and should automatically wake your PC when it is asleep. You can also ensure that your NIC/Wireless card is not turning off to "save power". This setting can be found in the device manager for the respective parts.

To set up VNC Wake-on-LAN, you need to enable Wake On Lan on your Windows 7 laptop. This will ensure that when it receives a network connection request from your Mac, it will wake up and accept the connection. It is important to note that WoL only works with a wired connection, not a wireless one. Additionally, since the VNC connection is unencrypted, it is recommended to access the VNC server through SSH tunneling.

To wake up a PC from outside your local network, you can set up a method to control another device within your network remotely. This can be done by reserving a static local IP for your phone and forwarding a public port to that phone's port.

There are also applications and software that can help enable the Wake-on-LAN feature. For example, the Wolow app can be used to remotely wake on LAN all the servers through a static router public IP and binding all the servers a static internal IP. Additionally, AnyDesk has WOL implemented in their software, which also works.

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VNC and Mac OS

Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a popular protocol for remotely controlling devices with a graphical user interface (GUI). VNC is platform-independent, meaning it can be used to control devices across different operating systems, including Mac OS.

To use VNC on a Mac, you will need to install a VNC client and connect to a VNC server running on another device. There are several VNC clients available for Mac OS, including:

  • RealVNC Viewer: This is a popular and secure VNC client that allows you to connect to all your devices remotely. RealVNC Viewer is free to use, but the RealVNC Server is a paid service.
  • Chicken of the VNC: This is another VNC client option for Mac OS.
  • TightVNC: While primarily used on Windows, some users have mentioned using TightVNC on their Mac as well.
  • NoMachine: This is a cross-platform VNC client that works on Mac, Windows, and Linux. However, it may have issues with Linux.

To set up a Mac to be controlled by VNC, you can follow these general steps:

  • Install VNC Server software on the Mac and assign a VNC password.
  • Ensure the client's firewall has the VNC port open (TCP 5900).
  • Make sure ""Encrypt all network data" is not selected in the Security pane of Remote Desktop preferences, as this may cause connection issues.
  • If using a non-Apple VNC client, be aware of security concerns, such as keystroke encryption and password storage.
  • You can set a custom VNC port and designate a display to control in the Remote Desktop settings.

With these steps, you can set up and use VNC on a Mac OS device to remotely control and access other devices.

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VNC and Windows

Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a graphical desktop-sharing system that allows you to control one computer from another, known as remote access. VNC is platform-independent, so you can connect computers running different operating systems, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.

When it comes to VNC and Windows, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, to establish a successful VNC connection, it is important to ensure that the Windows PC is not in sleep mode. While VNC can be used to wake a sleeping Mac, this feature does not seem to be consistently available for Windows PCs. In some cases, users have reported issues with VNC not being able to wake up their Windows 7 laptops from sleep mode.

To address this issue on a Windows PC, one suggestion is to use TightVNC, which acts as a Windows service and should automatically wake up the PC when it is asleep. It is also important to check the power settings and ensure that the NIC/Wireless card is not turning off to "save power". This setting can be found in the device manager.

Additionally, when setting up a VNC connection to a Windows PC, you may need to forward the port on your router if you want to wake the computer from a connection outside of your local network. This step is not required if you are connecting from within the same local network.

For Windows users who want to enable remote wake-up functionality, a feature called "Wake on LAN" can be utilized. This feature allows you to remotely wake up a computer over a local network. However, it should be noted that this feature may not be available or allowed due to certain policies or power settings.

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VNC and power outages

Power outages can cause computers to shut down, which can be a problem if you're trying to use VNC to connect to them remotely. In such cases, you would need to physically restart the computers before VNC can work again. This can be inconvenient and time-consuming, especially if the computers are located in a different building or area.

To avoid this issue, you can enable a "Wake-on-LAN" feature, which allows you to remotely wake up a sleeping computer on your local network. This feature can be useful if you want to access your computer from a remote location and don't want to leave it running all the time.

For Windows PCs, you can try using TightVNC, which acts as a Windows service and should automatically wake up your PC when it's asleep. You can also try putting your PC to sleep and running a script ("./winxp") to wake it up. Additionally, make sure your NIC/Wireless card is not turning off to "save power" in the device manager settings.

For Macs, you can use the built-in Screen Sharing application in macOS to wake up a sleeping Mac. Simply right-click on the Finder icon on the dock, select "Connect to Server...", enter the server IP address or name preceded by "vnc://", and then click "Connect". Alternatively, you can install Chicken on your Macintosh computer or try using the integrated VNC client if you have Mac OS 10.5 Leopard or newer.

By utilizing these methods, you can avoid the inconvenience of having to physically restart computers after a power outage and easily wake them up remotely using VNC.

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VNC and hibernation

Virtual Network Computing (VNC) is a graphical desktop-sharing system that allows a user to remotely control another computer. When it comes to hibernation and sleep modes, VNC's effectiveness varies depending on the operating system of the host machine.

For Windows 7, enabling Wake On Lan ensures that the computer wakes up and accepts a connection request from another device on the same network. However, this feature only works with a wired connection, not wireless. Additionally, running TightVNC on a Windows PC can automatically wake the computer from sleep.

For macOS, there are reports of VNC being able to wake a sleeping Mac in some versions but not others. The Screen Sharing application included with macOS should be able to wake a sleeping Mac. To use this feature, users can right-click on the Finder icon, select "Connect to Server," enter the server IP address or name preceded by "vnc://," and then select "Connect."

It is important to note that when using VNC to connect to a sleeping iMac, the machines must be on the same local area network (LAN) and the server Mac must have a public IP address. Additionally, RealVNC is mentioned as a preferred VNC server for macOS.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, TightVNC can wake your Windows 7 laptop from sleep.

Install TightVNC on your Windows machine and set the server to run as a service so it is always available.

You will need to forward the port on your router.

Yes, the Screen Sharing application included with macOS can wake a sleeping Mac.

Yes, but you may need to replace the last line of the script with "open vnc://$remoteip/.

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