Ashwin Lewis
There are several ways to wake a Mac from sleep mode remotely. One way is to use Wake on LAN (WoL), which requires sending a special network broadcast containing the MAC address of the network card of the machine to be woken up. Another way is to use a remote connection software such as LogMeIn or Ultra-VNC software to log on remotely and wake up the Mac. Additionally, there are iOS apps available that can be used to wake a Mac from sleep mode, such as Knock, which requires Bluetooth to be on at all times for daily use.
How to wake a Mac from sleep remotely
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Feature Name | Wake on LAN (WoL) |
| How it works | Requires sending a special network broadcast containing the MAC address of the network card of the machine to be woken up |
| Requirements | Apple wireless router, MacBook must be in "sleep" mode, not off or hibernate |
| Other requirements | Another computer on the subnet to be awake or the Router to support WoL, Wireless Multimedia Extensions (WME) or Wi-Fi Multimedia (WMM), Bluetooth to be on 24/7 |
| Additional Information | This feature is built into OS X and supported by most modern Macs |
| Apps that can help | Knock ($3.99 of the iOS App Store, Free for Mac), NetAwake, TeamViewer, Mocha WOL, Fing |
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What You'll Learn
Using Wake on LAN (WoL)
Wake on LAN (WoL) is a computer networking standard that allows users to wake up devices from their sleep mode within the local area network (LAN). WoL is a standard networking protocol that boots computers from sleep mode. It is designed to allow a network administrator to turn on a computer remotely by sending a "magic packet". This packet is a standard wake-up frame that contains the target client's MAC address and network broadcast address along with the WoL configurations.
To enable Wake on LAN on your Mac, go to System Preferences > Energy Settings and enable "Wake for network access". Then, check the MAC address of your wireless card. Put your Mac to sleep. From a second computer, log in to your router and use the Wake on LAN (WoL) option to wake up your Mac by entering the MAC address.
Wake on LAN can also be done using unicast network packets, where the magic packets are sent from the server to the target computer directly. However, this method is not widely used due to limitations such as the need to know the target computer's address.
There are some limitations and security considerations when using Wake on LAN. It requires another computer on the subnet to be awake or the router to support WoL. It also has compatibility issues with certain network access control solutions such as 802.1X MAC-based authentication, which may prevent magic packet delivery. Additionally, standard broadcast WoL is limited to the same subnet, and it does not work across larger networks or over the Internet.
To enhance security, certain NICs support a feature called "SecureOn", which allows users to store a hexadecimal password within the NIC. The NIC will only wake the system if both the MAC address and the password are correct, thus reducing the risk of successful brute force attacks.
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Using an iPhone, iPad, or Android device
You can use an iPhone, iPad, or Android device to wake your Mac from sleep remotely. This is done using a feature called Wake On LAN (WOL).
First, you need to enable WOL on your Mac. To do this, go to System Preferences > Energy Saver and check "Wake for Network Access" or "Wake for Wi-Fi network access" (this may be "Wake for network access" if your device has multiple networking options).
Next, make sure your iPhone, iPad, or Android device is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Mac. You can use a free app such as Fing, Mocha WOL, or NetStatus to wake your Mac. Open the app and locate the Wake On LAN option. Enter the MAC address of your Mac, and your device will send a "magic packet" to wake it up.
Note that Wake On LAN requires another computer on the subnet to be awake, or the router to support WoL. Not all routers support this feature, so check beforehand. Additionally, WOL will not work on laptops connected to Wi-Fi via an Airport card.
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Using a second computer
To wake your Mac from sleep mode remotely using a second computer, you can try the following methods:
Using Wake on LAN (WoL)
Firstly, ensure that your Mac supports WoL. Go to System Preferences > Energy Settings and enable "Wake on LAN". Then, on your second computer, log in to your router and enter your Mac's MAC address to wake it up wirelessly. Note that not all routers support WoL, and your Mac must be in "sleep" mode, not "off" or "hibernate".
Using a Remote Connection
If you have already set up your Mac for remote access, you can try connecting to it from another computer using software such as Uvnc (Ultra-VNC software).
Using a NodeMCU WiFi Board and Arduino Pro Micro
A more complicated method involves using a nodeMCU WiFi board and an Arduino Pro Micro. Set up the nodeMCU to take a trigger across the net and toggle one of its pins on and off. Program the Pro Micro to act as a USB keyboard and set it up to send a spacebar keystroke to the Mac when it receives a signal. Plug the nodeMCU into a USB charger and the Pro Micro into one of the iMac's USB ports. When you trigger the nodeMCU across the web, the Pro Micro will send a spacebar keystroke to the Mac, waking it up.
Using an iPhone, iPad, or Android Device
If you have an iPhone, iPad, or Android device, you can use the Wake On LAN (WoL) feature with the help of a free app, such as Fing. First, enable WoL on your Mac by going to the "Power Adapter" tab in System Preferences and checking the box for "Wake for Wi-Fi network access" or "Wake for network access". Then, on your device, use an app to send a wake-up signal to your Mac, as long as you are on the same Wi-Fi network.
It is important to note that some sources mention issues with WoL on certain versions of OSX and laptops connected via WiFi using an Airport card. Additionally, to prevent overheating, it is recommended to turn off the display on a timer instead of putting your Mac to sleep.
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Using a nodeMCU WiFi board and an Arduino Pro Micro
To wake your Mac from sleep mode remotely, you can use a nodeMCU WiFi board and an Arduino Pro Micro by following these steps:
- Set up the nodeMCU to receive a trigger: The nodeMCU should be configured to receive a trigger across the internet and toggle one of its pins on and off.
- Program the Pro Micro to act as a USB keyboard: The Pro Micro should be programmed to emulate a USB keyboard with the spacebar as its only key.
- Configure the Pro Micro to send a keystroke to the Mac: Set up the Pro Micro so that when it receives a signal on its Pin 5, it sends a spacebar keystroke to the Mac it is plugged into.
- Connect the nodeMCU and Pro Micro: Connect the internet-controlled output pin on the node MCU to pin 5 on the Pro Micro.
- Plug the nodeMCU into a USB charger: This provides power to the nodeMCU.
- Plug the Pro Micro into a USB port on the Mac: Ensure the Pro Micro is connected to one of the iMac's USB ports.
- Trigger the nodeMCU remotely: When triggered across the web, the nodeMCU will send a spacebar keypress to the Mac, waking it up from sleep mode.
This method provides a creative way to remotely wake up your Mac by emulating a physical keypress using the nodeMCU and Pro Micro. The cost of the required components is relatively low, making it an affordable solution. However, it may require some technical expertise to set up and program the hardware.
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Preventing the Mac from sleeping
To prevent your Mac from sleeping, you can try a few different methods. One simple option is to adjust your Mac's sleep settings. You can do this by going to "System Preferences" and then "Energy Settings". Here, you can set your Mac to "Never" go to sleep or adjust the time it takes for the screen to lock before it goes to sleep.
Another way to prevent your Mac from sleeping is to use a third-party app like Amphetamine, which is designed to keep your Mac awake. Alternatively, you can use the 'caffeinate' command via Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal.
If you want to get more technical, you can try using a nodeMCU WiFi board and an Arduino Pro Micro 1 setup. This method involves programming the Pro Micro to act as a USB keyboard and sending a spacebar keystroke to the Mac to wake it up.
Additionally, if you want to remotely wake your Mac from sleep, you can enable "Wake for Network Access" or "Wake on LAN" in your System Preferences. This feature allows you to send a "magic packet" to your Mac, waking it up from sleep even when it's turned off. However, this method may require another computer on the subnet to be awake or a router that supports WoL.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to wake your Mac from sleep remotely. One way is to use the Wake on LAN (WoL) feature, which can be enabled in the System Preferences > Energy Settings menu. You can then use an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or Android device to wake your Mac. Alternatively, you can try opening Finder and connecting to the sleeping computer, or using a nodeMCU WiFi board and an Arduino Pro Micro 1 setup.
Wake on LAN is a feature that allows you to wake a computer from sleep mode remotely by sending a "magic packet". It requires another computer on the subnet to be awake or the router to support WoL.
You can try using a different router that supports WoL, such as Apple Airport Express, TimeCapsule, or WRT54GL. Additionally, you can try using a port forward from your router to the Mac or enabling "Wake for network access" on your Mac.
