Triggering wake on LAN without a computer

jtmzac

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Jun 15, 2011
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Trying to set my computer up to turn on and off automatically on a schedule and I'm using the windows task scheduler to handle the automatic shutdowns but I can't quite work out how to handle the automatic starting of the computer.

I have found wake on LAN which seems to be the best option for waking the computer on a schedule but I can’t find a way to send packets to wake the computer up without another computer to send them.

I can’t use the wake up timer in the bios because I'm trying to wake the computer at different times on different days, 3pm on weekdays and 8am on weekends.

I need the different times because I'm running 2 small private minecraft servers for my brother and his friends and since they are at school all day on weekdays the computer doesn’t need to be on.

In case it isn’t obvious I'm running these servers on my own computer and there’s no way I'm paying to get the servers hosted since it would be ridiculously expensive and it's way too hard to change and maintain hosted servers compared to local ones.

The router I'm using is an Asus RT-N56U which doesn't have wake on LAN support and I can't find any wake on LAN supported custom firmware for the router either.

Anyone have any ideas?
 
Solution
Find some cheap DD-WRT compatible router, like D-Link DIR-300/600.

Plug it into the network with the dhcp server disabled, use GUI or make a custom bash script to call wol at the given time(s).


Don't forget to plug it into the LAN ports

jtmzac

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Jun 15, 2011
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I appreciate the suggestion but although this may work it seems like a bad idea.

I would do this for other electronics but cutting power to a computer in a way equivalent to pulling the power plug seems like a dangerous idea sincei this isnt a computer built just for minecraft servers, this is my $6000 gaming rig and I really dont want to break anything.

I also have no room for a timer and Im not using another power pack as Im already running 4 6 way power packs that are all full off the 2 double wall points in the room.

This would also prevent me from turning the computer on outside the server times which would be really annoying since the computer is primarily my web surfing and gaming computer and I frequently use it outside the server times.

Its not as simple as me just turning it on at the right time either because 50% of the time I am asleep at the time the server is supposed turn on.
 

erhardm

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Oct 19, 2010
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Find some cheap DD-WRT compatible router, like D-Link DIR-300/600.

Plug it into the network with the dhcp server disabled, use GUI or make a custom bash script to call wol at the given time(s).


Don't forget to plug it into the LAN ports
 
Solution

jtmzac

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Jun 15, 2011
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Your suggestion is the only thing I could think of which is why I asked here on the forums.

Since I managed to break my d5 pump when desoldering the potentiometer, along with my replacement pump I've ordered a dir-600.

Ill just connect it to one of the two switches in the room as I already have two Asus RT-N56U routers handling the network.