Peter's Blog 4.2.2004

WOL Joy:

WOL Joy: found this site http://www.dslreports.com/wakeup which can send a WOL packet to a named IP address. I have to trust it NOT to keep waking my pc up but anyway it worked. I wasn't sure if it was using a java applet to do it on the local network but no, if I closed the router route it did not work any more. JOY, I can use this from work if I cannot get a ping through the firewall. I'll set the port to timed access, just to be safe. I've set it to open for 15 minutes one day a week. Should be safe.

WOL at home failed when targeted at specific IP but..

WOL at home failed when targeted at specific IP but worked for a broadcast IP. I don't really know a lot about this but could it be that the arp table was not up to date? I mean the laptop did not know hw to convert the ip into a mac address to send the data to? If the router is on all the time then will it remember where the pc is? I have to try it from outside somehow.

From work I may have been targeting the wrong port number.

For the record, the lunchtime WOL attempt failed..

For the record, the lunchtime WOL attempt failed :-( This was using a python script which sent the packet to the DNS port as that is a UDP port. I used python to get control over the port that was used. There are many reasons it could have failed:

• Flaky motherboard/nic/bios/os

• Error in python script (it didn't work last night but neither did magic packet).

• Port blocked in firewall here

• Port blocked by NTL

• Port not forwarded correctly by router at home

I should test at home from network, then attempt to test using an old dialup isp account.

ToDo:

ToDo: set home pc to hibernate automatically after an hour of inactivity.

Oh, and it turns out that you can put a pc into hibernate in XP without pressing the power button (eg through VNC). Hold a shift key down in the logout dialog and the suspend button turns into hibernate. Not sure why it was hidden like that.

Last night I had a WOL failure so I had to go..

Last night I had a WOL failure so I had to go upstairs to turn the pc on. Bummer. Today I will try doing it remotely from work if the IT dept will give me a port through the firewall. I'm not sure what the firewall is doing so it will be tricky to debug. I put a python script on the home pc when it boots so I should get some sign of life. I forgot to open up a VNC port through the router at home.

Last night fhe lap top went at least 2 hours doing continuous wireless networking and the battery was not exhausted (but I was). Battery is good for an evening of couch-surfing. Mouse battery still on original charge. Really pleased with that mouse.