Is there a way to power ON computers automatically?

charliebrown

Senior member
Dec 2, 1999
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I have a coffee maker that will brew coffee every morning at 7 am... seems like I should be able to power on my computers automatically also. Is there a way to do this???
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
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wake on lan, have one comp wake another. kinda pointles eh?;) too bad no wake option in bios
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
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Have another computer wake it up with wake-on-LAN or wake-on-modem . . . of course then the second computer has to be on all the time :)
 

Skyclad1uhm1

Lifer
Aug 10, 2001
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Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Have another computer wake it up with wake-on-LAN or wake-on-modem . . . of course then the second computer has to be on all the time :)

If he has a router/firewall/server he can just let that one do it.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
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Originally posted by: thomsbrain
get a macintosh ;)

man i thought it was the shiz turning it on from the keyboard but they can turn themselves on too? damn now i really want an ibook
 

lowtech1

Diamond Member
Mar 9, 2000
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Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: thomsbrain
get a macintosh ;)

man i thought it was the shiz turning it on from the keyboard but they can turn themselves on too? damn now i really want an ibook
Mac advertise that fact from the days of Yore...umm...err...80s, but they rest of the world can purchase a timer for less than $10.00 that do a much better job than a $3000.00 machine that constantly crashes.

 

Aves

Lifer
Feb 7, 2001
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Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: thomsbrain
get a macintosh ;)

man i thought it was the shiz turning it on from the keyboard but they can turn themselves on too? damn now i really want an ibook
With my Epox 8K3AE Mainboard I can turn my PC on from the keyboard, not that I ever turn it off.

 

fr

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
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My last 2 motherboards let me schedule power-on in the BIOS.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
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Originally posted by: aves2k
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: thomsbrain
get a macintosh ;)

man i thought it was the shiz turning it on from the keyboard but they can turn themselves on too? damn now i really want an ibook
With my Epox 8K3AE Mainboard I can turn my PC on from the keyboard, not that I ever turn it off.

yeah, well, that wasn't 1989 :p
 

aceO07

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2000
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Originally posted by: charliebrown
I have a coffee maker that will brew coffee every morning at 7 am... seems like I should be able to power on my computers automatically also. Is there a way to do this???

My computer can be set to start up at a certain time. It's in the bios. My motherboard is Asus P4B533V.
 

Skyclad1uhm1

Lifer
Aug 10, 2001
11,383
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Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: aves2k
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: thomsbrain
get a macintosh ;)

man i thought it was the shiz turning it on from the keyboard but they can turn themselves on too? damn now i really want an ibook
With my Epox 8K3AE Mainboard I can turn my PC on from the keyboard, not that I ever turn it off.

yeah, well, that wasn't 1989 :p

Only wussies (Mac users and such) ever turn off their computer in the first place.
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
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You can't do it with software like a reboot.exe since the computer is off. Unless a motherboard manufacturer makes a board with a hard coded timer (like your coffee maker) your out of luck.

But here is my sugesstion for something that could work. Set your bios setting for "reboot after power failure" or something like that. Then get a cheap $10 plug in-the-wall programmable timer and set the on time for when you want it to boot. The power will then tell the bios to boot your computer.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
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It is in the BIOS, likely under the Power Management section; look for something like Wake Up, or RTC Alarm - set the date for 0 for every day, and set the time. So long as you've got an ATX power supply, the PC should power on then.
Someone did that in one classroom on a few of the PC's - every morning they'd be on, and even the teachers had no clue why. RTC Alarm disabled, and what do you know, they didn't do it anymore.:p
 

AzNKiD

Senior member
Apr 1, 2002
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how does this wake on lan works? i did some google searchs and is still confused. it says you have to plug the wol wire from nic card, but where i work, we have all intel mobo and uses its built-in nic card. does this mean the comps already have the wire setup? once thats checked, how do i send the command to the comps to turn on?
 

radioouman

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2002
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You could set the BIOS to wake-on-ring also, and install a modem. THen just call your PC, and it will boot when the phone rings :)
 

911paramedic

Diamond Member
Jan 7, 2002
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Originally posted by: radioouman
You could set the BIOS to wake-on-ring also, and install a modem. THen just call your PC, and it will boot when the phone rings :)
My computer is hard of hearing, poor thing.

 

bmacd

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
10,869
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i forget the name of it, but there's a reputable website that will wake up your PC using the wake-on-lan for your nic. It might be dslreports.com or bandwidth.com or something to that extent. Regardless, as long as "wake-on-lan" is enabled on your nic/in your bios, then all somebody had to do was ping your NIC card or send a command to it to turn your computer on.

-=bmacd=-
 

LordThing

Golden Member
Jun 8, 2001
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Originally posted by: AzNKiD
how does this wake on lan works? i did some google searchs and is still confused. it says you have to plug the wol wire from nic card, but where i work, we have all intel mobo and uses its built-in nic card. does this mean the comps already have the wire setup? once thats checked, how do i send the command to the comps to turn on?


Most of the newer onboard nics(Intel and 3com) have WOL capabilities. The need for the wire is to link a PCI or ISA NIC to your motherboard to give it enough control over your power on (giving it a power button to push sort-of). You can normally tell if your NIC is WOL capable if its packet and link lights are on when you have a the machine off (normally meaning that it is still getting power and able to receive packets like WOL).

2nd step to getting it to function is to turn it on in your BIOS (if its an onboard NIC) or making sure you have it all set up in your driver arrangement and NIC utilities if its an offboard ISA or PCI NIC.

3rd Step is to shut down the computer normally from the OS. If you do a hard shutdown (like pulling the plug or hitting the power button while in the OS), WOL might not function completely. It seems a bit picky about it.

4th Step is to send the "Magic Packet". This is a TCP packet with the receiving NICs MAC address repeated 16(I think) times. You can get utilities that will send this packet (also known as a PXE (pixie) packet), or you can code your own if you are trying to do this through a program. I suck at coding, so I stick to programs. :D

5th Step should be waiting for it to power on.


Problems associated with WOL:

1) Sometimes its hard to tell if it actually worked. There is no confirmation packet (that i know about) that tells you if the PXE/WOL packet was received. The packet is broadcasted out on your network using UDP(i believe, but I might be wrong on that too). If you are sitting next to the computer this is not an issue. You just turn and see its on. This gets a bit more tricky when you are trying to wake it up in another Country. :D

2) If you are going over routers the routers must be able to pass the broadcast packets along to the other subnet. I am no good at router config, but most home routers should allow it to be passed. I just don't know if the ISP will be rejecting any broadcast packets. Kinda up to the admin.

3)It really seems picky on the way the machine is powered off. It must be shut down from the OS to fully work. At least in my testing.


As for your issue of wanting to power on your system, there might be a auto power on setting listed in your BIOS. Often found near or around your Power Management features(as stated before).


Or you can go to walmart and buy one of those power timer things they use to turn on or off lights while you are on vacation...see if you can set it up to turn on the power to your computer. Shrug...heck I don't know :)
 

Jzero

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
18,834
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Or you can go to walmart and buy one of those power timer things they use to turn on or off lights while you are on vacation...see if you can set it up to turn on the power to your computer. Shrug...heck I don't know :)

Problem with a conventional timer is that ATX power supplies need a momentary short to start (as opposed to AT having a hard switch).
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
isn't there an option in bios for how the power switch should behave? i dunno, i'm just guessing. a hard power switch would be nice.
 

MattCo

Platinum Member
Jan 29, 2001
2,198
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Couldn't you use a cheap timer from wall mart and a relay? just make the relay short across the power leads. The computer will think you are pressing the button.

-MC
 

ucdnam

Golden Member
Jan 28, 2000
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The BIOS in any good motherboard will allow you to set a time and also day (if you like) to turn itself on.
It's pretty basic and has been around forever.