Wake-on-LAN, is it possible wirelessly

[Muse]

I have a new notebook, being the Acer 6530-6522, and until I eventually build or buy an NAS it will double as a desktop replacement and a file server for my LAN. Right now I've pretty much got it running OK wirelessly as a file server and it's running all the time, even with the lid closed. I was hoping to be able to have it go into standby and waken as required by data requests from my other machines. The Wake-on-LAN option is greyed out for the Atheros AR5B91 wireless network adapter, but seems to be available for the ethernet adapter (also Atheros, I think).

On my other notebook (Lenovo T60), Wake-on-LAN appears to be likewise available for the ethernet controller (although it's also turned off by default), but isn't even a greyed out feature for the wireless adapter.

Is Wake-on-LAN only supported by ethernet and not wireless? Would an ethernet connection be faster than a wireless connection in any case? On both my notebooks the wireless connection speed is shown as 54 Mbps. I figure the speed of the connection between the server and my Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 wireless router is the closest thing to a bottleneck in my LAN.

 

[Emulex]

it would drain the battery faster if you had wake on lan wireless. i know the macbooks can do it but why not just schedule your pc to wake up? take alot less power.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Emulex
it would drain the battery faster if you had wake on lan wireless. i know the macbooks can do it but why not just schedule your pc to wake up? take alot less power.

Oh, I'm running without batteries in the house. Both laptops are on AC adapters.

Having my desktop as the file server is a thought. Very often I have power to it completely removed, so I'd have to stop doing that. Suspend is currently working fine on my PC, and I have no idea why. When I first set it up, I spent hours and hours trying to get it to work reliably and finally gave up. A reinstall of XP Pro somehow got it working flawlessly, and without going through any of the contortions I did for the previous install (which included updating drivers for a plethora of devices). The PC consumes around 18 watts in suspend, which isn't a whole lot less than my laptops use in full on mode (~25 watts, with the displays off, not much more with the displays on). Running, the PC uses around 140 watts, I think with the monitor off. In suspend, my laptops use maybe 3 watts.

 

[Engineer]

From what I remember from the Gillbot WOL thread (while I was researching the subject), you cannot use WOL on wireless.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: Engineer
From what I remember from the Gillbot WOL thread (while I was researching the subject), you cannot use WOL on wireless.

WOL per-se. I.e. Waking Up from Off with Magic Packet is Not a feature that works with Wireless cards.

If you want to make sure that a computer Wakes Up athrough Wireless you have to configure that the computer switch off the display and the HD and reduce CPU, but Never goes totally to sleep.

 

[TheKub]

WOL doesnt work with wireless but there is a new tech called Wake on Wireless LAN. I dont know much about it whether its still being developed or if its live. Google WOWLan for more info.

Here is a brief from Intel regarding WOWLAN

WoWLAN works by sending a wake-up packet to a client notebook from a server machine that has remote network management software installed. The Intel® Centrino® network adapter on the wireless client receives the wake-up frame and powers on. Scheduled tasks can then begin.

 

[JackMDS]

It is planned for the next Upgrade of Wireless card standards.