How to Fix Wake ON LAN not Working from Sleep on Windows

Wake On LAN is a widely used ethernet networking protocol that allows users to connect and wake a PC remotely from a low-powered mode. A mode that refers to the state of your PC when it is not active but has access to a power source. For instance, if the PC is sleeping, in hibernation, or, in some cases, shut, but power access is available, the Wake On LAN connection can allow the user to ping the device and wake it up remotely

However, recently, users have reported that the Wake On LAN is not working from sleep on Windows, which defeats the purpose of using the networking standard. So, how to fix this issue? That is the core question we will answer by the end of this post. Make sure you read it till the end.

Ways to Fix the Wake On LAN Not Working From Shutdown/Sleep

If you are using the Wake On LAN already, you may be aware of how conveniently it allows you to use other PCs on a network even when they are not used by their users. In other words, files can be transferred and accessed, despite the PC being offline, by using the Wake On LAN ping access.

But when this functionality is hampered, and you can no longer use it or experience Wake On LAN not working from the shutdown, there may be something wrong with the configuration. Before we begin with core fixes, here are some basic checks you should try to identify and resolve the issue.

Ensure that the AC power access is always available to the offline PC. WOL does not work with PCs that do not have power.
Check if the system you are trying to ping is available on your network. In other words, ensure that the client is a part of the server and can be pinged by the device sending the signal using WOL.
Before sending the signal(aka Magic Packets) from Wake On LAN, confirm that the MAC address used matches the address of the Ethernet 1 of the selected device.
Check that your NIC (network interface card) is active and has the link light ON. If it is not ON, the system will not be able to receive the signal, and WOL will be of no use.
Also, ensure that you use the correct IP address to share the magic packets using the Wake On Link.

If any of the statements are not true for your connection, that may not be the causing factor why wake on lan is not working from shutdown. After checking all the conditions and finding they are as expected, move to the fixes below.

Fix 1 – Update Your Network Interface Card Drivers

The network adapter on your PC is responsible for facilitating such WOL transactions. If the Wake On LAN connection is not working despite all the suitable conditions, your network adapter driver may be the root cause.

To ensure that these drivers no longer cause the error on your PC, make sure that you keep all your PC drivers updated. But how? If you plan to do that manually, you might need many hours to spare. However, use the Advanced Driver Updater instead of going for the lengthy steps.

Step 1 – Download the tool and install it on your PC.

Step 2 – Use the Start Scan Now button to find outdated drivers.

Step 3 – After the tool finds the list of outdated drivers on your PC, click the Update All button. This will not only update your NIC driver but also ensure that other drivers are up to date.

After updating the driver, the WOL error should not appear, and you can use the Wake On LAN seamlessly.

Fix 2 – Turn Off the Fast Boot (startup)

In case you are wondering, if fast boot supports better hibernation and allows quick access to the PC, then why should you turn off this feature? Well, there is a reason for it. The feature often hampers the shutdown and boot-up configuration of the PC. It disconnects NIC from other devices to save power, making WOL ineffective.

Hence, if you keep your PC in low power mode, you should disable the fast startup on the PC.

Step 1 – Press Win+R to open the run search
Step 2 – Use the command powercfg.cpl in the Run search box and hit enter.

Step 3 – From the opened window, “Choose what the power button does,” option from the left panel.Step 4 – Later, click on the “Change the settings that are currently unavailable” option. This will enable access to Fast boot settings. Step 5 – Disable the Turn on fast startup by unchecking the feature.

Unmark the feature and save changes to ensure that the feature is no longer available. Now restart your PC for changes to take effect. After all the steps, you can now put your PC in low power mode and try using the Wake ON LAN in sleep mode.

Fix 3 – Configure NIC Power Management Settings

If the NIC does not have the necessary permissions, the magic packets you share using the WOL may go to waste. Hence, it is better to configure it the following way –
Step 1 – Press Win+R to open the Run search. Use the command devmgmt.msc to open the Device Manager.

Step 2 – In the Device Manager, expand your Network Adapters to find the NIC.

Step 3 – Double-click on the NIC to open its properties and navigate to the Power Management Tab.

Step 4 – Ensure that all three options, i.e. Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, Allow this device to wake the computer, and Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer, are enabled.

After enabling them, save the changes and exit the options, as it should do the trick for you. Restart your PC and try the WOL again to determine if it works.

Fix 4 – Configure NIC Properties

After you have changed the power settings, it is time to ensure that the NIC properties are as they should be. Simply match your settings and make changes if something is missing.

Step 1 – Press Win+R to open the Run search. Use the command devmgmt.msc to open the Device Manager .
Step 2 – Expand your Network Adapters to find the NIC in the Device Manager.
Step 3 – Double-click on the NIC to open its properties and navigate to the Advanced Tab.

Step 4 – In the Advanced tab, look for the following pointers in the property column and enable them all – Shutdown Wake-On-Lan, Wake on Magic Packet, Wake on pattern match.

Step 5 – After making these value changes, select the WOL & Shutdown link speed and use the right dropdown menu to set the speed to 10MBPS.

Save these changes and exit the Device Manager. After configuring the NIC advanced Properties, the error Wake On LAN not working on Windows should be resolved.

Other than these fixes, you may also make changes to the BIOS of your PC and check whether the WOL is turned ON or not. Update your BIOS and make sure your PC has no pending Windows updates. Try these fixes, and the Wake On LAN should work fine on your PC. Let us know in the comments if you have any doubts. That will be all for this post. Thanks for reading, good luck!

Dishank Sharma

A creative tech-writer who loves to explore latest tech-trends & convey them to his readers in the simplest way possible. He loves to blend the crispness of technology with a pinch of creativity while curating best practices for the readers. In his free time, he likes to scribble poetry, listen to rap & travel.