Running a mini PC as a home server 24/7 costs money — even an efficient N100 machine consumes electricity around the clock. Wake-on-LAN (WoL) offers an elegant solution: let the machine sleep when not needed, and remotely wake it with a network packet when you want to use it. Startup takes under 30 seconds, and the machine is available on-demand without burning electricity overnight.
This guide covers everything needed to set up Wake-on-LAN: enabling it in the BIOS, configuring the OS, and sending the wake signal from any device on your network — or even from outside your home.
What Is Wake-on-LAN?
Wake-on-LAN is a network standard that allows a computer to be powered on by a special network packet called a “magic packet.” Even when the computer is off or sleeping, the network card remains in a low-power listening state, monitoring for this packet. When it arrives, the network card signals the motherboard to power on. WoL requires wired Ethernet — it doesn’t work reliably over Wi-Fi.
Step 1: Enable Wake-on-LAN in BIOS
Boot your mini PC and enter the BIOS by pressing Delete, F2, or F1 at startup (the key varies by manufacturer — it’s usually displayed briefly on screen). Navigate to the Power Management section. Look for settings labeled “Wake on LAN,” “Power On by PCI-E,” “Resume by LAN,” or similar. Enable it. Save and exit.
Not all mini PC BIOS implementations expose this setting clearly. Some N100 mini PCs have it under Advanced → Power → S5 Wake on LAN. If you can’t find it, check your specific model’s documentation or the manufacturer’s support forum.
Step 2: Configure the OS
On Windows: Open Device Manager → Network Adapters → right-click your Ethernet adapter → Properties → Power Management tab. Enable “Allow this device to wake the computer.” Also check the Advanced tab for “Wake on Magic Packet” and ensure it’s enabled.
On Linux (Ubuntu/Debian): Install ethtool (sudo apt install ethtool), check your interface name (ip link), then enable WoL: sudo ethtool -s eth0 wol g (replace eth0 with your interface name). To make this persistent across reboots, create a systemd service or add the command to /etc/rc.local.
Step 3: Find Your MAC Address
The magic packet is addressed to your mini PC’s network card MAC address. On Windows: run ipconfig /all in Command Prompt and note the “Physical Address” of your Ethernet adapter. On Linux: run ip link and note the “link/ether” address for your Ethernet interface. It looks like: AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF.
Step 4: Send the Wake Signal
From Windows: Download and install Wake-on-LAN by Aquila Technology (free). Enter your mini PC’s MAC address and broadcast IP (usually your network’s broadcast address, e.g., 192.168.1.255). Click “Wake Up.”
From iPhone/Android: Apps like “Wake On Lan” (iOS) or “Wake on LAN” by BroadcastMe (Android) let you send magic packets from your phone. Useful for waking your server from bed before you go downstairs.
From the command line: Install wakeonlan (sudo apt install wakeonlan on Linux) and run: wakeonlan AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF
Waking From Outside Your Home
WoL only works on the local network by default. To wake your mini PC remotely, you need to forward the WoL magic packet through your router. Set up UDP port forwarding for port 9 (the standard WoL port) on your router, pointing to your mini PC’s static IP. Then send the wake packet to your home’s external IP address with a WoL tool that supports sending to specific IP addresses rather than just broadcasting on the local network.
An easier approach: a second always-on device (a Raspberry Pi, your NAS, or any device that’s always running) can act as a WoL relay — SSH into the always-on device and trigger the WoL command from there.
Power Savings: The Math
If your N100 mini PC normally draws 9W always-on, but you only actually need it for 4 hours per day on average, WoL lets you shut it off for 20 hours. At $0.17/kWh: always-on costs $13.40/year, 4-hours-per-day costs $2.24/year — saving over $11/year. Modest, but real, and the convenience is unaffected.