Z420 Wake on Lan - a BIG thank you and some questions on how to see screen once PC is switched on.

[Rhothgar]

Good afternoon,

A really BIG thank you for Brian1965 and SDH for the contribution to THIS post:-

Z420-WOL-Disabled-after-BIOS-Update 

I was unable to comment on that because it is too old but wanted to thank you somehow.

I have now managed to get my PC switching on using Smart VPN from DrayTek, logging into the router remotely and then issuing a WOL command.

I have AnyDesk instead on my PC for personal use or TeamViewer and have made a note of the code.  I am going away tomorrow but am wondering how I can work remotely in Windows 10.  I am not sure what OS the remote computer has. I think it might be W10 Home.

This is what I know:-

1) Local machine I want to connect to has W10 Pro 21H2 installed.

2) User account on the PC is set to request Password on start-up.

3) Remote Desktop Connection enabled on local machine.

4) Device Name under Specifications in Settings>System>About
5) MAC address of the network controller

6) Local IP address of local machine

So basically, I can only switch it on at the moment.

Can anyone advise how I can set something up to enable me to log in to local machine and actually view the screen in easy steps please or advise me the exact terminology to search for so I can read up more.  Remote working is pretty alien to me.

Thanks inadvance.

[Rhothgar]

I've managed now to get the screen visible using TeamViewer but I've had to switch off login screen so no protection if someone broke in and took PC away.

This was achieved by also enabling "start TeamViewer on startup" and "easy access" because I couldn't find a way of like binding the random generated password to keep it from changing.

Not ideal and would be interested to know how others have effected this.  I can then have a go at changing settings whilst away just so long as I don't lock myself out and leave PC switched ON!

Couldn't find anyway of remotely shutting down a PC via a command line just in case I start the PC up and TeamViewer bombs out.

Be nice to issue a command via Mocha or even my DrayTek router to switch machine off remotely via CLI.

[SDH]

We're always happy to help... I'm sure I can speak for Brian1965 also. DGroves, my friend, may also have something to add on this project. You're currently farther along than I ever got on W10. Please keep us posted on your progress... many have been wanting help on this.

One tip for the Z620/Z820 workstations. Those have two NIC ports on the backplane... one more basic and one more capable (the AMT one). The Z420 has only one NIC port, and it is an AMT one. I noticed that the control capabilities of the AMT one are better than the other. You can get to that via Device Manager/ Network Adapters/ highlight the AMT one, drag down to its Properties, and you'll then see all the control tabs at the top. Make sure your network cable is plugged into the one with "AMT" printed on the backplane next to its port. Hardly any of us use both simultaneously.

To DGroves and you all.... Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas!   To DGroves, I got your message about getting the AHCI version of the ZTD G1 running on the ZX20 workstations under W11 22H2... I'll PM you, I have the faster AHCI M.2 stick ready to go, and your help always is greatly appreciated. Special thanks to you for giving me some hope on that!

[Rhothgar]

Hey SDH,

This is on the Z420 so definitely working on Intel 82579LM controller.

Settings used were those specified by your goodself in Post #9 of the linked article in my initial post.

In terms of waking, DrayTek Smart VPN has to be set up on a DrayTek router first of all, assuming you have DrayTek.

This may well impress you but my internet comes in via a router from network provider and I have the DrayTek piggybacked onto the provider's router.  At first it was not receiving the instruction WOL UP instruction but here's the rub, for some reason the provider's router was not in Modem mode so it was not allowing the magic packet through to the network controller.  Most people will not have to worry about that.

I am no whizz as you know and I spent two hours today on the phone with DrayTek technical support and brainstorming the setup with them.  It wasn't until I finally checked my BIOS settings against yours that it eventually fired up.  Wake on Lan was enabled but I had noticed that the network controller stopped blinking long after I made some random changes to Windows 10 and the BIOS late last night / early hours.

So, basically, the settings within the DrayTek are many fold but I would hope to be able to advise anyone that might need to enable Smart VPN if they had a DrayTek router should they require.

I will try and do a tech sheet over the festive period to highlight what changes were made. Hopefully, I will remember them all. It's a shame I haven't got time to start that tonight but I've not even packed to go away in 9 hours time...

With Smart VPN, it uses the WAN IP and the MAC address of the network controller.  Waking up the PC is child's play!  It basically tunnels in via an SSL tunnel so my iPhone is connected and recognised by the local network and it receives a 192.168.x.x. IP address.  Now that it is part of the local network, I used Mocha WOL to ping and wake up the PC, 

Alternatively, I just go to browser on iPhone, enter https://192.168.1.XX and the DrayTek WUI pops up. I can enter the login credentials for that and go to Applications / Wake on Lan and select to connect via MAC or IP.  As you bind the IP addresses as part of the DrayTek setup procedure, they magically appear in that dialogue app and you simply select and click Wake Up! and BANG! it switches on before your very eyes (if you are in the same vicinity).

One important thing to note when testing WOL using Smart VPN is to ensure that your phone is not connected to the same network beforehand so I just disconnected and used Mobile Data on my phone.

Happy Holidays to all! It's been a tough year for me and doubtless many others around the world.  Let's hope 2023 brings  a little peace and joy to all.

Currently, debating whether to get my 'Semi' licence as they say in the States, qualify as a plumber for gas installations or go back into Architecture on the side.

Might polish up my Revit skills (non-existent Revit skills) whilst I am away.