WolOn App Help Guide: Wake on LAN, Device Monitoring & More
WolOn app is a very versatile tool that helps almost 100.000 users allover the world to remotely turn on or turn off their computers, NAS servers, media servers, embedded devices, or any other type of computers that support Wake on LAN protocol or remote SSH connections. Nevertheless sometimes setting up the whole system can require a basic understanding of the Wake on LAN protocol working principles.
Strat by checking the following list of frequently asked questions:
Wake on LAN or WOL is an Ethernet protocol that allows a device to be turned on or awaken by broadcasting a ”magic packet” in the network. It’s important to understand that magic packets have to be broadcasted into the network and not sent specifically to the targets device IP, as that device won’t have an IP assigned when it’s turned off.
Media Access Control address, or MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to a network adapter. It’s usually displayed as six pairs of hexadecimal values separated by colons or hyphens (e.g. FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF).
On any OS you can find it in the networks adapter’s settings, or you can use the command line:
Windows – Win+R and type cmd. In the Command prompt window type ipconfig /all and press Enter
- Linux/Mac – Open terminal and type ifconfig -a
Yes, WolOn works over the internet. You will need a special configuration for your router to accomplish this though. You can find more information in the WolOn’s Help section or in this set-up guide
In most of the cases Wake on LAN works well over cable connections, nevertheless there are wireless network adapters that that support Wake on Wireless LAN (WoWLAN). So, if your wireless network adapter supports it, then it should work.
Yes, just check the VPN Accessible checkbox for your device and WolOn will send the magic packets for that device through your phone’s active VPN connection. It depends a lot on your VPN connection. It should not filter out broadcast messages.
The WolOn – Wake on LAN app checks your devices’ statuses, displaying a green dot in the WolOn widget or a green icon in the app for devices that are powered on. Device statuses update when you open the app or refresh the device list. With WolOn Pro, you can set automatic status checks at specific intervals of your choice.
For more reliable status checks, assign a static IP to your device and enter it in the ‘Status Check IP’ field in your WolOn device settings.
Since ICMP (ping) requests can’t be port-forwarded, the WolOn app allows you to ‘ping’ your WAN-accessible device by connecting to a specific port you define in the ‘Status Check Port’ field. Rather than an ICMP ping, this method performs a connection check on the specified port. To enable this, configure a port forwarding rule on your router to forward requests received on the custom port to an open port on your target device. The app will then attempt to establish a connection to the destination port to verify the device’s availability.
SSH, or Secure Shell, is commonly used on Linux and Mac, though it’s also available on some Windows versions. SSH allows you to log into a remote machine to execute commands – such as running a shutdown command, launching a backup script, or starting a server. In the WolOn Pro version, you can set up SSH commands, which WolOn can run at the tap of a button in the app or through the available SSH widgets.
Your SSH credentials are securely encrypted and stored only on your phone.
Simply follow the instructions in the app—it’s easier than it sounds. Upgrading to WolOn Pro is a one-time in-app purchase that unlocks powerful features:
- SSH Commands: Define as many SSH commands as needed, then run them from the app or using SSH widgets.
- Schedulers: Schedule Wake on LAN/WAN actions to run at specified intervals.
- Device Monitor: Set up periodic device checks, get notified if your device goes offline, or automatically trigger a Wake on LAN/WAN action to wake it.
- Automation Integrations: Connect with third-party automation apps like Tasker, Macrodroid, Locale, and Automate for seamless workflows.
