jnelsoninjax Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Can someone explain the basics of WoL? My 'tech support friend' claims that if he enabled WoL, then anybody in the world could access his computer if they knew his IP address, and he doesn't want to do that. He was talking about setting up remote connection to his PC so he could access it when he was out and about via his cell phone, and said if he enabled WoL that would be the only way he could wake up his computer after it goes into sleep mode. I know nothing about it, but to me it is called wake on LAN , that seems to mean to me local area network, not internet. Am I correct or is he correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mindovermaster Moderator Posted June 5, 2017 Moderator Share Posted June 5, 2017 I looked this up a few weeks ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake-on-LAN I don't quite understand it, but it's safer than what he thinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmeunit Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 (edited) We use it a ton here. I use TeamViewer on a machine this is always on. Then I connect to our desktop management system and send out WoL requests as needed. I also have labs scheduled to wake up every morning at a certain time. One huge benefit is to wake all your machines at a certain time, patch them, and then shut them down. That way it doesn't affect your users while updating. Also, Firewalls will typically block those requests from the outside and you can set rules to accept them from certain locations/IPs, so only his requests would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnelsoninjax Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 3 minutes ago, farmeunit said: We use it a ton here. I use TeamViewer on a machine this is always on. Then I connect to our desktop management system and send out WoL requests as needed. I also have labs scheduled to wake up every morning at a certain time. One huge benefit is to wake all your machines at a certain time, patch them, and then shut them down. That way it doesn't affect your users while updating. So is it safe to use? I really do not care about it, but my know-it-all friend swears it could be used maliciously by anyone who happened to have his IP address, though I really do not know what he is so paranoid about... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Fahim S. MVC Posted June 5, 2017 MVC Share Posted June 5, 2017 You are correct. It won't allow the whole world to access his computer. Furthermore, if he enabled WOL, he would still be able to switch on, shutdown, sleep and hibernate his computer as normal. A magic packet can be sent to the machine from somewhere on the LAN when it is sleeping to make it wake up. Circaflex 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted June 5, 2017 MVC Share Posted June 5, 2017 2 hours ago, jnelsoninjax said: My 'tech support friend' claims that if he enabled WoL, then anybody in the world could access his computer if they knew his IP address, and he doesn't want to do that. Seems your tech support friend doesn't have a clue - so is he the guy users call when their mouse isn't working? Please tell me he is not in infosec What sort of hardware/software from the infrastructure are we working. It is possible the router can send a WOL packet to machine inside your network.. So you vpn into your router - then from its gui send a WOL. This is the most secure way to do it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnelsoninjax Posted June 5, 2017 Author Share Posted June 5, 2017 Just now, BudMan said: Seems your tech support friend doesn't have a clue - so is he the guy users call when their mouse isn't working? Please tell me he is not in infosec No, fortunately he sits on his as* all day doing nothing, not working, pretends that he knows computers because he reads forums like overclockers club, so he is an 'expert', yet I have managed to stump him with very simple problems... 37 minutes ago, Fahim S. said: You are correct. It won't allow the whole world to access his computer. Furthermore, if he enabled WOL, he would still be able to switch on, shutdown, sleep and hibernate his computer as normal. A magic packet can be sent to the machine from somewhere on the LAN when it is sleeping to make it wake up. I figured with a name Wake on LAN that that would imply LAN only He was explaining to his daughter that he could take remote control of his system via his cell phone when he was away, but only if it was awake because he was not going to enable WoL and allow his system to be exposed, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted June 5, 2017 MVC Share Posted June 5, 2017 It is possible to forward a wol through a nat router, depending on the nat router and its feature set. I would not suggest such nonsense. Example - there is an article that runs through doing it on a specific model soho router and port forwarding https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/lanwan/lanwan-howto/29941-how-to-wake-on-lan-wake-on-wan?start=3 Normally if your router doesn't allow for it - you would just vpn into your network. Access some other device on your network that is on and send the magic packet from there. keep in mind you have to know what the mac of the device is - and would need to be on the same layer 2. Simpler solution is you have need of remote access to this device, why are you turning it off or putting it in standby? Just turn off its monitor Your talking saving a few pennies a day for something that you need? An idle PC doesn't use much juice, especially if its monitor(s) are off. Dick Montage 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mando Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 (edited) On 6/5/2017 at 5:05 PM, jnelsoninjax said: No, fortunately he sits on his as* all day doing nothing, not working, pretends that he knows computers because he reads forums like overclockers club, so he is an 'expert', yet I have managed to stump him with very simple problems... I figured with a name Wake on LAN that that would imply LAN only He was explaining to his daughter that he could take remote control of his system via his cell phone when he was away, but only if it was awake because he was not going to enable WoL and allow his system to be exposed, he should get a job in PCworld Tech support guys with such uber knowledge. a clown basically, he probably would cover his laptop webcam with tape too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BudMan MVC Posted June 8, 2017 MVC Share Posted June 8, 2017 He prob works for geek squad So talking to a few colleagues found out they tape over their laptop camera - not so much that they are worried about nsa or anything. But they accidentally enable it, etc. I was like how and the F would you accidentally enable it?? Really?? But if your taking meetings in the buff, etc. Guess you might want to make sure that camera doesn't come on I think the covering your HDD and switch/router LEDs will be the new tin foil hat craze... https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/malware-uses-router-leds-to-steal-data-from-secure-networks/ Mando 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mando Posted June 8, 2017 Share Posted June 8, 2017 4 hours ago, BudMan said: He prob works for geek squad So talking to a few colleagues found out they tape over their laptop camera - not so much that they are worried about nsa or anything. But they accidentally enable it, etc. I was like how and the F would you accidentally enable it?? Really?? But if your taking meetings in the buff, etc. Guess you might want to make sure that camera doesn't come on I think the covering your HDD and switch/router LEDs will be the new tin foil hat craze... https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/malware-uses-router-leds-to-steal-data-from-secure-networks/ lol yer i saw that mate, comical huh most laptop webcams have a bright led that shows the webcam is enabled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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