WOL proxy/agent on Windows XP

[Sfor]

There is a free Aquila WOL Agent, but it does not work on Windows XP. There is also Wake-On-LAN Proxy Server, but is costs quite a bit.

The idea is to send a WOL packet to IP of a Windows XP running computer through VPN. The WOL should be broadcated through the LAN from there.

The current procedure is to use VNC to log in the Windows XP computer, then to click a link running WOL application with a proper MAC parameter. The problem is, users have to log in to the server, to do so. It is not a good idea to let users to access a server desktop I think. So, i'm looking for some sort of workaround.

Perhaps remote command running would do the trick, as well. The whole idea is to wake a computer in a remote network by clicking an icon on the desktop. The remote LAN has just one always running computer with Windows XP on it. The routers used (old Linksys RV082) are not WOL directed broadcast compatible.

I have quite a few such networks under my supervision, and there is a push for users to work remotely, these days.

[RainyShadow]

Try Poweroff

Plenty of options and command line support.

 

Also, you can try to set a dedicated account with a login script which executes the WOL program and then initiates logoff on itself.

[Sfor]

I'm planning to play around with SSH server on Windows XP. Perhaps there are some possibilities there. For an instance, there is an option to run remote commands on SSH connection in PUTTY.

[Sfor]

Indeed. OpenSSH 3.7.1 and PUTTY solved the problem.

In PUTTY it is possible to set custom terminal sting. In my case it was CMD.EXE /C WOL.EXE [mac address]. Then it is necessary to save this settings to a profile, as it can not be used from the command line. Then call PUTTY with the command line switches PUTTY.EXE -load [profile name] -ssh [user name@][IP adress] -pw [password].

This sequence allows to connect to SSH server without specifying the user name and password, then CMD.EXE /C starts the terminal on the server which closes right after calling WOL.EXE.

The result is, user has just to click on the icon on his desktop. The terminal window appears for the moment then closes.

The bad side is the link contains login and password. It is possible to create another guest account on the server for this purpose. Still it gives some access to the server. So the user must be trustworthy..

[Sfor]

Well. I found yet another solution. It is possible to set a static arp entry inside the remote router to ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff. When a packet is sent to the set IP it is broadcasted through LAN instead of sending it to the IP's specific mac.

The hack works with the routers I'm working with. What I'm missing is a command tool able to send WOL to a specific IP in other network. The application I'm using now requires Windows 7, and does not have the command line interface.

By the way, the Poweroff does not work with such an approach.

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Found it. WakeMeOnLan from Nirsoft works, and has a command line option.

Edited May 30, 2021 by Sfor