"Wake on LAN" is a powerful and convenient feature that enables users to remotely power up their computer over a network, saving energy while also allowing remote access to the computer when needed. However, Wake on LAN, like many features that offer additional convenience, can also create a security risk by enabling power up capability on a computer which should only be powered up locally. Disabling the Wake on LAN feature is a simple process.
Step 1
Click the "Start" button. Right-click "My Computer" (on Windows XP) or right-click "Computer" (on Windows 7 or Vista). Click "Manage" in the drop-down menu that appears.
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Step 2
Click "Device Manager" in the next window that appears. Click the "Network Adapters" header from the list of devices displayed in the right pane of the "Computer Management" window.
Step 3
Right-click the network adapter that is currently connected to the network and then click "Properties" in the next drop-down menu.
Step 4
Select the "Power Management" tab. Click the "Allow this device to wake the computer" box to remove the check from the box.
Step 5
Click the "Advanced" tab, and then in the "Property" box, click the "WakeOnLAN From Poweroff" or "Wake from Shutdown" selections if available. Click "Disable" in the "Value" box. Note that the "WakeOnLAN From Poweroff" and "Wake from Shutdown" selections may have slightly different but similar names depending upon the network adapter manufacturer. If they are not listed then proceed to the next step.
Step 6
Click "Wake on Magic Packet" in the "Property:" box, and then click "Disable" in the "Value:" box. Note that the "Wake on Magic Packet" selection may be named differently or not listed, depending upon the network adapter manufacturer.
Step 7
Click the "OK" button to save the settings. Wake on LAN is now disabled in Windows.
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