Setup guide | WakeDeck

1. Wake-on-LAN (PC settings)

A magic packet wakes a PC that is off or asleep, but only if its network card still has power and is listening. Use a network cable: Wi-Fi rarely works for wake-up.

Linux

In the BIOS/UEFI, turn on Wake on LAN (names vary: Wake on LAN, Power On By PCI-E, Resume by PCI-E). If there is an ErP, EuP or deep-sleep option, turn it off, because it cuts power to the network card.

Find the network interface name (for example enp8s0):

ip -br link

Check the Wake-on setting. It must show g:

sudo ethtool <iface> | grep Wake-on

Turn it on (this resets at reboot):

sudo ethtool -s <iface> wol g

To keep it after reboots with NetworkManager (replace the connection name, see nmcli connection show):

sudo nmcli connection modify "<connection>" 802-3-ethernet.wake-on-lan magic

Windows

Open Device Manager, double-click your network adapter, tab Power Management: tick “Allow this device to wake the computer” and “Only allow a magic packet to wake the computer”.

Same window, tab Advanced: set “Wake on Magic Packet” to Enabled (if it is listed).

Turn off Fast Startup: Control Panel → Power Options → Choose what the power buttons do → Change settings that are currently unavailable → untick “Turn on fast startup”. With Fast Startup on, a PC that was shut down often ignores the magic packet.

macOS

Open System Settings → Battery (MacBook) or Energy (desktop Mac) → Options, and turn on “Wake for network access”. Waking works best over Ethernet: on a MacBook use a USB-C or Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter, and keep it plugged into power. A sleeping Mac on Wi-Fi often ignores the magic packet.

On Wi-Fi, also turn off “Private Wi-Fi address” for your network (System Settings → Wi-Fi → Details), or the Mac gets a different MAC address. In the list below, “Ethernet Address” is the MAC address of each port.

In WakeDeck, add the device with the PC’s MAC address. Find it here:

Linux

ip -br link

Windows

ipconfig /all

macOS

networksetup -listallhardwareports

Broadcast address: the last address of your network, for example 192.168.1.255 for 192.168.1.x (the default 255.255.255.255 also works on the same network). Port: 9.

2. Remote shutdown over SSH (optional)

Replace PASTE_KEY_LINE_FROM_APP with the key line shown in WakeDeck’s SSH key screen.

The app logs in with its own key, never a password. The PC needs an SSH server, and the app’s public key must be added to it. The commands below already contain your key.

Linux

Install and start the SSH server (Debian/Ubuntu shown):

sudo apt install openssh-server && sudo systemctl enable --now ssh

On Fedora, Arch or SteamOS the service is called sshd instead:

sudo systemctl enable --now sshd

Add the app’s key to your user. The line limits the key to the shutdown command:

mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh && echo 'PASTE_KEY_LINE_FROM_APP' >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Allow shutdown without a password. Run this, then add the line below it (replace youruser, and check the path with: which shutdown):

sudo visudo -f /etc/sudoers.d/wakedeck

youruser ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/shutdown

Windows

In PowerShell as Administrator, install and start OpenSSH Server:

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Server~~~~0.0.1.0; Start-Service sshd; Set-Service -Name sshd -StartupType Automatic

Administrator account: add the key and lock down the file permissions (SSH ignores the file otherwise):

Add-Content -Force -Path "$env:ProgramData\ssh\administrators_authorized_keys" -Value 'PASTE_KEY_LINE_FROM_APP'

icacls.exe "$env:ProgramData\ssh\administrators_authorized_keys" /inheritance:r /grant "Administrators:F" /grant "SYSTEM:F"

A normal account instead: put the key line in C:\Users\NAME\.ssh\authorized_keys.

If it still refuses: check that the firewall allows TCP port 22 (the OpenSSH feature normally adds the rule), and that the account is not a Microsoft Entra ID account, which cannot use keys.

macOS

Turn on the SSH server: System Settings → General → Sharing → Remote Login, and allow your user.

Add the app’s key to your user. The line limits the key to the shutdown command:

mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh && echo 'PASTE_KEY_LINE_FROM_APP' >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys && chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Allow shutdown without a password. Run this, then add the line below it (replace youruser):

sudo visudo -f /etc/sudoers.d/wakedeck

youruser ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /sbin/shutdown

In the device’s edit screen fill in the host (IP or name), the SSH user (your PC account name) and the port (22). Tap Shut down now. The first time, check that the fingerprint shown matches the PC’s, then tap Trust. The PC’s fingerprint:

Linux

ssh-keygen -lf /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key.pub

Windows

ssh-keygen -lf $env:ProgramData\ssh\ssh_host_ecdsa_key.pub

macOS

ssh-keygen -lf /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key.pub

“The PC refused the SSH key”: wrong key or user name. “Could not connect”: the PC is off, or the host, port or firewall is wrong. “The PC replied with an error”: on Linux or macOS usually the sudoers rule. “The PC’s SSH key changed”: the PC was reinstalled or its SSH keys were regenerated; trust the new key only if you expect that.

3. Away from home (VPN)

From outside your home network you first need a way into it, for example a WireGuard or Tailscale VPN. A magic packet is a broadcast, and many VPNs do not forward broadcasts. Put your network’s broadcast address (for example 192.168.1.255) in the device. If waking still does not work remotely, a small always-on device at home that sends the packet for you (a router with Wake-on-LAN, or a Raspberry Pi) is the usual solution. Remote shutdown over SSH works over a VPN as long as the PC’s address is reachable.

Remote problems: “no network or VPN connection” means the phone has no route to that address, so connect the VPN first. “Broadcast address not found” means the name or address in the device cannot be resolved. A VPN may also accept the packet but never deliver it: the app cannot tell, because a magic packet has no reply. Check that the PC turns on, and look at its status in the list.