Home automation is slowly entering our homes and certainly could not miss a guide on how to turn on your computer with Alexa, using for example the Amazon Echo Dot.
How to turn on your computer with Alexa
The guide has been tested on Windows 10 computers and using an Amazon Echo Dot, just a few simple steps and some tricks to make the skill work properly.
We See THE VARIOUS STEPS
First open the Alexa app and from the menu on the left (skill) look for and activate “Wake on Lan” available on thispage.
After activating it we must switch to the computer side, go to the PC on thissiteand log in with the Amazon account (the same linked to Alexa).
Now on the same page scroll down and you will have a field where you can enter the PC name (of your choice) and the MAC address of your PC.
How to find the Mac address?
Open CMD (command prompt) and type “ipconfig / all” (without the quotes).
You will have a list of writings and you will have to copy the address next to the writing “physical address” that would be the MAC to be inserted on the site.
Paste the address on the Wake on Lan website
Now that you have copied it, paste it on the site in the MAC field, give the PC a name and click on ADD.
End
Now when the computer is off, just say “Alexa turn on the computer” where instead of computer you will have to say the name you have given to your device (name then customizable from the Alexa app).
Possible problems and configurations to turn on the computer with Alexa
Now let’s see some of the problems and solutions if you can’t turn on the computer with your voice.
First solution
- You need to activate the Wake On Lan option on the network card
Open thecontrol panel, click onnetwork and internetand then onnetwork and sharing connection center.
Here in the left column click onchange adapter settingsand from the page that opens right click on the network card you are using and then selectpropertiesand then on topconfigure.
Let’s go to theadvancedtab and perform these operations:
- Energy Saving Ethernet: OFF
- Magic packet for reactivation: ENABLED
Now always configure, go toenergy savingand activate all the options as below in the image:
Now the PC is able to receive the command to switch on by voice.
Second solution
Another problem could be the Wake On Lan disabled directly from the BIOS, in this case a guide is difficult as each motherboard has its options.
In principle, access the BIOS, go to advanced options and you should have one of these options to enable:
WOL
PowerOn by PCI Card
Remote Wake Up
LAN Boot
Wake On Lan