Troubleshooting Wake On LAN on a Mac
Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot issues when trying to wake a Mac.
Before you begin:
Hardware Requirements
First, confirm that you meet the hardware requirements for using Wake on LAN:
- Confirm that the computer is on a wired network (not WiFi). Wake On LAN is not supported for Mac hosts on a wireless network.
- Make sure the host is in Stand-by, sleep, or hibernation (ACPI specification S3 or S4) mode.
- You cannot wake a Mac that is powered off.
Adjust the Power Management settings in a System Configuration file
Check the Power Management settings on the Mac you want to wake up.
Adjust the Power Management settings in Terminal
What to do next:
Make sure the host is in Stand-by, sleep, or hibernation (ACPI specification S3 or S4). You cannot wake a Mac that is powered off.
ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) standards:
- S0 – System is fully powered on
- S1 – Power on Suspend(POS): Power to the CPU and RAM is maintained.
- S2 – CPU powered off.
- S3 – Standby, Sleep or Suspend: RAM still has power
- S4 – Hibernation: Memory is saved to the hard drive and the system is powered down.
- S5 – Shut Down: The power supply still supplies power to the power button.
For additional information, visit the Apple support site.
