Forward to broadcast address - possible?

[vrapp]

I want to use a tool that sends WOL signal via internet. I tried to forward UDP port 7 to the broadcast address, 192.168.1.255, but it did not work, i.e. the target computer did not wake up. It does wake up when I send WOL signal from router's UI. Is it possible to forward WOL signal from the outside?

 

[L&LD]

Why don't you first connect to the network with OpenVPN?

 

[vrapp]

The goal is to enable the user to connect to her desktop left at home, while she goes on vacation, in minimum clicks. I can create a script using command-line tool like WOLcmd. She will make one click to run it, that will wake up the computer at home; then another click will open remote desktop to it.

 

[L&LD]

Connecting via OpenVPN to the 'home' router is as straightforward as it can get. Effectively, a single right and left click more (if you leave the OpenVPN GUI on her taskbar notification area.

 

[eibgrad]

I use OpenVPN myself for WOL purposes. But for many years, I used the following, and it worked just fine.

Wake-on-LAN (tutorial) - DD-WRT Wiki

forum.dd-wrt.com

Only difference is I changed the external port (9) to something more obscure (e.g., 20999), and unlikely to be blocked by the ISP (many ISP's block some of these low-numbered ports).

I would also use the following online service to trigger the WOL, where m is the mac address, i is the domain name (or explicit public IP), and p is the external port.

https://www.depicus.com/wake-on-lan/woli?m=010203040506&i=mydomain.dynet.com&s=255.255.255.255&p=20999

Drop the link on the desktop and all the user has to do is click it.

 

[vrapp]

Thanks, I will keep it in mind, although as I understand, I need to install OpenVPN client and enable OpenVPN on the router - until now there was no need. I still wonder if it's possible to simply forward the WOL traffic, which wouldn't require either.
(edit: did not notice eibgrad's post; thanks, I will try this).

 

[Jack Yaz]

I use this:

/jffs/scripts/vpnserver1-up
ip neighbor replace 10.14.16.8 lladdr FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF dev br0 2>/dev/null

which lets me send a WOL packet to 10.14.16.8 across the tunnel which then broadcasts to the LAN. haven't used it in a while
though, no idea if it still works

 

[vrapp]

I use OpenVPN myself for WOL purposes. But for many years, I used the following, and it worked just fine.

Wake-on-LAN (tutorial) - DD-WRT Wiki

forum.dd-wrt.com

Only difference is I changed the external port (9) to something more obscure (e.g., 20999), and unlikely to be blocked by the ISP (many ISP's block some of these low-numbered ports).

I would also use the following online service to trigger the WOL, where m is the mac address, i is the domain name (or explicit public IP), and p is the external port.

https://www.depicus.com/wake-on-lan/woli?m=010203040506&i=mydomain.dynet.com&s=255.255.255.255&p=20999

Drop the link on the desktop and all the user has to do is click it.

Just configured it, and it worked right away. Thanks again!