Step 7 - Test again!

Now that you think you've configured everything, test it. Start with ensuring you can access the target PC. If you can ping from your router, double-check and ping your target PC.

Now you've reached the moment of truth. Turn the target PC off. You can remotely turn off a Windows PC via Remote Desktop Connection by right-clicking the menu bar and selecting Task Manager. You'll see a Shut Down option similar to Figure 9.

Figure 9: The Shut Down option on the Task Manager

Other OSes have similar options. Many Linux distributions have a power button at the top right, similar to Figure 10.

Figure 10: The power button on a Linux distribution

Okay, the PC is off. You can double-check that by sending a ping from your router to the target PC.

Now send the WOL signal to the target PC. If using the AMD Utility, you'll enter your Dynamic DNS domain, or Public IP, and the MAC address of the target PC, as in Figure 11 below. Note the time in seconds and reference the measured time—from power-up to fully booted—you previously recorded. You'll be glad you collected this as you wait the endless seconds before you can remotely login.

Figure 11: Sending the WOL signal

If you can log in, congratulations! You've remotely powered up a PC. If not, now is the time to start utilizing the tools discussed previously.

Leveraging the tools in your router, especially ping and log functionality, will help you find a problem. Start by looking at the log of your router. See if it received a packet from your remote PC and forwarded it per the rule you configured.