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PC randomly starts (Wake on LAN enabled)

I need help. I am utilising (and need to) the Wake on LAN feature of my M/B's (ASUS K8U-X) built-in NIC. Originally it worked brilliantly, but now, when I shut my PC down in the evening, I will come back a few minutes later to find it started again. Sometimes it can be a few minutes, other times a few seconds after shut down. There really is no pattern to it.

I have tested by pulling out the Ethernet jack from the wall, and I then do not get random starts, which would indicate to me the WoL feature is causing it. I have upgraded the BIOS to the latest version (1001) today, but that has not helped matters. I have 2 servers on my network, but they are not pinging my PC or sending WoL packets across the network. No other devices, except of course a router, a few switches and an Access Point are switched on.

Can anyone offer some insight into why my PC would randomly start like this? Why is it starting to seemingly any bit of data it can pick up (rather than just a WoL packet targeted at the NIC's MAC address), and could an AP cause this to happen? Switching the PC off at the wall is not an option as I need the WoL feature.

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PCBONEZ

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tigermatt

ASKER

Nothing has changed on the LAN since this started happening, however I think your idea of the AP causing this might be correct. I am going to disconnect my AP for some time, and see whether that improves things.

What do you suggest I do if I do find it is indeed the AP doing this? Can you suggest anything?

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knoxzoo

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tigermatt

ASKER

Thanks for the information. I'm still testing (with my network in pieces :-(!) but will get back to you as soon as possible.

-Matt

PCBONEZ

>> What do you suggest I do if I do find it is indeed the AP doing this? Can you suggest anything? <<

In that case (or the case of whatever you find is causing it) you will need to explore the documentation for the device and turn off whatever feature is causing the problem.

You are doing it right.
First thing first, and that's figuring out which gadget is misbehaving.

.

tigermatt

ASKER

Cheers. I've had the AP unplugged over the weekend and everything was fine, re-plug the AP and its switch and the problem came back. I'm going to switch the AP with another AP I have and see what difference if any it makes.

I'll be back in due course!

tigermatt

ASKER

It turned out to be the AP. Switched it out with another one, same thing. Unplug it, behaviour goes away.
However another machine on the network has WoL enabled and doesn't experience this, so it looks like my motherboard's in-built NIC is being too greedy in what it will wake up to. I think I'll probably end up getting another decent NIC and disable the Motherboard one, hopefully that will sort the issue out.

-Matt