How to Enable WakeOnLAN Only for "Magic" Packet Pattern

The Windows 2000 WakeOnLAN feature can be enabled or disabled on a network adapter. It is a completely on or completely off binary feature. If the network adapter supports power management, WakeOnLAN can be enabled on the Power Management tab in the network adapter properties by clicking to select the Allow this device to bring the computer out of standby check box. When enabled, all network adapter programmed packet patterns wake up the computer. When disabled, no packet patterns wake up the computer.

With the following fix in place and a registry change, WakeOnLAN can be enabled only for "magic" packet patterns.

To enable the WakeOnLAN feature for all patterns, select the check the box that enables WakeOnLAN, the same as before.

To enable WakeOnLAN only on magic packet patterns, select the check the box that enables WakeOnLAN and alter the registry setting (by using the .inf file as described in the "Resolution" section) that narrows the patterns to just magic packet patterns.

If WakeOnLAN should be off, clear the check box.

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:


To activate this fix, add the following entry in the network adapter .inf file under a common section for all types of adapters, and then reinstall the driver:

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 1.

For additional information about how to install Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 hotfixes at the same time, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: