How Wake-On-LAN works (2020)

https://blog.xaner.dev/post/wake-on-lan/

Article

  • Explainer on Wake-on-LAN: magic packet format, NIC listening in low-power state
  • Covers how the ‘magic packet’ (6x FF + MAC repeated 16x) works
  • Published 2020, resurfaced on HN

Discussion

  • Commenter shared a minimal bash/netcat WoL script needing no extra packages
  • Reader wanted deeper coverage: NIC packet matching, PCIe wakeup, switch routing
  • dang flagged an offtopic thread

Discuss on HN


Type Link
Added Apr 16, 2026
Modified Apr 16, 2026