Make a dedicated Wake-on-LAN server with Tailscale

Tailscale can enable Wake-on-LAN (WoL) functionality to power on devices that are awfully far away, but it cannot directly send these wake-up packets. By combining Tailscale with another system like a Raspberry Pi, we can remotely wake up sleeping devices and bring them back online. In this article, we explore two methods to achieve this: using command-line tools and a web app hosted on the Tailscale network.

Option 1 involves configuring a Raspberry Pi as a wake-them-up device. By ensuring the Pi is always connected to the same network via ethernet and configured for Wake-on-LAN, we can utilize Tailscale's SSH capabilities to access the Pi from any computer on the network. Once connected, we install a tool called etherwake, which sends WoL packets to the target device's MAC address.

With this setup, we can wake up devices on our home or work network using terminal commands or Wake-on-LAN applications. However, this method requires the device to be on the same local network and connected by ethernet.

Option 2 offers an easier solution by creating a web app called UpSnap, which is hosted on the Raspberry Pi. Using Tailscale, we can access the UpSnap web app remotely, allowing us to send Wake-on-LAN packets from anywhere with an internet connection. This eliminates the need to SSH into the Raspberry Pi and manually run commands. With both options, it is crucial to have Wake-on-LAN properly configured on the target devices to ensure successful wake-up functionality.