Keep documents separate in the Windows 7
taskbar
The Windows 7 taskbar was a huge leap
forward, but it can sometimes take longer to switch between multiple instances
of the same program, as Windows automatically organizes them into a single
button. To disable this, right-click the taskbar, select Properties, and then
click the drop-down menu next to ‘Taskbar buttons:’ and select ‘Combine when
taskbar is full.’
Wake Your PC with a Smartphone or Tablet
You'll
need this
A PC capable of wake-on-LAN: We’ll show you
how to find out if your system fits the bill.
A Smartphone or Tablet: Android, iOS, or
Windows Phone 7 will all work.
Sometimes you need a computer on and you
need it on now! The power-saving features in Windows are fantastic – they can
switch a desktop PC from using 300 watts to just one watt when it's not being
used. The problem is that in a modern house where you're often sharing your
music, video, and photos with others, if that PC goes to sleep or is switched off,
someone will be shouting for you to turn it back on.
Thankfully, there's a little-known and
obscurely implemented feature in most PCs called Wake on LAN, or WoL. This is
the ability for a PC that's either switched off or sleeping to be awakened from
its slumber remotely from almost any other device that's connected to the same
wired or wireless network. By checking a few simple settings and installing a
smartphone app, anyone can rouse a slumbering system remotely, so let’s show
you how.
1.
Take some notes:
Networking is a complex subject. First,
let's gather some useful information – prepare for lots of clicks! Down in the
bottom-right of your desktop is the Notification area, where you'll see a
network icon. Right-click this and choose Open Network and Sharing Center.
Under the Connect or Disconnect section, click the Local Area Connection link
if you use a wired connection, or the Wireless link if you're on a wireless
network.
Click Details in the new window that opens,
and you’ll be presented with the Physical Address code and the IPv4 Address,
among other details (image A). Write down both, as you will need that info
later. Lastly, make a note of the Description – this is the name of the network
adapter that’s being used, which you’ll need
Image
A
1.
Configure your network device:
To ensure your PC can actually wake from
LAN, you need to check the network adapter. To do this click Start, right-click
Computer, and select Manage. In the Computer Management window that opens
select Device Manager and open the Network Adapters branch. You'll need to
double-click the adapter named in the Description from the last step (image B).
Image
B
Double-click your adapter to open its
Properties. Now click Power Management; you need to check both boxes here at
the very least, especially the one marked ‘Allow this device to wake the
computer’ (image C). It's also worth taking a look through the Advanced tab for
any WoL or Wake settings and making sure these are set to Auto, or that all
available options are chosen.
Image
C
2.
Configure your pc:
WoL works for systems that are switched off
or sleeping, which can help save power. You can easily adjust the sleep
settings by opening the Start menu, typing Power Options, and pressing
Enter. Click the ‘Change plan settings’ link for the selected plan and this
will enable you to choose how long the PC must remain idle before switching
into sleep mode.
Sometimes you might want your system to go
to sleep straight away. That's pretty easy to do by going to Start, clicking
the Shutdown arrow, and selecting Sleep, but you can also create a desktop
shortcut. To make one, right-click a blank area of the desktop, select New >
Shortcut and type rundll32.exe PowrProf.dll, SetSuspendState (image D).
Give it a name like ‘Sleep’ and click OK.
Image
D
3.
Wake your PC:
Using another PC on your home network,
you'll need a bit of software to send the magic wake-up call. Try Depicus WOL
(bit.ly/2N5DS6). Download and install it, and enter the IP and Physical Address
(MAC) details you noted earlier (image E). Then enter 255.255.255.0 for the
Subnet and select Local Subnet from Options. Click ‘Wake me up’ and the
computer should spring back to life.
Image
E
Most mobile platforms have a wide selection
of Wake on LAN (or WoL) tools available to them. Indeed, Depicus offers its own
apps, so if you have an Apple iOS device, Windows Phone, or Android phone or
tablet then you just need to download an app and enter the same details as in
the last step. Make sure you're connected to your Wi-Fi, and you're done!
4.
Troubleshoot problems:
If you're having difficulty getting this to
work, there are a couple of things you can check. Both systems have to be on
the same network (image F), whether wired or wireless, as long as the two are
connected. Secondly, within the adapter's properties in Step U, double
check for mentions of a magic packet in any WoL setting, which needs to be
switched on.
Image
F
Congratulations, you now have a system that
can be awakened from its low-power slumber or off state, remotely and from
almost any device that will connect to your network, including tablets and
smartphones. This is going to help you save power, time, and effort, and should
generally help make life easier when it comes to managing and running a home
network.
