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FAQ

Answers to frequently asked questions about Campus WoL. Click any question to expand it.

Can I wake a device that's completely powered off?

Yes, as long as two conditions are met:

  1. Wake-on-LAN is enabled in the device's BIOS/UEFI settings. This is a firmware-level setting that must be turned on for the device to respond to wake packets.
  2. The network interface card (NIC) maintains standby power. Even when the computer is off, the NIC draws a small amount of power to keep listening for incoming magic packets. This is why the device must remain plugged into a power source.

When both conditions are met, the NIC detects the magic packet and signals the motherboard to power on the system.

How long does a wake take?

The magic packet itself is sent almost instantly. The time you wait is for verification -- confirming that the device actually came online.

After sending the packet, Campus WoL checks for the device using ARP verification. This process runs for up to 60 seconds with automatic retries. Most devices that are going to wake successfully will respond within 15 to 30 seconds, depending on their boot speed.

If the device does not respond within 60 seconds, the attempt is marked as failed. You can then retry manually.

Is my password stored securely?

Yes. Campus WoL hashes passwords using Argon2id, a modern password hashing algorithm specifically designed to resist brute-force and hardware-accelerated attacks. Argon2id is the current recommendation from security experts for password storage.

Your password is never stored in plain text. The system stores only the hash, which is a one-way transformation. Even if an attacker gained access to the database, they could not recover your original password from the hash.

Who can see what I do?

Administrators have access to the audit log, which records all actions performed in the system. Each audit log entry includes:

  • Who performed the action (your username)
  • What they did (the specific operation)
  • When it happened (timestamp)
  • From where (the client's IP address)

Only users with the Admin role can view the full audit log. Viewers and Operators do not have access to audit records.

Can I use this from my phone?

Yes. Campus WoL is a web application that works in any modern browser. There is no separate mobile app to install. Simply open your browser and navigate to your Campus WoL URL while connected to the campus network.

The interface is designed to be usable on smaller screens, so you can check device status, trigger wake operations, and view results from a phone or tablet.