Arduino to turn PC on or off over the internet

Projects General Guidance
1

Hello!

So I want to be able to turn my PC on or off over the internet, so I can use Teamviewer from everywhere in the world. I have tried Wake On Lan, but I found it unreliable; for me it only works reliable on Lan (port-forwarding and static IP doesn't help for outside my network).
So I thought using an Arduino and a relay board to short out the two power wires that connect to my motherboard would work. Is this a good idea and if so, which Arduino and relay board should I use? And ideas about how to control it (like with an app or via a website)? Thanks!

2

smart outlets

3

Pieter

4

Post #2 would of course be a feasible solution.

However, I personally don't like cloud solutions and I would instead choose to send a UDP command for turning on and off. There are lots of android apps that send udp codes . I really like the UDP TCP Server which also has a nice button panel.

5

Didn't get a good enough answer?
Your previous thread on the same topic at least had a descriptive subject... that usually helps.

6
  • Are the items correct and can I use them?

Yes, no, maybe. It all depends on what you intend to use them for.

  • Can I power the micro-controller with the PC's USB port even if the PC is off?

No.

  • Is it correct I can use the normal power button too if I wire the lines in parallel?

The normal power button on what? On the PC?

  • How should I control it? With a web-server or something like Blynk?

What do you know how to use?

  • Do you think there will be EMI if I place the controller inside my PC case?

Metal case? Plastic case? Wood case? EMI interfering with the Arduino? The WiFi shield? The PC?

7

feikescholtens:
Hello!

So I want to be able to turn my PC on or off over the internet, so I can use Teamviewer from everywhere in the world. I have tried Wake On Lan, but I found it unreliable; for me it only works reliable on Lan (port-forwarding and static IP doesn't help for outside my network).
So I thought using an Arduino and a relay board to short out the two power wires that connect to my motherboard would work. Is this a good idea and if so, which Arduino and relay board should I use? And ideas about how to control it (like with an app or via a website)? Thanks!

A good engineer would also need to determine if the PC was already on or off, and if the command you send actually worked as requested.

Paul

8

Can I power the micro-controller with the PC's USB port even if the PC is off?

PaulS:
No.

Yes you can. Most PC PSUs have a 5VSB (5V Stand-By) line that provides 5V (usually up to 2A) when the power supply is disabled (i.e. the computer is off). Obviously, it does need to be plugged in for this to work.

Some motherboards have this line connected to the USB ports on the front, so you can charge your phone/tablet without having to turn on your computer.

Pieter

9

Yep. 5v standby works just fine for powering an mcu.