Feature Request: Send wake on lan packets

creese · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 30

I've recently starting running a separate mythtv frontend and backend. Since my frontend is off when not in use, I'd like the ability to use a remote control to turn it on.

The ideal scenario would be for the hdhomerun to send a wake on lan packet when a specific remote key is pressed. The biggest complexity here is defining an interface where you can input the remote code into the hdhomerun. To make this as simple as possible, I propose a fairly simple away to avoid this:

1) Through the normal get/set hdhomerun_config interface, you can program the MAC address of a machine to send a wake on lan packet.
2) If any remote code is received and the programmed IP address doesn't answer an ARP request, send the wake on lan packet.

Wake on lan packets are generally harmless if the machine is already on, so you might even be able to get away with send a wake packet on every remote packet.

Just a happy hdhomerun user looking for even more happiness Smile

gsacks · Joined: 30 Dec 2008 Posts: 9

I would also like to see this feature. I want to be as lazy as possible when I sit down to watch TV. I don't want to have to pick up my remote AND my mouse, just to wake up the 'puter. Very Happy

djp952 · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 136

I don't understand something ... how is an HDHomeRun going to receive a remote control command? Sorry if I'm being dense, I honestly don't get it.

creese · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 30

Normally the hdhomerun sends a UDP packet to an IP address configured using hdhomerun_config when it receives a remote signal. An off computer will ignore these UDP packets, but will turn on if it receives a wake on lan packet. It'd be nice if the hdhomerun recognized a remote code and sent a wake on lan packet in addition to the normal UDP packet. This would allow powering up the computer to begin with, or shuting it down later.

djp952 · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 136

Again, not trying to be dense, but ...

How is the HDHomeRun receiving a remote signal if the PC is off? Is there an IR port on this thing I've never seen? That's what I mean ... how is the command being initiated?

creese · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 30

The hdhomerun has IR receiver for picking up signals from a remote. It works with most remotes, so you just pick a remote you like.

djp952 · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 136

Ah, now this makes sense. Mine are in the basement, so I seem to have overlooked that feature all this time. Honestly didn't know they had IR on them.

Thank you for bearing with my obliviousness. I'm working out a WOL solution for my setup to allow one PC to wake/sleep another and was of the impression I might be missing something under my nose.

I think it's a great idea, now that I understand how it's even possible!

Digicrat · Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Posts: 1

I'll add my vote to the direct WakeOnLAN support idea. I can't imagine it taking much to add a config option and function that takes a pre-defined IR code, and if received, sends a WakeOnLAN request instead of the normal IR packet.

I also have a Linksys router running OpenWRT(linux) in the mix on my setup. In the meantime, I'm wondering if there's some way I can get the router to intercept a PowerOn IR packet from the HdHomeRun, and convert it into an appropriate WakeOnLAN request. To get fancy, it could even detect if the machine is on and choose whether to act accordingly.

Since (to my knowledge) the HdHomeruns IR packets can only be sent to one IP at a time, I'm thinking the only options would be to either (A)Send all IR packets to an application on the router, and forward all as appropriate to the Myth box. Alternatively (B) the other choice would be to find some way to configure wireshark on the router to monitor the IR packets when it detects the mythbox is off, and if it finds a pre-configured PowerOn packet, to sent teh WakeOnLAN request.

This could also give me the option of setting commands on the remote to restart the router, or issue other commands for other devices on the network.

Any thoughts? I just started researching this possibility.

chakotay2 · Joined: 28 Mar 2009 Posts: 3

Hi,

I am just checking out the HD HomeRun and came across this thread. I too would like to keep my HDHomeRun's in the basement and media center pc's across the house.

Has this issue been resolved? Maybe I am not reading the thread correctly. Please help.

nickk · Silicondust Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Posts: 7979

zavex · Joined: 01 Dec 2006 Posts: 12

wlj · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

Have you considered running lircd on your always on Myth back end server, pointing the HDHR at the backend server, and then configuring lirc to send the Wake-on-LAN packet to your front end system upon receiving the appropriate remote signal? This type of configuration works like a champ for me.

Hope this helps,
-Bill

creese · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 30

If you redirect your hdhomerun remote control stream to the backend, what do you use to send it to the frontend end once it is booted? Do you have the backend change the hdhomerun to send the packets to the frontend along with the WOL? I suppose the shutdown processing of the frontend could then change it back. It sounds a little fragile, but it could work.

wlj · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

Sure, you could do as you suggest. Alternatively, you could just have the back end control the front end.

-Bill

creese · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Posts: 30

I should have paid more attention to the lircd man page. The "-c" option allows the daemon to connect to a remote lircd daemon and get events from it. Now it all becomes clear. All I need to do is get etherwake setup and the frontend's lan card configured for WoL.