How can I turn on my laptop with a switch

**cis4life** · 01-29-2007, 10:26 AM

Hello,

Is there a solution out there where I can switch on my laptop using an external swith. (like in my dash or something). Like somthing hooked into the usb and the swith is hooked into some power source (cig lighter or something) and then I just hit a button on my dash and my laptop computer will power up?

I don't want to alter the laptop at all, just a module to power it up safely

Please advise,

Thanks,
Cedric

**DarquePervert** · 01-29-2007, 10:42 AM

Yeah.
It's called a switch that you wire to the switch inside your laptop!

If you want some external device, it's possible to use a modem or a network device thaat will trigger Wake-on-ring or wake-on-LAN, assuming your laptop has that functionality.

**Blauvster** · 01-29-2007, 10:43 AM

Hey Cedric,

This has been asked many times just checkout this thread:
Remote laptop startup

As for me I am trying a method using an actuator and some brake cable to make a sort of physical switch, that way I don't have to solder anything into my laptop. Another method is using wake on link, this allows you to activate the computer through a modem, I don't have a modem in my laptop since I built it myself and couldn't justify spending the 3 extra dollars for something I am never going to use

**Ruffy** · 01-29-2007, 04:25 PM

wake on link uses ethernet not modem

and soldering 2 wires is very easy. actuator + cable is alot more difficult. You dont even really need to take the laptop apart depending on the laptop. Most of the time it's two screws and one panel.

**Blauvster** · 01-30-2007, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by Ruffy

wake on link uses ethernet not modem

and soldering 2 wires is very easy. actuator + cable is alot more difficult. You dont even really need to take the laptop apart depending on the laptop. Most of the time it's two screws and one panel.

Wake on link or wake on ring is a modem thing, wake on lan is a lan thing two different things. I use wake on lan just about everyday to turn a media server on in my basement.

The whole purpose in his question is how to turn a laptop on without soldering or modifying the laptop; soldering a switch might not be much modification but it still is. I have 3, well 2 and my GF has one, of the same laptop and I do not feel like modifying and voiding the warranty on them and am pretty sure wake on link/wake on ring will not work with them so I really have little to no option but to make some sort of mechanical manual switch.

Another idea I have is using an electromagnet since a magnet is used to determine if the lid is open or not but then it would have to be on all of the time or it would think the lid was opened back up.

**Ruffy** · 01-30-2007, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by Blauvster

Wake on link or wake on ring is a modem thing, wake on lan is a lan thing two different things. I use wake on lan just about everyday to turn a media server on in my basement.

The whole purpose in his question is how to turn a laptop on without soldering or modifying the laptop; soldering a switch might not be much modification but it still is. I have 3, well 2 and my GF has one, of the same laptop and I do not feel like modifying and voiding the warranty on them and am pretty sure wake on link/wake on ring will not work with them so I really have little to no option but to make some sort of mechanical manual switch.

Another idea I have is using an electromagnet since a magnet is used to determine if the lid is open or not but then it would have to be on all of the time or it would think the lid was opened back up.

wake on link is supported by ethernet, as well as wake on lan both are different things and both very much come in the rj45 connection. Most of the time a simple driver update adds wake on link, but some laptops ethernet connections dont support it.

Notice I said nothing about wake on lan in my post :P

And as said, you're making it very difficult by trying to use another method.

**shotgunefx** · 01-30-2007, 02:51 PM

Another option is to grab a docking station (not a usb one) for cheap off ebay if they are readily available for your model. Then if you screw the pooch, you're out a lot less.

That's the route I went with the last two times. My first was a pain as if the switch remained closed, it took it as the button was repeatedly pressed and would power on/off every five seconds, a NO spring switch would work for this.

My second laptop/dock+monitor stand, simply jumping out the switch starts it appropriatedly so I just jumpered the contacts together on the monitor stand that the dock mates too (paid $5 for it).

So now it automatically starts when power is applied via the inverter, shutdown is taking care of via the power settings (turn off X minutes after AC is removed)