If you just configured SayBoot but something isn't going as expected, you're in the right place. 95% of Wake-on-LAN with Alexa issues land on 7 specific points, all verifiable in under 2 minutes each. Here they are in order of frequency.

1. Windows Fast Startup is sabotaging everything

This is the number one reason WoL doesn't fire. Windows 10 and 11 have Fast Startup enabled by default, and it doesn't really power off the PC: it's a partial hibernation that leaves the network card in a state incompatible with magic packets.

Fix: Control Panel -> Power Options -> Choose what the power buttons do -> Change settings that are currently unavailable -> uncheck Turn on fast startup -> Save.

Then power off the PC normally. On the next WoL attempt it should fire.

2. The BIOS doesn't have WoL enabled (or ErP Ready is ON)

Enter the BIOS on the next reboot (Del, F2, F10 depending on the manufacturer). Look for:

If you can't find these entries, try sections like "Power Management", "APM Configuration" or "Advanced".

3. Magic Packet isn't Enabled on the Ethernet card

Open Device Manager (Win+X -> Device Manager) -> Network adapters -> right-click your Ethernet card -> Properties:

If you don't see these options in the Advanced tab, your network card is using a generic driver. Update from the manufacturer's site (Realtek, Intel, ASUS, etc.).

4. The network card LED is off when the PC is off

A trivial but decisive physical test. Power off the PC and look at the Ethernet connector on the back:

If the LED is off, go back into the BIOS and disable ErP Ready / EuP 2013. If even after that it stays off, the PC may have lost all standby power from the PSU (some PSUs go into extreme economy mode). In that case check the power supply's energy-saving settings or consider plugging the PC into a UPS.

5. The SayBoot agent is Offline in the dashboard

Open sayboot.com/app/devices. Each PC should have a green dot (Online). If it's gray (Offline), the Windows agent isn't talking to the SayBoot server.

Quick fixes:

6. Alexa doesn't find the device

Discovery is typically automatic within a few seconds of skill linking. If the device doesn't show up:

Re-linking forces Alexa to rebuild the device list from scratch — in 99% of cases it solves the problem.

7. "Wake works but shutdown doesn't" (or vice versa)

These are technically two different channels:

If only one of the two works, you've isolated the problem:

Frequently asked questions

I said the command but the PC didn't power on, what do I do?

Check three things in order: (1) Fast Startup disabled in Windows, (2) the network card LED stays on with the PC off, (3) the SayBoot agent shows Online in the sayboot.com/app/devices dashboard. 90% of issues land on one of these three points.

Alexa doesn't find the SayBoot device

From the Alexa app go to Devices, +, Add device, Other, Discover. If it doesn't show up, disable the SayBoot skill from Skills & Games and re-enable it — re-linking forces a clean discovery.

Does it only work with wired Ethernet?

Wake requires Ethernet (Wi-Fi isn't powered when the PC is off). If you have a Wi-Fi PC, SayBoot can use a second powered-on PC as a dispatcher. Shutdown instead also works on Wi-Fi (the PC is on, so its agent answers).

The PC powers on but doesn't respond to Alexa

Check that Magic Packet is Enabled in Device Manager, Ethernet card, Advanced tab. And that the BIOS has Wake on LAN enabled and ErP Ready disabled.

Does it work from outside the home?

Yes, SayBoot uses a cloud relay — no router port-forwarding needed. The only requirement is having at least one PC on the network powered on or in sleep with WoL enabled, to act as a dispatcher. Details in Wake your PC remotely with Alexa (away from home).

The agent shows Offline in the dashboard

Restart SayBoot from the Windows Start menu, or check that the wmp.exe process is in the tray. If the issue persists, uninstall and reinstall from the Microsoft Store — OAuth re-links automatically.

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If after all these steps setup still doesn't work, contact us via the contact form — we reply within 24 hours and often solve cases that don't fit this standard checklist.

Back to the main guide to wake your PC with Alexa.