Remotely starting up a laptop?

[RyanH]

Hi;
I'm new to this forum and I have not had any luck trying to figure out what component can achieve my desired results. Anyways, I have a project where I'd like to integrate my laptop into my car, but having to manually boot it up each time I got in the car would be irritating, especially since I plan on storing the laptop in the trunk. Anyways, I have heard of people doing car computers with PC desktops and being able to boot the computer up/return it from hibernation using their car clickers. Does anyone know what items I can acquire that would help me attain this or something along those lines?

Sorry if I sound like I'm rambling, just a little flustered that I can't find what I'm looking for. Thanks.

 

[ekÆsine]

It probably uses WOL through the network card to remotely start them up. If this is for a car starter they probably already have this stuff available at car shops or online. I'm sure if you check out magazines or websites like "Import Tuner" etc they will have some you can buy.

 

[RyanH]

It's not for the car starter, what I'm basically trying to do is this:

http://e46.mit.edu/Custom_Computer.htm

If you go to this page, and browse to near the bottom you'll see that he hooked it up to his clicker, but he doesn't specify what he used on his computer's end:

http://e46.mit.edu/Electrical_Subsystem.htm

Thanks

 

[ekÆsine]

hmm interesting.....not very imaginative, but that works.

 

[RyanH]

Now, unfortunately I'm not in the know with obscure technology, is there a PCMCIA/USB/Ethernet card that will allow me to do something like that, or even relocate the power switch on my IBM thinkpad? I don't want to physically alter the laptop though, just add hardware if possible. Or, more convenient would be a set up like this:

Car turns off, power supply is shut down(Cigarrette sockets don't work when my car is off)
Windows goes into battery config where it sets to hibernation after 5 or so minutes of being idle

then...
is there a way for it to return from hibernation when the power supply comes back again?

This would be easiest for me since it would basically start the laptop up once i power the car up.

 

[Nubius]

hmm interesting.....not very imaginative, but that works.

....got a better car mod? I think its a pretty good idea to hook it up to the car alarm aux button...how is this not imaginative? What would YOU have done?

 

[ekÆsine]

Nubius hmm what would I try to do? I think if I had enough money and was feeling really "imaginative" I would invest in a mobile internet satellite system for global internet access. I would install a second lead acid battery to supply a dedicated source for the laptop 24/7. I would install a solar panel on the rooftop to charge that battery. Using mobile internet this would allow me to remotely send wakeup and shutdown commands to the laptop. I would use remote control software to take full control of the laptop from anywhere in the world. Imagine being able to remotely use the laptop as a remote slave renderer, maintain a remote FTP server connected via bluetooth/ wireless network with a signal booster/ repeater/ amplifier so I could park the car right outside the building to take advantage of a wireless network. . . .and also to download pr0n to the laptop from your workplace or home.

Then I would install a global positioning satellite system so I could remotely track/record the movement of my vehicle. This would also serve as theft deterent in case the car is stolen. My ideas sound like Sci-Fi, but here's some more info on the hardware. So Nubius how's that for imaginative?:

http://www.groundcontrol.com/mobile-internet-satellite-products.htm

http://cargps.articleinsider.com/67828_vehicle_satellite_tracking.html

http://www.liaison-data.com/

 

[RyanH]

Here's another idea, is there a way for me to send a text message to my laptop via the ethernet or wifi card to start it up?

 

[Nubius]

would invest in a mobile internet satellite system for global internet access

woooooweeee you'd have to be loaded for that. I don't find your way imaginative only because its something that basically the rich can do. I liked the other guys way cause it'd be more practical and actually applicable for poor folk like ourselves. I mean solar panels and a dedicated lead acid battery? Minus all the GPS equipment you'd need ontop of your expensive a$$ satellite internet....I might as well watch 'Cribs' and I can already see that idea already be implimented. Its not creative at all.....its just being rich is what I call that.

and also to download pr0n to the laptop from your workplace or home.

--oooooh yeaaaaah!

This would also serve as theft deterent in case the car is stolen

Lojack would be less expensive

Your idea is 'cool' I'll say that, but not imaginative...cause I'd do the same thing if....I had the funds to do it and I think so would the guy who originally asked the question, but come on....hooking it up to an AUX button for your car alarm for a remote start....thats not imaginative to you, but buying parts that are made for the purpose and being rich enough to afford them and putting them in is? Ok..

That'd be one helluva car, but I've basically seen it on 'Pimp my ride!' or something of that nature so it's nothing thats not imaginative. I'm sorry it just seems that hooking the power up to something it shouldn't be 'jerry rigging' if you will would be more imaginative.

Back to thread owners question:

Here's another idea, is there a way for me to send a text message to my laptop via the ethernet or wifi card to start it up?

Wouldn't that just be a remote wakeup? Most network cards don't come with it naturally...atleast not the ones I've bought in the past....thats why theres that little missing chip is for that very reason. I have no clue on wifi though, but it seems like you'd be able to set it up in the laptops BIOS for remote wakeup....buuuuut I don't think it'd respond to just a text message. I think in the case of remote wake up its gotta be like...an actual utility you are using from your end. You could always ask the cops and see how they get their computer in there

 

[ekÆsine]

Most network cards don't come with it naturally...atleast not the ones I've bought in the past....thats why theres that little missing chip is for that very reason.

Pimp my ride is awesome, I've seen that show once and I loved it. Those guys are very imaginative. If you thought it was about guys having too much money, you're missing the point.

The "missing chip" is for upgrade purposes not for wake-on-lan. Almost all network cards made in the last few years have wake-on-lan support. On desktops there is sometimes a WOL wire you must connect to a pin on the motherboard. Depicus makes some good (free) software to issue magic packets used to wake up a computer. It is at depicus.com:



The command line tool wolcmd is run from a dos prompt. The syntax is as follows:

wolcmd [mac address] [ip address] [subnet mask] [port number]

you can also do a local broadcast if you are running on an internal network thus

wolcmd [macaddress] 255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255