Wake on LAN not working on Optiplex 9020

Hi,

I've 40 dell gx9020 SFF in my laboratory and I've got this same problem, pls advice.

Thanks.

--william

I got the same problem aswell, two 9020 systems running Windows 7 Pro x64. I am guessing this is related to mailfunction of the bios from dell, because it always turns off the lan port, even in S3.

Fix this DELL!

Rune

We have many Dell Optiplex 9020s (Tower form factor), and I'm not able to get Wake on LAN working for them, either.  Have never had a problem with prior Optiplex models (GX620, 745, 755, etc), but these are the first 64-bit Windows 7 machines to go into production (the others are running 32-bit Windows XP).  Hope this gets fixed soon!!

After quite a bit of trouble-shooting and testing, I have discovered a way to work around the problem:

1. Make sure the BIOS is at version A02 (downgrade, if needed).
2. Within the BIOS - Power Management, set "Wake on LAN" to LAN only
3. Within the BIOS - Power Management, set "Deep Sleep Control" to Disabled

Once I made the above changes, the Optiplex 9020s now were able to be powered on remotely with the same WOL utilities I use for all of the other Dell computers on our network.  In my testing, I started with the latest BIOS version (A05) and kept backing off, and A02 was the first version where the above settings worked successfully.  Of course, I would like the ability to update to the latest BIOS, so hopefully Dell will offer an update to fix the issue.

Thank you - this worked for me! I was on A04 before, and after trying A05, where it also did not work, I downgraded as per your suggestion. I immediately noticed that now the network card is on when the PC is in standby mode or power off mode (blinkenlights on network card still active), and wake-on-LAN finally works.

Note: Although the network adapter stayed on after my first poweroff, wake-on-LAN did not work until I did a complete power cycle (boot to Windows, shut-down from Windows). I assume that some things are not properly loaded unless you do a full boot sequence.

I am surprised how painless a BIOS-Upgrade and BIOS-Downgrade is. All my previous settings are still there, which is nice.

Fair enough about the caveat, but they've had THREE BIOS revisions since breaking WOL; I'd think they could get it right in all that revision.  Moreover, their own Dell Update (or whatever it's called) utility with default settings will automatically upgrade 9020s to BIOS A04 which also breaks WOL.  There was a time when I would have agreed with you about not updating BIOS unless there's a known problem with a known solution in an upgraded version, but I've been berated by support reps too many times about running "out-of-date" BIOS on desktops and laptops; so, I routinely update to current on brand new PCs prior to deployment.

I can confirm that downgrade to BIOS A02 (as long as you're not running UEFI boot) works to fix WOL both in S3 and S5 power states.  I can also say that a Dell rep has suggested to me that it takes a motherboard replacement to get WOL working with any BIOS more recent than A02.  So, that doesn't bode well for enterprise clients.  I will post back when/if I can verify or deny that the replacement motherboards for these systems that won't WOL with later BIOSes will allow WOL to work with later BIOS and new MB.

I pinged my Dell tech contacts about this, especially you've shown Wake on LAN works with A02, but not later versions.  Let's see what they have to say... 

But this brings back the old adage:   Unless a new BIOS release fixes a problem you actually have, don't update to the newer version. :emotion-5:

I don't want to get unnecessarily sidetracked from the main BIOS issue in this thread, but the "old adage" mentioned (about not upgrading the BIOS unless it fixes a problem you actually have) is not one that I, my co-workers, or any other IT professionals I know subscribe to.  Even in this particular case with the Optiplex 9020, there were fixes and/or enhancements offered by the later versions for functions we absolutely use and rely on (i.e. OMCI, Intel microcode / ME firmware, CCTK, etc).

For now, the WOL functionality is more critical to us as we support 4 campuses in separate geographies and very often rely on the ability to remotely power on computers (especially with some of our departments where getting a hold of someone onsite to do it for you is next-to-impossible), so we have chosen to downgrade to BIOS A02.  But, I don't view that as an acceptable long-term solution: we should be able to upgrade in order to benefit from the fixes/enhancements in the later versions without having to sacrifice core functionality from earlier versions.

I have motherboard replacement scheduled for tomorrow on one of the units.  I will report back whether it actually solves the problem with current BIOS or is just a "clever" way to roll it back to A02.

No response yet. I pinged them again... :emotion-10: