If you have the same problem/setup I have, this may be interesting to you.

My MCE 2005 computer sits in a living room, and because of the noise, I don't want it running all the time.  Therefore, the MCE 2005 computer goes into S3 standby after 20 min. or so of inactivity (no fans).

I also have XBox and Linksys extenders in the basement and bedroom.  However, the extenders won't connect if the MCE 2005 computer is in standby.  So I have developed a utility to get around this problem.  The key is that at least one computer on your network must be running all the time, in my case my office workstation.

When you turn on an extender, it sends a broadcast datagram over the network on port 3776 to locate the MCE "server".  It sends these datagrams every second for 20 seconds until a server is found.  This primitive utility runs on the always-on workstation and looks for the broadcast datagrams.  When a datagram is received, it sends a "Magic Packet" to the MCE 2005 server to wake it up out of standby (most MCE computers should support magic packet wake-up).  The MCE 2005 server then responds to one of the subsequent broadcast datagrams and the extender connects.  The whole thing takes 2 to 3 seconds.

If anyone else is interested in such a utility, reply to this thread and I will see about making it available.

Thanks,
WRK

I'm gonna have the exact same setup as you, so yes, definitely, make it available !

 

Thanks.

I have my MCE machine on all the time in my family room due to an extender in the bedroom. I would love to be able to use this utility so that I could put my MCE machine into standby once again!

 

I have attached the .exe file to this post.  You will need the .NET framework 1.1 installed for it to run.  I am not a software developer, so use at your own risk.  Please post any comments or problems in this topic.

Add the MAC address for your Media Center computer and change the Broadcast address if necessary for your LAN segment.  Click the Listen button to make the program active.  It minimizes to the system tray and remembers your settings.

I am toying with the idea of adding a parameter to make it start minimized in listening mode so it could be added to the Startup folder, however, this utility is only intended as a temporary solution until I can move my MCE server into my wiring closet.  As soon as SoftSled is available!!!

Good Luck,
WRK

Great util! Would you mind attaching the source so I can update it with the parameter you mentioned? Thanks!

Here are the source files.

Thanks,
WRK

Awesome, thanks! I'm attaching the updated version (source and bin). Just add /listen or -listen as the first parameter to start up listening and minimized to the tray.

Great tool, works well, thanks

I've got a slightly different situation - I'm using a full PC as my secondary media center and not an extender.  Does anyone have any idea what port I might be able to use in this situation? It can't be a general Windows port since everytime I started up any PC it would wake up the media center...

Thanks 

This might be a dumb question...but would it work on an old computer running windows 98?  It says .net 1.1 needs to be installed and I don't know if that would work with a legacy windows product like windows 98...The reason I ask is that the only computer I'd like to keep on fulltime would be a low power printer server running an OS I already own (win98).

Indeed it will.  You can get the .NET 1.1 runtime for Windows 98 here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=262d25e3-f589-4842-8157-034d1e7cf3a3&displaylang=en

Good Luck,
WRK

Does anyone still have the .exe for this?  I can't see where it's posted here.  Wondering if the attachments were deleted with the TGB upgrade.

Thanks.

I tried to re-attach the missing files, however I don't have permission to attach files.  This may be a temporary condition.  If anyone else has the files and could upload them, please do so.

Thanks,
WRK

WRK,
Would you  mind sending to me in an e-mail?  rdblatch@comcast.net

Thanks so much.

Thanks for sending me the .exe WRK,

I'm having a hard time getting it to work correctly.  It seemed to work the first time I used it, but I can't get it to replicate.

Here's how I have it setup.

1) MCE machine in S3 Standby
2) Wake on LAN is checked for my network card in the Device Manager.
3) Extender is off
4) You program is listening on the 3rd networked computer (The MAC address is correct, but I'm not sure what port to listen on.  It's currently set to the default (3776) but I have no idea if that's correct or not.
5)  I turn the extender on.
6)  Extender can't connect.

I'm expecting the 3rd networked computer to send something to the MCE machine to wake it up.  It won't do so.  Am I missing an important step?  Thanks.

Thanks.