Install WakeOnLan on macOS Guide

Install WakeOnLan on macOS Guide | Generated by AI

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Question: How to install wakeonlan on macOS?

Answer:

You can install the wakeonlan command-line tool on macOS using one of these main methods (the Homebrew approach is the most common and recommended).

Recommended Method: Using Homebrew (package manager)

If you don’t have Homebrew installed yet, open Terminal and run:
```
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
```
(Follow any on-screen instructions; it may ask for your password.)
Once Homebrew is installed, run this command to install wakeonlan:
```
brew install wakeonlan
```
After installation, you can use it directly:
```
wakeonlan AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF
```
(Replace with your target MAC address. You can add options like -i 192.168.1.255 for broadcast IP if needed.)

Homebrew installs it to /opt/homebrew/bin/wakeonlan (Apple Silicon) or /usr/local/bin/wakeonlan (Intel), which is automatically added to your PATH.

Alternative: Manual Installation (no Homebrew needed)

If you prefer not to install Homebrew:

Open Terminal and create a bin directory (if you don’t have one):
```
mkdir -p ~/bin
```

Download the wakeonlan Perl script:

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jpoliv/wakeonlan/master/wakeonlan -o ~/bin/wakeonlan

Make it executable:
```
chmod +x ~/bin/wakeonlan
```
Add ~/bin to your PATH (if not already). Edit ~/.zshrc (or ~/.bash_profile on older macOS):
```
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc
```
Now use it the same way:
```
wakeonlan AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF
```

Other Options

Using MacPorts (alternative package manager): sudo port install wakeonlan (less common than Homebrew).
GUI alternatives exist (e.g., miniWOL or Wolow), but for command-line testing like in your original steps, the above methods match the Linux wakeonlan behavior best.

Note: On very recent macOS versions (e.g., Sequoia), if you see a Perl-related error after brew install, try brew reinstall wakeonlan to fix the shebang/path.

References:

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