O colega “A” está 100% correto: a funcionalidade Wake-on-LAN (WoL) depende da placa-mãe e das configurações relacionadas do BIOS. O NIC deve ser capaz de suportar o WoL e o BIOS precisa ser capaz de entender o NIC dizendo: “Ei! Este é o seu NIC e o meu WoL foi acionado! Você se importa de fazer alguma coisa com essa informação, placa-mãe? ”
Como explicado muito claramente na Wikipedia, o Wake-on-LAN vem do firmware da NIC e é atendido por placas-mãe que respeitam o WOL; ênfase ousada é minha:
Wake-on-LAN support is implemented on the motherboard of a computer and the network interface (firmware), and is consequently not dependent on the operating system running on the hardware. Some operating systems can control Wake-on-LAN behaviour via NIC drivers. With older motherboards, if the network interface is a plug-in card rather than being integrated into the motherboard, the card may need to be connected to the motherboard by an additional cable. Motherboards with an embedded Ethernet controller which supports Wake-on-LAN do not need a cable. The power supply must meet ATX 2.01 specifications.
E com mais detalhes de como a BIOS funciona em toda a configuração; mais uma vez a ênfase ousada é minha:
Wake-on-LAN usually needs to be enabled in the Power Management section of a PC motherboard's BIOS setup utility, although on some systems, such as Apple computers, it is enabled by default. On older systems the bios setting may be referred to as "WOL", on newer systems supporting PCI version 2.2, it may be referred to as "PME" (Power Management Events, which include WOL). It may also be necessary to configure the computer to reserve standby power for the network card when the system is shut down.
E ainda mais detalhes de " How-To Geek explica: O que é Wake-on-LAN e como faço para ativá-lo? "; mais uma vez a ênfase ousada é minha:
WoL is dependent on two things: your motherboard and your network card. Your motherboard must be hooked up to an ATX-compatible power supply, as most computers in the past decade or so are. Your Ethernet or wireless card must also support this functionality. Because it is set either through the BIOS or through your NIC’s firmware, you don’t need specific software to enable it. Support for WoL is pretty universal nowadays, even when it’s not advertised as a feature, so if you have a computer built in the past decade or so you’re covered.
E em muitos sistemas modernos, não há nenhuma configuração de WoL explícita no BIOS com a funcionalidade atribuída a um nome diferente ou enterrada sob outras configurações de energia como explicado neste post do Lifehacker :
To access your BIOS, restart your computer and press and hold the Delete key (or whatever key your BIOS prompts you to hold) to enter the BIOS setup. Once you're in the BIOS, head to the Power management section and look for a Wake-on-LAN setting. If you find one, go ahead and make sure it's enabled, then save and exit your BIOS and start up your computer. Not all BIOS will have a straight-up Wake-on-LAN option, and on some boards you may have to enable a "Power On By PCI Devices" setting. It varies from board to board, so a little trial and error may be in order.