u/loops_in_c

I'm researching different approaches for remotely accessing a Windows PC that is normally powered off or sleeping.

I've seen setups using Wake-on-LAN through a VPN, Tailscale/WireGuard with an always-on Raspberry Pi, smart plugs, AMT/vPro, and tools such as RDP or Sunshine.

For those who do this regularly, what setup are you using?

I'm particularly interested in the complete workflow: phone → reach home network → wake PC → wait for it to become available → establish remote session.

What part of your current setup is unreliable, inconvenient, or requires more configuration than you'd like?

I'm curious how people handle this in practice. If you're away from home and suddenly need something from your Windows PC—whether it's a file, an application, or the full desktop—what do you currently use?

Do you leave the PC running, use something like AnyDesk/Jump Desktop/Chrome Remote Desktop, use a VPN, or have some kind of Wake-on-LAN setup?

I'm particularly interested in what happens when the PC is asleep or powered off. Is there anything about your current setup that's annoying or unnecessarily complicated?

Quick question for people who use remote access: Have you ever been away from your laptop and needed a file, application, or something on your PC—but couldn't access it because the laptop was sleeping, closed, or turned off? Existing solutions often require separate Wake-on-LAN setup + remote desktop software. I'm exploring an idea where your phone could simply say “Connect to my laptop”, wake it if necessary, establish a secure connection, and let you access the files or desktop. Would you actually use something like this? What currently frustrates you about remote access?

Hey, I have been building an application through Agentic IDE, and i know the theoretical part of what to be used and can explain code, but I hate writing code. Should i consider this opportunity or skip it and try for any other role in the software sector