How to minimize power consumption, while running vpn server?

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Imonobor
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 3:14 pm

How to minimize power consumption, while running vpn server?

Post by Imonobor » Sun Nov 08, 2020 3:29 pm

Hello, this probably isn't a question that gets asked often in this forum, but I don't know where else to ask it.

I have VPN server installed on my home PC and VPN client on my laptop. I'd like to leave the server running while I'm away from home and connect to it from my laptop at any time. This would mean that my home PC would have to be on constantly, since its motherboard is an older model that does not support WOL (Wake-on-LAN)

My question is, what would be the most efficient way to run my home pc? I don't want to pay huge monthly electricity bills, just because I left it running for 2 weeks straight. I know I can't turn on sleep mode, because that would mean that the VPN server would stop functioning (as well as the remote desktop app). Are there any Windows settings I can configure for minimum power draw?
I've looked around the Windows 10 advanced power settings, and one setting in particular caught my attention: Minimum CPU power state, that defaulted to 5%. Are there any ill effects that would occur if I set this lower, say 1%, or even 0%? And would that help with the power consumption?

Thanks for reading, I'm anxious to hear your responses! :)

Imonobor
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 3:14 pm

Re: How to minimize power consumption, while running vpn server?

Post by Imonobor » Tue Nov 24, 2020 2:52 pm

...Bump? :(

sky59
Posts: 477
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2018 5:58 pm

Re: How to minimize power consumption, while running vpn server?

Post by sky59 » Tue Nov 24, 2020 6:07 pm

Easiest question ever!

Install it on raspberrypi or orangepizero. It takes less than 1W.
I reach 5Mbit/s up/down with orangepizero

Imonobor
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 3:14 pm

Re: How to minimize power consumption, while running vpn server?

Post by Imonobor » Wed Nov 25, 2020 11:41 am

sky59 wrote:
Tue Nov 24, 2020 6:07 pm
Easiest question ever!

Install it on raspberrypi or orangepizero. It takes less than 1W.
I reach 5Mbit/s up/down with orangepizero
I thought about this too, but how do I turn my main PC on without wake-on-lan?

sky59
Posts: 477
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2018 5:58 pm

Re: How to minimize power consumption, while running vpn server?

Post by sky59 » Wed Nov 25, 2020 12:08 pm

What has got a PC to do with server when you use raspberrypi????!

Imonobor
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 3:14 pm

Re: How to minimize power consumption, while running vpn server?

Post by Imonobor » Wed Nov 25, 2020 2:03 pm

sky59 wrote:
Wed Nov 25, 2020 12:08 pm
What has got a PC to do with server when you use raspberrypi????!
Oh, sorry, I guess I omitted this detail in my post.
What I'm using the VPN for is to connect to my PC via remote desktop. So it will have to be on for that purpose.

sky59
Posts: 477
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2018 5:58 pm

Re: How to minimize power consumption, while running vpn server?

Post by sky59 » Wed Nov 25, 2020 3:42 pm

then use old mobile phone to wake up your PC with server on it

just left it sleep and when you ring the number you turn it on for definite time...

Imonobor
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 3:14 pm

Re: How to minimize power consumption, while running vpn server?

Post by Imonobor » Thu Nov 26, 2020 8:01 am

sky59 wrote:
Wed Nov 25, 2020 3:42 pm
then use old mobile phone to wake up your PC with server on it

just left it sleep and when you ring the number you turn it on for definite time...
Interesting, can you link me a guide as how to set this up? I tried to google it, but only found people using an android app and wake-on-lan.

sky59
Posts: 477
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2018 5:58 pm

Re: How to minimize power consumption, while running vpn server?

Post by sky59 » Thu Nov 26, 2020 11:34 am

If you are still not able to make it ask someone else to do it for you.
You need to interface ringing from mobile phone to push button on pc to wake up

It can be simple mobile phone, not android

Or use SIM800L module with arduino nano, when sim800 sends "RING" to arduino just close some relay paralell to the push button on pc

Total price well below 10usd

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