How to Reboot a Remote Computer? (Command + Tools)

There may be instances when you accidentally leave your computer running while you leave for some work. In such cases, you may need to reboot your computer from a distant location.

The chances are that you left a program on your computer running, which you now want to exit, but you are far away from your PC. You don’t need to worry. You can reboot your system remotely.

Mentioned below are some of the ways you can remotely reboot your system. 

Reboot your computer using a command line

Setting up a command line may be a tricky process. You may require a lot of patience to accomplish the task. There is a list of steps that you may follow if you want to set up a command line for the reboot. Therefore, go through these steps carefully and follow them accordingly. 

For setting up a command line, you may first need to ensure that the configuration of your device is proper. You will face difficulty rebooting a remote computer if the configuration is not correct. The laptop needs to be on the same network as another computer. Only then will you be able to reboot successfully.

Now, let us look through some steps to reboot your computer using a command line.

#1. Enable remote reboot

For configuration of your remote computer, you may visit the start menu’s search bar. You may look for ‘Services’ from this search bar. You can also type ‘Services.msc’ to open the service menu. 

Scroll down to the R section of the services menu and select Remote registry. 

Select the properties icon from the drop-down menu. You will come across a start-up drop-down menu in the middle of your screen. You can select the kind of reboot you want your system to undergo. The options range between automatic and manual. You can also disable reboot from this window. 

#2. Enabling remote reboot in Firewall

Enter the start menu of your remote computer. In the search bar, enter ‘Firewall.’ You will be able to search for the Windows Firewall program from this search bar. Click on the icon that appears on the screen. 

On the extreme left corner of this window, you may find ‘Allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall.’ Click on this option.

Next, you may go to the change settings option just above the list of programs.

As you scroll down this list, you may come across a box on the left side of the windows management instrumentation. Tick this box.

Further, you will find the option to tick private or public on the right side of the WMI. Select the public option if your computer is connected to a private network. This enables remote access to your computer and prohibits the firewall from blocking this. 

#3. Search for the name of the computer

Open the Windows Explorer on your remote computer. Click on ‘This PC.’ 

Clicking on the computer tab that appears in the upper left of the window will open a Toolbar. As you click on properties, the settings of your computer will open. 

On this page, you will find the computer’s name, the domain, and your device’s workgroup. Note down the name of your computer from this menu. 

#4. Rebooting your computer

Start the PC that you will use to reboot the other computer. Make sure that both these devices are connected to the same network. Login to this device as an administrator.

Visit the start menu and select the command prompt. You may type ‘shutdown/I’ in this command prompt window and press the enter key. A window having the option to reboot your remote device will appear on the screen. 

Click on the add option available on the right side of your screen. A window will open wherein you can enter the name of the remote computer you wish to reboot. Enter the same name that you noted down in the previous step. Now, you may be asked to select the action you want to perform.

From the drop-down menu, select the restart option. You may also like the checkbox that enables you to send a warning to the user on the other end of the computer. Select the ‘OK’ button. This command will immediately restart your remote computer.  

Now let’s look at some third-party tools to perform a remote reboot.

Reboot using Zoho Assist

Following are the steps you need to follow to set up Zoho Assist for your remote devices. 

#1. Signup to Zoho Assist using your email address. 

#2. You may get a 15-day free trial, after which Zoho Assist will be free to use only for personal uses. You will have to pay for the service in case of enterprise features. 

#3. Begin a session for remote assistance.

You can set up instant remote support by clicking on the ‘Start Now’ option. You may also schedule the session for some other time. 

After completing the remote support system installation, you may invite the person from the remote end by sending an email invitation or an SMS asking the customer to join Zoho. 

You can also set up a remote computer in case of unattended access. 

#4. Connect to the remote device. Once the remote computer receives a session invite for a reboot, the further steps are elementary. The computer on the other end may join the session. You may also install the lightweight agent for complete access to the remote computer. 

Reboot using RemotePC

RemotePC allows you to add users to the account and organize them accordingly. RemotePC entitles you to connect with your PC, Mac, or Linux from any corner of the world. You can also add people to work on your documents temporarily. 

Not just this, you can also use RemotePC for conducting online meetings that have better audio and video quality.

Following are the steps you may need to follow:

• Login to RemotePC using your web browser.
• Reach out for the connect button and click on the web icon. 
• You may be asked to enter your key to complete the configuration. 

Once completed, you may be able to access and reboot your PC remotely. 

Reboot using SupRemo

Using SupRemo, you can create your support team and invite your co-workers to join the group. You can then manage support requests and directly start a remote connection.

You can also enable the Support Queue, which will help you to receive support requests from other customers. 

Now, you need to install automatic safe access for the remote control of your device. SupRemo resets the password after every use. Hence, you must set a secondary password that will not change unless you initiate a password change. 

You may also need to disable the energy-saving mode on your PC for SupRemo to function correctly. 

Follow these steps afterward:

#1. Install and launch SupRemo on your device. 

Click on the Tools menu. You may enter personal security questions and answers and enter your password. Save the details once you complete this step. 

#2. Click on the ‘next’ option to begin rebooting your device through unattended access.

This completes the setting up process. You may now be able to reboot your remote device. Just remember to keep your secondary password alongside to avoid any trouble. 

Conclusion

Here, you learned about the various ways that may enable you to reboot your device remotely. Select the one that you find the easiest and the one that makes work simple. You can reboot your device using a command line, but that will be cumbersome and time-consuming. Hence, you may prefer using an app for accomplishing your purpose.

You may also be interested in Chrome Remote Desktop.