>I have an application that I run on a laptop. It has an ID scanner connected, so my foxpro app communicates through the COM port.
>I have my laptop set to go to sleep or blank the screen after 5 hours of inactivity.
>
>I'd like the laptop to wake back up and power on the screen whenever someone tries to scan their ID but that doesn't work.
>Receiving data from the COM port will not wake up the computer.
>
>Is there any way to accomplish this?
>
>Perhaps it would be simpler to find a way(software app) to turn the computer off and back on during certain times.

No real answer, just some comments:

- Are you using a "real" COM port, or one provided by a USB adapter?

- Some devices (such as NICs) can be optionally powered off to save power during standby/hibernation etc. This is typically controlled in Device Manager. You might want to check that your COM port/device is not being powered off.

- There was an older Wake On Modem/Wake On Ring standard, but I don't know if it's still supported by modern computers or if it worked with just a bare COM port, rather than a modem

- There is software available to rouse a computer from standby/hibernation on a schedule e.g. http://www.makeuseof.com/answers/bios-computer-boot-specific-time/ . Scheduled boot from a complete shutdown requires BIOS support.