If the user prefers to keep network activity alive while the endpoint is in sleep mode, Apple recommends setting **“Wake for network access” to Always. Otherwise, it is expected for DPD (Dead Peer Detection) to drop during sleep, assuming there are no network path issues.


Apple’s Behavior:

  • "Wake for network access" (found in System Settings > Battery or Energy Saver > Power Adapter) enables a Mac to briefly wake from sleep when network activity occurs (e.g., for VPN keep alives, file sharing, or remote management).
  • When set to "Always", the Mac will wake even during deep sleep (especially on power) to maintain network connections.
  • When not enabled or set to something like "Only on Power Adapter", the system may go into full sleep and stop responding to network events — causing DPD (Dead Peer Detection) or other keep-alive mechanisms to fail.


We search for below tags on Apple support page; we will get the proof.

  • Power Nap
  • Wake-on-LAN
  • VPN behavior during sleep
  • Energy Saver settings