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В локальной сети (LAN) обычно есть множество обменивающихся данными хостов. Сканирование сетей при помощи IP-сканера позволяет отделам ИТ, сетевым администраторам и службам безопасности следить, какие IP обмениваются данными и какие типы устройств занимают IP-адреса. Также это помогает выявлять сторонние несанкционированные хосты, которые тоже могут быть подключены к сети. Существует множество бесплатных сетевых IP-сканеров, помогающих сетевым и системным администраторам обнаруживать устройства в сети и управлять IP-ресурсами. В этой статье мы рассмотрим следующие инструменты: Nmap, Advanced IP Scanner, Angry IP Scanner, free IP scanner компании Eusing, встроенную командную строку и PowerShell.
▍ Nmap
Nmap уже долгое время считается надёжным инструментом информационной безопасности, он используется инженерами и сотрудниками служб безопасности. Это кроссплатформенная утилита, имеющая широкий спектр функцию, не ограничивающихся простым сканированием сетей.
Она содержит утилиты сканирования сетей, используемые для исследования сетей, и предоставляет множество утилит для аудита безопасности. Она позволяет выполнять глубокое изучение IP-пакетов, в том числе содержащих информацию о сервисах, приложениях, идентификации ОС и других характеристиках удалённого хоста. В ней есть опции «интересных портов», помогающие быстро находить порты удалённых хостов, которые часто бывают открытыми.
Утилита сканирования сетей Nmap, выполняющая быстрое сканирование пингом локальной сети
Бесплатный Nmap Security Scanner для Linux/Mac/Windows можно скачать здесь.
▍ Advanced IP Scanner
Большинство из нас в тот или иной момент времени сталкивалось с Advanced IP Scanner. Этот инструмент уже многие годы обеспечивает возможность быстрого сканирования сетей. Advanced IP Scanner — бесплатная утилита, которая быстро скачивается и мало весит. Начать сканирование сети с её помощью можно всего лишь за пару минут.
Сканирование сети при помощи Advanced IP Scanner
Этот инструмент, совместимый только с Windows, предоставляет множество базовых функций сканирования, в том числе определение имён устройств, IP-адресов и MAC-адресов при помощи OUI lookups для распознавания производителей устройств. Результаты работы утилиты можно экспортировать в файл CSV для дальнейшего исследования устройств в других инструментах и документации. Также она может взаимодействовать с функциональностью Wake-On-LAN найденных удалённых хостов и позволяет удобно обмениваться данными с устройствами, с поддержкой RDP.
Advanced IP Scanner — это автономный исполняемый файл, который можно просто запускать без установки, что повышает его удобство и простоту использования.
Advanced IP Scanner можно скачать здесь.
▍ Angry IP Scanner
Angry IP Scanner — ещё один популярный инструмент в этой категории. Он тоже является кроссплатформенным, поскольку поддерживает Windows, Mac и Linux. Angry IP Scanner сканирует сетевые порты и IP-адреса.
Angry IP Scanner обеспечивает быстрое и простое сканирование сетей
Он пингует адреса и резолвит имена хостов из DNS. Также он определяет MAC-адреса устройств для OUI lookup, а его возможности можно легко расширить при помощи опенсорсных плагинов, написанных на Java. Он имеет множество других функций, например, получение имени NetBIOS, рабочей группы, подключенных пользователей Windows, определение веб-серверов и многое другое. Инструмент позволяет экспортировать результаты в CSV, TXT, XML или в файлы списков IP-портов.
Angry IP Scanner — это автономный исполняемый файл, не требующий установки. Однако для его работы требуется установка на хост среды выполнения Java, что для кого-то может оказаться препятствием.
Angry IP Scanner можно скачать здесь.
▍ Free IP scanner компании Eusing
Free IP scanner — это простая утилита IP-сканирования, имеющая множество отличных функций. Это быстрый сканер, для обеспечения производительности использующий технологию многопоточности. Пользователь может настраивать уровни приоритетов процесса сканирования и максимальное количество потоков. Разработчик утверждает, что инструмент может сканировать сотни компьютеров в секунду.
Free IP scanner
Для поиска находящихся онлайн-хостов он использует пинг. Опционально он может резолвить имена хостов, находить открытые порты и использовать другие функции в случае нахождения онлайн-хостов. Как и другие сканеры, он может получать информацию NetBIOS, в том числе имя хоста, рабочую группу, подключенного пользователя и MAC-адрес. Результаты сканирования можно сохранять в простой текстовый файл. К сожалению, этот инструмент не имеет автономного исполняемого файла, поэтому его нужно устанавливать. Программа запрашивает код регистрации, однако это freeware-программа, которую можно использовать без регистрации.
Free IP scanner можно скачать здесь.
▍ Встроенная командная строка и PowerShell
Также для нахождения хостов в сети можно использовать встроенные командные среды, в том числе командную строку и PowerShell. Например, можно выполнить простую однострочную команду для быстрого пинга и возврата всех онлайн-хостов в конкретной подсети:
for /l %i in (1,1,255) do @ping 10.1.149.%i -w 1 -n 1|find /i "ttl="
Кроме того, компания Microsoft предоставляет множество превосходных бесплатных примеров кода для различных ping-утилит, встроенных в галерею PowerShell. Я пробовал работать с модулем ping_scan, и он неплохо справляется со своей задачей. В галерее есть множество опций для выполнения быстрых и простых сканирований сети при помощи ping.
▍ В заключение
Бесплатные сетевые IP-сканеры позволяют администраторам выполнять мониторинг сети и подключенных хостов. Кроме того, они способны определять типы хостов и производителей устройств, что помогает в обеспечении безопасности сетей. Системные администраторы и сотрудники служб безопасности могут использовать эти простые инструменты для слежения за сетями и создания подробной актуальной документации сети.
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Scanning for IP address lets you have better control over your network. With 1-2 commands, you can quickly map out the devices in your network and the IP addresses that they are using. But to understand how to scan a network, first, you need to understand how are IP addresses assigned.
Follow these four simple steps to scan your network for IP addresses in use:
- Open a Command Prompt window.
- On Windows or macOS type ipconfig or on Linux type ifconfig. Press return. Note down the subnet mask, the default gateway, and your own computer’s IPv4 address.
- Enter the command arp -a to get a list of all other IP addresses active on your network.
- Enter the command ping <IP_address> giving any of the addresses returned by ARP in order to test the response times to that node – don’t include the angle brackets that are shown in that example.
DHCP (Assigning IPs Dynamically)
An automated process in networking, called DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), assigns IP dynamic addresses to hosts as soon as they enter the network. In a home or small network, the DHCP server is usually a part of the router. When you come into the network, the router will look for an available IP address in its pool and assign it to you, so that your device can communicate with others without any conflict.
Dynamic allocation of IP addresses is a great advantage for both end-users and network admins. But sometimes you would need to have some control in order to manage and troubleshoot your network more efficiently.
Related post: Find device or IP with MAC
Related Post: PowerShell Kill Process Command
If you are here for free tools and trials, here is our list of the four best tools for discovering IP addresses on a network:
- ManageEngine OpUtils – FREE TRIAL A suite of network address monitoring tools that covers IP addresses, MAC addresses, and port numbers with a cut-down free version also available. Installs on Windows Server and Linux.
- Angry IP Scanner A free network scanner that identifies all connected devices and lists their IP addresses plus connection response speeds. Available for Windows, macOS, Linux.
- SolarWinds Engineer’s Toolset Ping Sweep This utility scans a network and records every IP address that is in use. The Engineer’s Toolset also includes subnetting tools for DHCP management and the Open Port Scanner. Runs on Windows Server.
- MyLAN Viewer A network scanner that identifies all connected devices and lists their IP addresses and MAC addresses. Runs on Windows.
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What will you learn in this Tutorial
In this tutorial, you will learn the basic networking skills on how to scan a network for IP addresses. We will scan a network with native OS commands, find which addresses were assigned dynamically, which statically, and test their connectivity.
In the end, we will compare some free IPAM tools aka IP address scanning tools that can give you additional information. To improve your IP addressing insights, even more, we will show you some tools that allow you to track IP addresses and even manage them.
Simple IP Scanning
Operating Systems, like Windows and Linux, come with their own native simple networking set of tools. Commands such as “ipconfig”, “arp -a”, or “ping” allow simple scanning and troubleshooting.
The simplest way to get a quick list of IP addresses and their devices connected to your network is with those OS native commands found in the command line. With a list of the assigned IP address and their devices, you can easily find the devices that are causing the most problems.
- ipconfig This command displays all network settings assigned to one or all adapters in the computer. You can find information such as your own IP, subnet, and Gateway. For Linux and MacOS is “ifconfig”.
- arp -a When you issue the “arp -a”, you’ll get IP-address-to-mac conversion and the allocation type (whether dynamic or static) of all devices in your network.
- PingIt helps determine connectivity between two hosts and find the IP address of a hostname.
Related Post: Best IP & Port Scanners
Reading The Output
Finding your own network adapter configuration
In the following screenshot, you’ll see the output from the ipconfig command. On a Windows, the ipconfig command can be entered through the Command line.
Go to Run > type cmd > type ipconfig
- This Windows computer has 5 network adapters, but the last one (Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi) is the only one connected to a network. The rest are disconnected.
- In this network, the router (or Default Gateway) is playing the role of the DHCP server. It is assigning the IP address dynamically and giving access to the Internet.
- You are reading two of the most important IP addresses for your device; Your own device’s IP (IPv4 and IPv6) and your Gateway. The Subnet Mask is also very important, it shows that you are on the same subnet as the gateway.
Now you know your subnet, which in this case is 192.168.1.0/24 (using the CIDR range). Now you need to find the rest of the IP address in your network.
Scanning your Network
The job of the ARP protocol is to map IPs to MAC addresses. It provides a method for hosts on a LAN to communicate without knowing any address and create a cache of information. When a new computer enters the LAN, it receives an IP and updates its ARP cache with the Gateway information. This ARP cache can be found using the “arp-a” command.
- Use the command line to enter the “arp -a” command.
- This computer has been connected for some time into the LAN, so its ARP cache is very precise and complete. The first IP address shown in the display is the Gateway (the same we found through the ipconfig command).
- The output shows the IP, the MAC addresses, and their assignation type. The addresses displayed here were dynamically assigned by the DHCP server in the LAN. All of these IPs are devices connected to the LAN (192.168.1.0/24). The other static addresses are reserved for Multicasting.
- With the MAC information, you can know the vendor. Try searching for vendor prefixes or use an automatic online tool such as MACvendors.
Testing Connectivity
Finally, with some information, you can test connectivity. In the following test, we tried an extended ping with “ping -t” to the gateway. With this, you can learn some simple insights about delay and latency.
From the list generated by the ARP command, you could ping all the live hosts. Or you can go beyond and ping the entire subnet to find hosts not found by the ARP (but that would be too much manual work…). Later, we’ll discuss how to automatically ping entire subnets at once.
Enhancing IP Scanning
Although having a list of devices and their allocated IP address will give you good insights, the information will not be enough when your network scales. Manual IP scanning in multiple subnets and BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device) scenarios is nearly impossible. As the network scales, problems will scale too.
Larger networks demand more results, flexibility, and easy-to-read set of commands.
An IP Address Scanner tool helps you with larger demands. These tools are able to map the entire local network, finds live hosts, and to provide the results of the “arp-a” in a clearer format. Other IP Scanners do not depend on ARP but they operate using repeated ping tests. A Ping Sweep tool lets you ping entire subnets and find live hosts just with one button.
Some other IP Scanners go the extra mile and give more information such as Port number, DNS, DHCP, etc. All of this data is also presented in the most visual and easy-to-read format. They also allow users to save all results and present them in detailed reports.
The best IP Address discovery tools
Our methodology for selecting a third-party tool to scan for IP addresses
We reviewed the market for IP address discovery tools and analyzed options based on the following criteria:
- A service that can be run on demand, on a schedule, or continuously
- Scans of the entire network or the option to limit searches to an address range
- DNS resolution
- Mapping from MAC addresses to IP addresses
- A system that can also provide availability and response time tests
- A free trial that provides a no-cost opportunity to assess the package or a free tool
- Value for money from a system that is offered at a fair price or a free tool that is worth installing
With these selection criteria in mind, we identified a number of network scanners that will discover IP addresses and identify the devices to which they have been allocated by mapping to MAC addresses.
ManageEngine OpUtils combines an IP address manager, a switch port mapper for MAC address discovery, and a port scanner to identify open TCP and UDP ports on all devices. This combination delivers all address-related functions that you will need in order to fully manage your network.
Key Features:
- IP Address Manager: OpUtils IP address manager, provides users with a centralized tool for efficient management and organization of IP addresses within the network.
- Subnet Planner: The subnet planner feature assists in planning and optimizing network subnets. This helps network administrators allocate and manage IP address spaces more effectively.
- Identification of Abandoned Addresses: This functionality aids in reclaiming and optimizing IP resources.
- Robust Utilities Suite: This feature ensures that OpUtils provides a holistic solution for address-related functions in network management.
Feature Distinction
The uniqueness of OpUtils is its robust suite of utilities. It includes an IP address scanner, subnet planner, tools for identifying abandoned addresses, and advanced configuration and diagnosis features.
Why do we recommend it?
We recommend ManageEngine OpUtils for its efficient network management capabilities. OpUtils offers an IP address manager as part of its utility suite, so you can discover all connected devices, and their associated IP addresses, and then manage them from a single console.
The IP address manager is, in itself, a suite of utilities. This group of services includes an IP address scanner. This will discover all of the devices connected to your network and list the IP addresses allocated to them. The IPAM is able to produce IP address reconciliation reports that will enable you to update your native DHCP server in case it fails to notice expired address leases.
The IP address tracker service in the bundle can produce a hierarchical view of your network, enabling you to identify subnets and the allocation of addresses to each. DHCP management tools in the pack let you manage subnet address pools. The switch port mapper identifies each device by MAC address and switch port number. The port scanner in OpUtils lets you see which TCP and UDP ports on each device are open.
OpUtils is available for Windows Server and for Linux.
Who is it recommended for?
ManageEngine OpUtils is recommended for various-sized networks, from SMBs to large enterprises. The solution is designed for any network admin or IT professional within those networks, looking for a complete IP address management solution.
Pros:
- Support for IP Management and Switch Port Monitoring: This dual functionality allows for comprehensive network management, addressing both IP-related tasks and monitoring the status of physical switch ports.
- Built-in Troubleshooting Tools: The inclusion of built-in troubleshooting tools enhances the diagnostic capabilities of OpUtils.
- Compatibility with CISCO and SNMP Tools: OpUtils supports CISCO and SNMP tools, providing compatibility with widely used networking technologies.
- Suitability for Sysadmins: OpUtils is designed to meet the specific needs and preferences of sysadmins, making it potentially more user-friendly for individuals in this role.
Cons:
- Advanced Features Not Suited for SOHO: OpUtils advanced features and options may be considered a drawback for small home networks, where simpler and more basic tools may be more appropriate.
OpUtils is available in a Free version, which includes a port scanner and Ping utilities. Contact the ManageEngine sales team for a quote on the paid version. The paid version of OpUtils can be downloaded as a 30-day free trial.
ManageEngine OUtils
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2. Angry IP Scanner
Angry IP Scanner is one of the most popular scanners on the web, with over 29 million downloads. It is open-source, free, and available for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. It can let you scan your local network or the Internet-facing IP addresses.
Key Features:
- On-Demand Ping Sweeps: With this feature, users can initiate scans at their convenience, allowing for flexibility in assessing and discovering devices within the network or specified IP ranges.
- Tabulated Results: This feature enhances the user experience, providing a quick overview of the scanned data.
- Save to File: This feature is valuable for record-keeping, analysis, and documentation purposes. Users can store and reference the scan data at a later time, facilitating further analysis or sharing of findings.
Why do we recommend it?
Angry IP Scanner is recommended for being one of the most used and relied-on open-source tools. If IP address scanning is all you need, Angry IP Scanner is easy to use and quite efficient in scanning both local and Internet-facing IP addresses.
This tool is not only capable of scanning IP addresses but also ports. When you define an IP address range, you can also specify a number of the port, and see if a device in your network is using a specific service (defined by the port). Angry IP Scanner also lets you save all the scan results into multiple formats, such as TXT, XML, CVS, etc.
When you scan, you’ll know what hosts are alive, their response time, hostname, MAC address, etc. If you want even more information, you can extend results by developing Java plugins.
Who is it recommended for?
Angry IP Scanner is recommended for one-off scans of smaller networks. It works very well in uncomplicated situations and small networks where network admins require a fast and simple way to scan networks. Angry IP Scanner does not scale well on larger networks.
Pros:
- User-Friendly: Its user-friendly interface ensures that both beginners and experienced users can quickly initiate and perform scans without extensive training.
- One-Off Scans: Its simplicity and efficiency make it particularly useful for quick network assessments and discovery tasks in smaller environments.
- Open Source and Free: Angry IP Scanner is open source and 100% free. This cost-free nature makes it an attractive option for users with budget constraints.
Cons:
- Lacks Advanced Features: Angry IP Scanner lacks advanced features such as DHCP reconciliation and rogue DHCP identification. This limitation may be a drawback for users requiring more for in-depth network analysis and troubleshooting.
- Limited Scalability: The tool may not scale well in large environments or when tasked with scanning extensive networks, potentially leading to performance issues.
- Lacks Detailed Reporting: For organizations requiring comprehensive and detailed insights into their network infrastructure, the absence of advanced reporting capabilities may be a limitation.
Open Source and 100% free. Get Angry IP from its official site.
3. SolarWinds Engineer’s Toolset Ping Sweep
Tested on: Windows & Windows Server
SolarWinds Engineer’s Toolset Ping Sweep is one of more than 60 network management systems in the Engineer’s Toolset. The package provides systems for monitoring networks but it is mainly a bundle of network troubleshooting tools.
Key Features:
- Network Device Discovery: The Ping Sweep tool facilitates the discovery of network devices, allowing users to identify and locate devices connected to the network.
- IP Address Recording: Users can record and keep track of IP addresses currently in use within the network, aiding in the management and organization of IP allocations.
- Address Range Scanning: The tool enables scanning across a specified range of IP addresses, providing a comprehensive overview of devices within that range and helping to identify potential issues.
- Hostname Visualization: Users can easily view hostnames associated with the discovered devices, enhancing the ability to recognize and manage network entities efficiently.
- Response Time Metrics: Ping Sweep provides response time metrics for the discovered devices, offering insights into the network’s responsiveness and performance.
Feature Distinction
This package is part of a bundle of systems for network troubleshooting. It is available for on-demand network scanning to discover which devices are on the network and which IP addresses are available.
Why do we recommend it?
The Ping Sweep tool is part of the SolarWinds Engineer’s Toolset. This package provides a single dashboard for many tools, so you don’t have to go looking around your desktop to find this or any of the other utilities when you need them. The package is for Windows Server but you can also install it on a Windows PC.
The GUI interface includes a field where the user can enter a range of IP addresses to scan. The field can also take a non-sequential list, and if that list is long, you can write it into a text file and put the path and file name in the IP address range field instead of the actual addresses.
The interface makes the output easy to read and it shows a line for each address in the given range or list. You can select a setting that will restrict the output to only show those addresses that responded. The record for a discovered IP address shows the response time of the Ping test to that node and the utility will also check in the local DNS file to show the hostname for the discovered device.
As well as viewing the results in the Engineer’s Toolset dashboard, you can store results to a text file or a CSV for further analysis. The system doesn’t provide the option to run continuously, so you would use this tool for on-demand address testing. The Engineer’s Toolset also includes facilities for managing DNS and DHCP servers and there are a number of subnetting utilities in the package.
After discovering all devices with the Ping Sweep tool, network managers can switch to the Open Port Scanner to examine which ports are open on each device or run through a list of devices to see all results in one list.
Who is it recommended for?
This is a useful package for network troubleshooting on a large or mid-sized network or for network monitoring on a small network. The Engineer’s Toolset also provides utilities to examine DNS and DHCP servers and it provides other OIP address management utilities. You can also use facilities in the package to check on the ports on each endpoint on your network.
Pros:
- On-Demand Network Scanner: Users have the flexibility to initiate network scans on-demand, providing control over when the tool assesses the network.
- DNS Server Testing: Ping Sweep includes the capability to test the local DNS server. This allows users to verify the performance and reliability of the DNS server, ensuring smooth domain name resolution within the network.
- Response Time Metrics: This enables you to assess the efficiency and performance of network-connected devices, aiding in the identification of potential latency issues.
- Identification of IP Address Gaps: Assists network administrators in optimizing IP allocations and preventing potential conflicts or overlaps in addressing.
- Record Storage for Further Analysis: The ability to store scan records to a file allows for in-depth analysis and documentation.
Cons:
- Non-Continuous Operation: The tool doesn’t run continuously, meaning it needs manual initiation for each scan.
The Engineer’s Toolset is a single package for all 60 utilities, including the Ping Sweep tool. The software package runs on Windows Server or Windows. You can examine the package by accessing a 14-day free trial.
IP Address Tracker Tools
Having a map of IP addresses, MAC addresses, used ports, etc, is great for networking inventorying and may help with some troubleshooting cases. But a list can not control and display real-time results.
An IP address Tracker is a good upgrade to our set of tools and commands described so far. It does allow scanning multiple subnets and displaying results, but it also allows you to keep track of one or more IP addresses.
An IP Address Tracker will notice when an IP address is released. This can be either because the device lost connectivity or it changed IP address. It will help you minimize IP addressing conflicts (when two devices are trying to take the same IP) and reduce DNS errors.
MyLAN Viewer
MyLAN Viewer is a NetBIOS and IP address scanner for Windows systems. Just like the IP Scanners shown above, this tool will scan a network and show devices in an easy-to-read format.
Key Features:
- Continuous Scans: Continuous scanning ensures that the information remains up-to-date and reflects any changes in the network.
- Alerts for IP Address Profile Changes: This feature is valuable for immediate awareness of any alterations in the network configuration or device characteristics.
- Device Details: Users can access comprehensive device details, enhancing their ability to understand and manage the devices within the network.
Why do we recommend it?
MyLAN Viewer is recommended for its dedicated IP scanning capabilities. It provides advanced IP scanning, including continuous scans, schedules, and alerts for IP address profile changes. Also, if you are looking for a comprehensive network data collection (aside from IP addresses), MyLAN Viewer is a great option.
But MyLANViewer goes beyond, and not only shows computer name, IP, and MAC, but also NIC, OS version, logged users, shared folders, and much more.
This tool is able to track specific IP addresses and show notifications when their state change. With it, you can also keep track of network security by showing port information and detecting rogue DHCP servers. MyLAN Viewer tracks all devices in the subnet including hidden, and displays alerts when new devices enter the network, and others go.
This tool can also display the following metrics as well:
Display Whois data.
Perform traceroute.
Manage “Remote Shutdown and Wake On LAN (WOL)”.
Monitor wireless networks.
Who is it recommended for?
MyLAN Viewer is recommended for network admins working with Windows-based networks and who need detailed information about connected devices. It does not scale well on large networks, thus it is better to use MyLAN Viewer on smaller networks.
Pros:
- Diverse Network Tools: Additional network tools, such as whois, traceroute, Wake-On-LAN , and remote shutdown options makes it a valuable solution for small networks.
- File Management Features: This enhances collaborative efforts and simplifies file-sharing processes within smaller network environments.
- Effective for SOHO: MyLAN Viewer ability to detect rogue DHCP servers and address IP conflicts, is well-suited for the specific needs of smaller-scale network configurations.
Cons:
- Cluttered Interface: The interface of MyLAN Viewer can feel cluttered in large networks.
- Reporting and Monitoring: For organizations requiring in-depth insights and reporting features for large-scale network analysis, the absence of these capabilities may be a limitation.
- Limited Platform Compatibility: The tool is only available for Windows systems, a drawback for users operating on different operating systems.
Price: Free, but only available for Windows systems.
Download: Get MyLAN Viewer from its official site.
Related Post: Best Wake On LAN Tools
IP Address Management (IPAM)
Basic IP Address Scanning should be enough to manage small networks. But when networks scale they depend on multiple subnets and detailed management requirements.
Sometimes large-scale networks have standalone DHCP and DNS Servers in order to assign addresses to multiple subnets. But IP conflicts occur and it is really challenging to manage them manually. An IP Address Management or “IPAM” is a piece of software able to actively control DHCP and DNS. It also gives you the ability to manage multiple subnets.
IP address scanning FAQs
How do I find a network name from an IP address?
To get the network name of a host from an IP address you need to query the DNS server. Open a Command Prompt window and enter nslookup <IP_address> putting in the IP address you have instead of <IP_address>.
How do I identify an unknown device on my network?
To see all of the devices connected to your network, type arp -a in a Command Prompt window. This will show you the allocated IP addresses and the MAC addresses of all connected devices. To get the hostname of each IP address you see in the list, use nslookup <IP_address> putting in the IP address you have instead of <IP_address>.
How can I tell what device is at an IP address?
To get deeper information on devices connected to your network rather than just an IP address or MAC address, use a network monitor that scans for details with SNMP – the SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor is one example.
Here is the list of 29 best free network IP scanner software for Windows.
Network IP scanning can be useful to see available ports (IP Addresses) in a LAN network as well as to monitor your own network to see who is connected to your LAN network IP addresses. One of the easiest way to do it is by using software and free software are even a better choice.
They all can scan complete range of LAN IP addresses. They all are user friendly, small in size, provides some useful details of connected devices, etc. Some of them can also scan from selected range of IP addresses, comes with automatic re-scan feature, desktop & sound notification, portability, etc.
Let’s have a quick view at each of these network IP scanner software linearly.
You can also try these P2P file sharing, Visio viewer and AI viewer software.
SoftPerfect Network Scanner
SoftPerfect Network Scanner is one the best network scanner software for checking LAN network IP addresses. It can scan all the devices with their Host Name and MAC Address which are connected to your LAN network. It can also save scanning result in XML, Text, HTML and CSV file formats. Other key features of this software are: chatting, file sharing, bookmark important scan, etc.
Who Is On My Wifi
Who Is On My Wifi can monitor the LAN network which is being used by your PC, provides the details of all the devices using your LAN IP addresses and also provides desktop and sound notification whenever a new device is connected to the LAN network. The detail of a device includes their MAC address, IP address, PC name and connection status. It also has an automatic scan feature which scans for devices after every 2 –10 minutes.
Note: It also has a paid version which also lets you block a device from your network with many other features.
NETGEAR Genie
NETGEAR Genie is a quality tool which provides some useful features, they are: monitor all the devices connected to your LAN, provide internet speed test and also provides details of the entire available network in your area. The detail of the device includes their IP address, MAC address, O.S. name, Connection status, etc. It also provides desktop notification when a new device is connected to your LAN.
EasyNetMonitor
EasyNetMonitor only opens in system tray and it can detect all the devices connected to your LAN IP addresses. To use this software, you need to add IP address and its PC name (not mandatory). When a device is connected to your LAN that device icon color will turn into green and if it is disconnected from the LAN than that devices icon color will turn into red. It also comes with sound, desktop and email notifications. It is also small and portable software with downloadable zip file size of 150 KB only.
IP Range — Angry IP Scanner
IP Range – Angry IP Scanner is Java-based software which can scan all the devices connected to your LAN network. It scans all the available IP address in the LAN for their connectivity, if an IP address is connected than it is represented in red color else it is represented in blue. It can save the scanning result in plain text file in your PC. Apart from that, you can also use it as a command line tool, save scanning details to favorites for later and quickly scan, etc. It is also small, standalone and cross-platform software.
Note: Install Java software to run this software.
Bopup Scanner
Bopup Scanner is a standalone software which simply scans all the IP addresses on your LAN network and provides their connection status with some useful details. If an IP address is connected, the IP address icon is represented in green color and else it is represented in red color. The detail of the device includes its name, User name, MAC address, IP address and HTTP server. It can also save the scanning details in a plain text file.
Advanced IP Scanner
Advanced IP Scanner is fast and simple LAN IP scanner software. It can easily scan all or selected IP ports of a LAN network to check their connection status and also shows their other useful details. It can also add some specific ports to Favorites section for later and quick scanning. Some other key features of this software are: scan subnet of a machine, scan class “C” of subnet, scan from a file, save scanning result in XML file formats, etc. It is available in installer as well as portable version.
SoftPerfect WiFi Guard
SoftPerfect WiFi Guard can scan all the devices or IP ports connected to your LAN network rapidly from a selected IP range. After scanning, it shows details of the entire device, details include: IP address, MAC address, Device name, Device type and vendor. It also lets you automatically rescan IP address between 0-60 minutes with desktop and sound notification when a new device is detected. It is also available in portable and cross-platform version with multilingual user-interface.
Mitec Network Scanner
Mitec Network Scanner can check local network IP addresses status easily from a selected and complete IP range. With status, It also provides details of the IP addresses used on your network, details includes: IP address, PC name, domain name, etc. It also lets you save the scanning result in CSV file format. Plus, you will also get an additional Whois lookup tool with this software. It is also light weight and portable software.
Wireless Network Watcher
Wireless Network Watcher is a light weight network IP scanner. You can start scanning the IP addresses connected to your LAN network by just clicking on the Start Scanning button on its interface. After scanning, it shows the details of each device connected to the LAN, such as: IP address, MAC Address, Device Name, Network Adapter, etc. It also comes with automatic rescan and specific program execution feature when a new connection is detected.
PortScan & Stuff
PortScan & Stuff is resourceful tool, it can scan connected LAN IP addresses, Ping Devices, check internet Speed Test and also provides WhoIs lookup service. It can scan complete IP addresses or selected range of IP addresses of a LAN and save the scanning report in XML file format. It is also a small and portable tool.
IP Seizer
Using IP Seizer, you can scan network IP address in Quick and Thorough mode from selected IP range. Post scanning, the report can be saved in a plain text file. You will also get Ping, Trace RT and Geo Loc tools with this software. It is also a standalone and portable software.
ComeiTool
ComeiTool is primarily a collection of four useful tools, they are: Folder Lock, Folder Sync, IP scanner and Flash Lock. Its IP Scanner tool can scan all your taken and vacant LAN IP addresses by just clicking on the Scan button on its interface. It is also a light weight tool with setup file size of one MB.
Network Monitor’s IP Finder
Network Monitor’s IP Finder is a simple to use network IP address scanner. It can scan a specific IP address range from a LAN network and provides output of all the used and unused IP addresses of a LAN network. It can also save the output result in a text file format. It is also a transparent, light weight, small interface and standalone scanner.
PCFinder
PCFinder is a neat and clean network port scanner. It can scan selected range of LAN network IP addresses. After scanning, it provides MAC Address and Host Name of all the devices which are occupying the IP addresses. It can also export the scanning result in text, CSV and HTML file formats.
MACFinder
MACFinder is primarily developed to find the MAC Address of the devices which are connected to your LAN network. But this feature also lets you know about the devices connected to your LAN network with their IP address and devices name.
Note: It has ad-supported installation, so be careful while installing it.
SDR Free IP Scanner
SDR Free IP Scanner is an easy-to-use software, it can scan selected range of IP addresses for checking their connectivity. It also provides Add to Favorites and export scanning result in Text, CSV, XML and LST file formats. It’s Add to favorite feature lets you save the scanning process for later and quick scanning. It is also light weight network port scanner and its setup file size is less than 1 MB.
Blue IP Scanner
Using Blue IP Scanner, LAN IP addresses can be scanned in two steps. Enter the IP addresses range and then click on Start Scan button on its interface. If devices are using IP addresses, the host status will be reply, else the host status will be no reply. It can save the scanning report in CSV file format and it is also a small software.
ARPmyNET
ARPmyNET is a network ip scanner which can scan all the known and unknown devices connected to your LAN network with their MAC Address. You can input the IP range by inputting and from plain text file. After scanning, it can save scanned data to plain text file. It is also a small software with setup file size of 1.3 MB.
LanView
LanView is one of the easiest software to detect all the devices which are connected to your LAN network. Simply run this software and it will provide you a list of all the devices which are connected to your LAN network. It also shows their details, such as their MAC Address, IP Address and Host Name.
NetBScanner
NetBScanner is a network IP address scanner which can scan a selected range of IP addresses quickly as well as slowly for checking their availability. It also provides the name of the devices which are connected with their MAC Address and it can save the report in plain text file format.
NCS Network Scanner
NCS Network Scanner can scan all the connected devices on your LAN network easily and export the result in CSV file format. It provides Reply Time and Host Name of the connected devices with their respective IP address. It has a nice interface and it is also a light weight software.
ScanForFolders
For ScanForFolders, it’s a 3 step process to detect all the devices which are using your LAN network. Enter the starting range of address, then enter the ending range of address and then start scanning. It is also a small software which has a setup file size of less than 400 KB.
FastIpScan
FastIpScan is a fast as well as simple network port scanner. It can scan all the active and non-active IP port easily. You need to only insert starting and ending range LAN IP addresses. Then, it will show you all the active and non-active IP ports and It is available in portable version.
Paglo RogueScanner
Paglo RogueScanner is a user-friendly network port scanner software. You need to just open this software to scan all the ports which are being used in your LAN network and it will provides the MAC Address of the devices which are connected with their IP address. It is also a cross-platform software, you can also use it in Linux operating system.
Net Scan
Net Scan can find all the connected devices in a LAN network easily with their LAN IP Addresses. It can find them from selected and complete range of IP addresses and shows the IP addresses of the devices which are not connected to your LAN network. Apart from English, its user-interface is also available in Italian language.
Very Simple Network Scanner
Very Simple Network Scanner is network port scanning tool with a nice interface. It shows all the occupied IP addresses in your network by different devices with their response time, TTL and MAC Address. It can also save the recording history in it, show address map for entire IP addresses connection status and also comes with always stay on top feature.
Colasoft MAC Scanner
Colasoft MAC Scanner can scan all the ports in a network and provide details of all the used ports in your LAN network. Details such as: MAC Address, Host Name and Workgroup are provided. It can export the output result in plain text file, CSV file and Colasoft Name table file formats in your computer.
LAN-Explorer
LAN-Explorer can scan all the hosts which are using your LAN network IP addresses with their WORKGROUP name. It also shows the complete Statistics of the scan. It is a small software with setup file size of 1.1 MB and apart from English, it is also available in German language interface.
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IP Addressing is often perceived as a complex topic by many people. However, in reality, it’s quite straightforward. The complexity often arises in real-life situations when it comes to managing and keeping track of IP address usage. The fundamental principle of Internet Protocol addresses is that each one must be unique within a network.
Most administrators use some form of IP management tools, which can be as simple as a text file containing IP addresses and names of computers and devices. However, they lack actual control over what gets connected to the network. This is where Microsoft, Novell NetWare, and AppleTalk come into play, offering solutions for network management.
For an accurate and current view of which IP addresses are in use and which are available, nothing surpasses an IP address scanner. SolarWinds IP Address Manager and SolarWinds IP Address Tracker is one such tool that provides this service. Numerous such tools are available as open-source software, and many of these operate on open-source operating systems like Linux.
The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) also plays a crucial role in managing IP addresses. It automates the assignment of IP addresses, subnet masks, default routers, and other IP parameters to network devices, thereby simplifying IP addressing.
If you’d rather use tools that can run on Windows, we’ve compiled a list of the best IP scanners for Windows.
Before we reveal what the best tools are we’ll briefly sidetrack and have an in-depth look at IP addressing. We’ll discuss IP address allocation and management and compare static and dynamic addressing. Then, we’ll have a look at the different types of IP address tools that are available. Finally, we’ll be ready for the big reveal and have a look at some of the best IP address scanner utilities for Windows. We’ll introduce each tool and present its main features.
About IP Addressing
IP addresses are used to uniquely identify each device connected to a network. You probably already know that. They’re like the street addresses of the IP network world. Nowadays, IP networks are largely prevalent but it hasn’t always been the case. Microsoft used to have NetBEUI networking, Novell NetWare had IPX/SPX, and Apple had AppleTalk. In fact, there was a time when each manufacturer used a different networking scheme. Back then, IP networks—which stands for Internet Protocol—were only used for—you guessed it—the Internet. Eventually, the Internet grew in popularity and it started to make sense for everyone to use IP networking. IP addresses soon became an essential part of every computer’s configuration.
When we said that IP addresses were uniquely identifying each device, this was a bit of a stretch. In reality, IP addresses uniquely identify a device within a given context. Consequently, IP addresses need only to be unique within this context. The Internet is such a context but not all computers accessing the Internet need to be directly connected to it. Most users access the Internet through some sort of gateway and use local IP addressing, internally. In these situations, only the local addressing has to be unique and it’s not uncommon to have identical IP addresses used in different organizations. Take, for example, your typical home Internet WiFi router. Most of them have 192.168.0.1 as their internal IP address. That specific address is therefore present on most home networks.
IP Address Allocation And Management
The very first step in planning a network in all but the smallest networks is preparing an IP addressing plan. The idea behind the plan is to define how IP addresses are going to be used. For instance, a range of IP addresses will likely be reserved for servers. Some will obviously be assigned to computers connected to the network. And of course, IP addresses will be reserved for other devices such as networking equipment or network-connected printers. This task is often done using simple tools such as spreadsheet software.
The next task is assigning IP addresses to devices. This is what we refer to as IP address allocation. There are several ways this can be done as we shall soon see but for now, the important thing to keep in mind is that you need to keep track of what IP address is assigned to what piece of equipment. This is IP address management.
Static vs Dynamic Addressing
There are basically two ways IP addresses can be assigned: statically or dynamically. Static IP addressing involves manually setting the IP address and other IP networking parameters on each connected device. Although it is somewhat labour-intensive and error-prone, it’s widely used for smaller IP address segments with a small number of devices. It is also commonly used in situations where the complete control of IP addressing is important as it often is with servers. The main drawback of using static IP addressing is the management efforts that it requires.
Dynamic IP addressing automates part of the process. It is used in conjunction with the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, or DHCP. This is a protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses and configures the networking parameters of connected devices. The assignment is done via a leasing process where a connected device requests an IP address from a DHCP server who leases an address for a fixed amount of time. Once the lease expires, the DHCP server returns the leased address to its pool of available addresses. Connected devices have the option to renew their lease before its expiration.
Using dynamic addressing doesn’t relieve the administrator from having to manage IP addresses. For starters, the DHCP server has to be configured correctly with the pool of IP addresses it can assign. Also, all the other IP networking parameters have to be configured on the DHCP server. Despite that, the efforts are minimal when compared with static IP addressing.
Different Types Of IP Addressing Tools
When it comes to managing IP addresses and keeping track of their allocation, many types of tools are available. And while it is certainly not necessary to use them all, many choose to use a combination of tools to achieve the results they seek. Let’s have a look at what the different types of tools are.
IP Address Managers
IP address manager is a relatively generic name that can be fitted to different software tools. They all share one common goal, facilitate the management of IP addresses. Some are very elaborate tools. So elaborate that DDI software suites fall into this category of tools. Others are simpler tools that are typically used where static IP addressing is used. They will just serve as a database of what IP address is assigned to what resource. Some tools include DNS lookup capabilities and can check that what is in the database really corresponds to what is configured.
IP Address Trackers
IP address trackers are tools that will help you find what IP addresses are actually configured on your networked devices. They can be used for several purposes such as consolidating what’s actually configured with what is documented. This is an important feature as an IP address management system that doesn’t reflect the reality is kind of useless. Some tools will automatically attempt to match database information with actual configuration and either list discrepancies or directly fix the errors in the IP address management system. Many tools can also be configured to run automatically at regular intervals and will let you catch unauthorized changes.
IP Address Scanners
The last type of tools we’d like to talk about—and the one which is of primary interest today—is the IP address scanner. This is a type of tool that will scan a range of IP addresses. You can typically specify the range with starting and ending IP addresses or specify a complete subnet with an IP address and subnet mask or a CIDR notation such as 192.168.0.0/24. The IP address scanner then tries to connect to each IP address—usually using Ping or a similar technology—and reports on what IP addresses are responding. Most IP address scanners will also do a reverse DNS resolution to display the hostname of each responding host in addition to its IP address. Some tools will even list which IP ports are open on those devices although we usually refer to these tools as port scanners.
In real life, the distinction between IP address tracker tools and IP address scanner tools is not exactly clear. In fact, there is no universally accepted definition of either. Our list actually contains a mix of tools that call themselves IP address tracker, IP address scanner—or just IP scanners—or IP address managers. Our main criteria for inclusion in this list were that the tool deals with IP addresses can track their usage, and can run on the Windows platform.
1. SolarWinds IP Address Manager (FREE TRIAL)
For a more complete, enterprise-grade tool, the SolarWinds IP Address Manager might be just what you need. It starts where the IP Address Tracker stops. This is a full-featured IP address management tool that has none of the limitations of the free tool. This one can manage up to 2 million IP addresses, enough for the biggest environments.
Although it doesn’t include DHCP or DNS capabilities, the SolarWinds IP Address Manager will interact with your existing DNS and DHCP servers, making it a true DDI solution. Of course, the tool features automatic IP address tracking. It wouldn’t be in this list if it didn’t. It will automatically monitor your subnets so that you always know how IP addresses are used. The system will alert you of IP address conflicts, depleted scopes, and mismatched DNS records.
The tool integrates with DHCP servers from Microsoft, Cisco, and ISC and will work with BIND and Microsoft DNS servers. Pricing for the SolarWinds IP address Manager starts at $1,288 and varies according to the number of managed addresses. A free 30-day trial is available if you want to test the product before purchasing it.
2. SolarWinds IP Address Tracker (FREE DOWNLOAD)
First on our list is a great tool from SolarWinds. This company is well-known in the network administration field for making some of the best tools and also for publishing many free tools that address a specific need of network administrators. We reviewed some of those free tools, including its IP address scanner, in these pages when we recently discussed the best subnet calculators or the best syslog servers.
The SolarWinds IP Tracker can be used to manage and track up to 254 IP addresses. This limitation makes it a well-suited tool for smaller installations. It will track IP address availability and alert you of an upcoming shortage of available IP addresses. It will also automatically detect IP address conflicts and alert you when it finds one. This feature-limited tool won’t interact with your DNS and DHCP servers, though. You’ll have to manually fix any issues it finds. It’s got an attractive dashboard-based user interface with colour-coded status and it also features historical trends and events reports.
3. Advanced IP Scanner
The Advanced IP Scanner has an interesting twist. This IP address scanner runs on Windows and is made for Windows. More about that in a moment. This software simply takes an IP address range as its input. You could also supply the tool with a text file containing a list of IP addresses. The tool will scan the addresses and provide you with a list of those addresses that respond. But you don’t only have IP addresses, the tool will also display each host’s name, MAC address and network interface vendor.
For Windows hosts that the Advanced IP Scanner discovers, you get much more functionality. For instance, the tool will list network shares. And clicking any share opens it on your computer. You can also start a remote control session using either RDP or Radmin or remotely turn a Windows computer on–provided it has wake on LAN–or off.
4. Angry IP Scanner
The Angry IP Scanner is a multi-platform tool. This means that it will run on Windows, OS X, and Linux. The tool can scan complete networks or subnets but also an IP addresses range or a list of IP addresses in a text file. It uses Ping to find IP addresses that are responding but it will also resolve hostnames and MAC address vendors as well as provide NetBIOS information for hosts that support it. This tool is also a port scanner and can list the open ports on each responding host.
The Angry IP scanner is a GUI-based tool but it also comes bundled with a command-line version that you can use. This can be very useful if you want to include some of the tool’s functionality in your own in-house scripts. The tool’s results are normally displayed on the screen in a table form and can be exported to several file formats such as CSV or XML.
5. SoftPerfect Network Scanner
The SoftPerfect Network Scanner is a pretty useful utility that will scan a range of IP addresses and list those that respond along with their MAC address, hostname and response time. For added convenience, it can also be used as a port scanner and will optionally list what IP ports are open on each host.
This is a true Windows utility as its feature set demonstrate. This product will, for instance, display all available shares on Windows hosts. Even hidden shares can be displayed. It can also list what user account(s) are currently connected to each Windows computer. Furthermore, the SoftPerfect Network Scanner will let you remotely access computers and run commands remotely. And finally, you can broadcast messages to the discovered computers.
6. LizardSystems Network Scanner
The main differentiating factor of the LizardSystems Network Scanner is that, instead of being a standalone Windows application, it is browser-based. Despite that, it will on run Windows and it requires Internet Explorer. As for its features, they leave nothing to be desired. This IP address scanner is easy to use, it offers great performance thanks to its use of multi-threading, and it’s scalable. There’s actually no limit to the number of addresses you can scan.
The LizardSystems Network Scanner also has quite a few advanced features such as results filtering or customizable status checks that will check for any port you specify. It will also retrieve NetBIOS information as well as verify access rights to remote resources. And if you want to manipulate the results, you can export them to HTML, XML, or text.
7. Bopup Scanner
B-Labs usually specializes in messaging systems. We weren’t, therefore, expecting to see one of its products make it to this list. In fact, the Bopup scanner is B-Labs‘ only network administration tool. This is a free tool for the Windows operating system.
The Bopup Scanner can be used to scan your network and it will output a list of all connected devices. It will show IP addresses, hostnames, and MAC addresses. It can also tell you whether or not a web server is present and responding on each host it tests. You can drill down on each host and display more information such as a list of available shares. Option-wise, the tool will let you specify exactly what IP addresses to scan and you can also set the response timeout to prevent unresponsive IP addresses from slowing down the process.
8. MyLanViewer Network/IP Scanner
The MyLanViewer Network/IP Scanner is a free IP address scanner for Windows whose main characteristic is how results are displayed. Instead of a table with a list of IP addresses and corresponding parameters, like most other tools on this list will generate, this tool presents the results in a hierarchical way. It looks somewhat like the left pane of a Windows Explorer window.
The MyLanViewer Network/IP Scanner will scan the whole local network. This is the LAN where the computer you’re running the tool from is connected. Once the scan completes, it will show each responding host as a node on a tree structure. Clicking the plus sign next to any entry will reveal more information about it. The extra information available is very similar to what’s available with most other tools on our list.
Overall, based on the features they offer the SolarWinds IP Address Manager and SolarWinds IP Address Tracker stand out as the best IP address scanners for Windows. The IP Address Manager offers enterprise-grade capabilities, managing up to 2 million IP addresses, and integrates with DNS and DHCP servers. It provides automatic IP address tracking and alerts for conflicts and mismatches. Pricing starts at $1,288 with a 30-day trial available. On the other hand, the IP Address Tracker is suitable for smaller installations, tracking up to 254 IP addresses, with alerting for address shortages and conflicts. It has an attractive user interface but lacks integration with DNS and DHCP servers.
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Scanning the LAN for IP addresses is extremely important, especially if you are an admin and want to analyze all the devices connected to the network.
Admins usually prefer to have access to shared folders and the control to automatically shut down the PC, remotely.
There is more than one way to scan the LAN for IP addresses and in this segment, we will walk you through some of the best means to do so.
How can I scan IP addresses on a Local Network?
1. Perform a cmd IP scan
- Type Cmd in the Start menu search bar.
- Type ipconfig.
- Ping this machine IP address by punching in the following command ping 192.168.x.xxx
- In the next step type arp -a.
This is the simplest method that allows you to scan the LAN using the cmd IP scan. Although this method is a bit crude, it doesn’t require any additional software.
2. Scan an IP address third-party software
PRTG Network Monitor
One alternative way that can help you keep track of your entire LAN and WAN is by using a dedicated tool, such as PRTG Network Monitor.
You can monitor the bandwidth, all your workstations, routers, and servers as well. You can use this tool as a portable network scanner and check your network right away, in just a few minutes, from any device.
The tool is able to scan network segments by pinging defined IP ranges and this way PRTG will recognize a broad range of devices and systems in an automatic manner, and it will create sensors from predefined device templates.
PRTG Network Monitor also allows you to create maps and web pages with up-to-date monitoring data.
The software is perfect for managing the network, and it’s one of the best ways to scan for IP range on Windows, so be sure to try it out.
Other great features:
- Bandwidth monitoring
- Database monitoring
- Ability to monitor entire LAN network
- SNMP support
PRTG Network Monitor
PRTG Network Monitor is advanced network monitoring software that will easily scan for IP addresses in your LAN network.
Angry IP Scanner
Presuming that you want to see the IP addresses that are being used in a particular subnet its tools like Angry IP Scanner will come in handy.
Angry IP Scanner will help you scan a range of IP addresses and will also fetch advanced details regarding the connections.
Users can customize their queries and can import the same in CSV, TXT, XML, and even IP-Port list files.
The Angry IP Scanner is a freeware and it is extensible with many data fetchers whilst offering a command-line interface. This program is best suited for network administrators across both small and large enterprises.
Using this tool is simple, and it’s a perfect choice if you need to scan a network for IP addresses on Windows 10.
⇒ Get Angry IP Scanner
SolarWinds IP Tracker
SolarWinds is yet another IP address tracker utility that can be used to access to scan the IP range on Windows 10.
SolarWinds lets you track an unlimited number of IP addresses without the need for complex configurations.
Once a new subnet is added along with the name and addresses the application will generate the list of all the IP addresses on the LAN.
SolarWinds also comes with a feature that lets you filter the IP addresses by checking out the user or the reserved ones. The program also allows users to see the last time an IP address was used.
⇒ Get SolarWinds IP Tracker
Advanced IP Scanner
The best part of the Advanced IP Scanner is its simple and straightforward utility. The Advanced IP Scanner can locate all the devices connected to both your wireless and wired local network.
It’s particularly useful if you want to get a list of devices connected to your Wi-Fi network.
Advanced IP Scanner also offers a remote PC shutdown feature that will allow admins to shut down the PCs on the network. Furthermore, it also supports the Wake-on-LAN standard that lets you start the system remotely by sending wake-up packets.
The results tab mentions Status, name, IP, Manufacturer, and MAC address of all the systems connected to the network.
Furthermore one could also populate important statistics including DNS and Response time.
⇒ Get Advanced IP Scanner
NetCrunch
Every single device that gets connected to a network has some kind of IP address, and a good network monitoring tool knows how to blacklist or permit certain IP addresses from gaining access to a network.
Well, NetCrunch is one such tool, providing you with an entire host of server monitoring tools, including the ability to decide who can access it, and view everything that goes in and out.
This includes the ability to scan devices for their IP addresses and manage them in the sense that you decide which IP can connect to the network, and what is the access level and the privileges of the IP addresses that are connected to the network.
Based on this, you can grant or restrict access to data, regulate the use of bandwidth, and more.
You can scan your network for new nodes simply by IP Network (starting IP address/network mask), and NetCrunch will perform an IP-address sweep, accurately identifying each device and service running on them.
Depending on your monitoring requirements, you can specify a filter strategy that will only identify or add the devices of interest.
You can also perform discovery via Active Directory or add a list of nodes to NetCrunch from a CSV file.
⇒ Get NetCrunch
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As you can obviously tell, these tools vary in terms of features, and which one is best for you is highly dependent on the level at which you want to manage your LAN.
Why do I need to scan IP addresses?
IP addresses are part of layer 3 in the OSI network and are necessary for Inter-VLAN communication. In essence, every layer 3 device will be needing an IP address.
The IP address is also required if you are configuring DHCP snooping and some of the other advanced features.
These are the best methods that you can use to scan IP addresses on LAN network. What tools or methods do you use? Let us know in the comments below.
If you have any more tricks or suggestions, feel free to discuss them. Please let us know about your experience if you decide to try or already have input on any of these methods or third-party tools.
Vlad Turiceanu
Windows Editor
Passionate about technology, Windows, and everything that has a power button, he spent most of his time developing new skills and learning more about the tech world.
Coming from a solid background in PC building and software development, with a complete expertise in touch-based devices, he is constantly keeping an eye out for the latest and greatest!