How to Find Devices On Your Network

Whether you are checking your home network or scanning a corporate LAN, there are a few easy ways to find and document all connected devices.

Every node on a network can potentially contact all the other nodes. Those communications might need to go through intermediary devices, but you should still be able to get a list of all equipment. There are a few basic methods that can be used, such as Ping or Telnet; a few more sophisticated methods exist as well.

If you are just searching your home network, the task won’t be too complicated. However, the process of documenting a corporate network can get difficult. In these instances, it is just better to get a tool to scan the network for you. These tools can present you with a map of the network, and that is a really helpful service.

In this review, we are going to run through some easy ways to discover all the devices on a network. Then we will show you an even easier way to identify all the equipment on your network, which is to use a network monitoring system.

Here is our list of the best network discovery systems:

1. Site24x7 – EDITOR’S CHOICE A cloud-based monitoring platform with auto-discovery to manage network devices, servers, and applications. It provides real-time performance monitoring, root-cause analysis, and supports hybrid and cloud infrastructures. Start a 30-day free trial.
2. ManageEngine OpManager A comprehensive network monitoring tool offering real-time discovery, visualization, and tracking of network devices and servers. It aids in proactive management by identifying performance issues and potential downtimes. Runs on Windows Server, Linux, AWS, and Azure.
3. Paessler PRTG An all-in-one network monitoring solution with auto-discovery features that map and monitor devices, applications, and traffic. PRTG offers customizable sensors to ensure in-depth performance and availability insights. Available as a SaaS platform or for installation on Windows Server.
4. Zenmap/Nmap An open-source GUI for Nmap, this tool assists with network discovery, mapping, and security scanning. Known for versatility, it’s used for vulnerability assessments and understanding network layouts. Available for Windows, Lnix, macOS, and Unix.
5. Progress WhatsUp Gold A robust tool with network auto-discovery, visualization, and monitoring. It supports end-to-end tracking of devices, services, and network paths, making it suitable for proactive network management. Runs on Windows Server.
6. Open-AudIT An open-source network discovery and auditing tool that inventories network devices, offering detailed reporting and asset management. It’s highly configurable and suited for auditing and compliance.
7. Zabbix A powerful open-source monitoring tool with automated network discovery, tracking devices, applications, and services. Known for high customization and scalability, it’s favored for both small and large networks.

How to Find Devices on a Network Manually

Whether you are looking on your home network or scanning a company LAN, you can just get data from your own workstation without needing administrator privileges for network devices.

On Windows:

1. Type cmd into the search field in the taskbar.
2. Select Run as Administrator from the results that appear. This will open a Command Prompt window.
3. Enter arp -a. This will give you a list of all the IP addresses in use on your network. Your computer’s address will be shown in the top line, which has the format Interface: <address>.
4. If you want to see which of these devices are significant, enter ipconfig. You will see one of the lines showing the router/WiFi hub. This is listed as Default Gateway.

On Macs:

Open a Terminal session.

Enter arp -a at the prompt. This is the same as the arp command in Windows.

Use ifconfig to see details of your network interface, including the Default Gateway.

On Linux:

On Linux, the commands to use are the same as on macOS: arp -a and ifconfig.

The best Network Discovery Tools

You haven’t already seen how easy it is to get a list of all the devices on your network. However, the output of the arp and ipconfig/ifconfig commands is not that great. There are a number of professional tools available for network discovery and they will provide much more information and even implement continuous monitoring.

After being drawn to this guide with the expectation of finding a quick way to discover all the devices on a network, you might be annoyed that you are about to be pushed to recommendations for paid tools. However, don’t worry: all the tools on our list can be used for free. In some cases, this is just in the form of a free trial. However, many of the paid tools on our list provide a free edition. We have also included tools that are completely free to use and have no paid counterparts.

1. Site24x7 (FREE TRIAL)

Site24x7 is a cloud-based monitoring platform offering full-stack observability packages that include network monitoring with a discovery service. Site24x7 is a ManageEngine brand and provides the same high standard of service as OpManager. If you want something like OpManager but don’t want to host your system monitoring service yourself, Site24x7 is going to be your first choice.

Key Features:

• Automatic Network Discovery: Repeats continuously.
• Generates a Network Inventory: Displays details on each device.
• Network Topology Mapping: Network layouts are generated automatically.
• Continuous Network Device Monitoring: Uses the Simple Network Management Protocol.
• Bandwidth Analysis: Uses flow protocols.

Site24x7 provides network discovery by scanning IP ranges to identify devices, applications, and services. It creates a comprehensive inventory, automatically documenting key device information and tracking configuration changes. The cloud-based design enables centralized documentation, simplifying network visualization for distributed teams.

This platform’s strengths include application performance monitoring, website uptime tracking, and cloud infrastructure monitoring. Its root cause analysis service pinpoints issues quickly. Site24x7 also offers synthetic monitoring for websites and APIs, ideal for ensuring optimal online performance.

Site24x7 is cloud-based and is accessible from any browser. The service is available in several subscription plans, including a Free edition that provides uptime monitoring for up to five devices but doesn’t include discovery or mapping. You can get a 30-day free trial for any of the paid plans.

2. ManageEngine OpManager

ManageEngine OpManager is a network device status monitoring package that starts off with a discovery routine. The whole network monitoring system is based on the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). This system broadcasts a request for reports and it doesn’t need to know the address of devices in order to get started. Every network device has an SNMP agent already installed on it and that will listen to the network for an SNMP request.  The responses, therefore, tell OpManager exactly which devices are on the network.

Key Features:

• Automatic Network Discovery: Creates a network inventory and topology map.
• Real-time Network Monitoring: An SNMP-based system.
• Visual dashboards: Enlivened by colored graphics.
• Customizable Alerting and Reporting: Tailor the system to your business’s priorities.
• Support for SNMP, WMI, and CLI Monitoring Protocols: Multiple methods for extracting system data.

The network monitoring services of OpManager extend to wireless networks, although that function is implemented through querying wireless access points rather than by sampling signal strength. The package is also able to monitor WANs by tracking the response times of internet links and it will continuously test links to cloud-based services. The package includes ad-hoc testing tools for troubleshooting, which include Ping and Traceroute.

In addition to network discovery, OpManager offers advanced fault management, automated alerting, customizable dashboards, and performance analytics. It also supports virtual and cloud infrastructure monitoring, providing visibility across physical and virtual environments for businesses using hybrid setups. Integration with other ManageEngine tools expands its functionality to cover log analysis, application performance monitoring, and helpdesk services.

ManageEngine OpManager is an on-premises software package, available for Windows and Linux and it is also available on the marketplaces of AWS and Azure. It offers a Free edition,  which is limited to monitoring up to three devices. You can get a 30-day free trial of the Premium edition.

3. Paessler PRTG

Paessler PRTG is a highly customizable package of monitoring systems that cover networks, services, servers, software, applications, cloud systems, and Web applications. The buyer tailors the package by deciding which sensors to activate. The bundle includes many monitoring systems for networks, and it includes a network discovery function.

Key Features:

• Auto-Discovery Function: Based on SNMP.
• Continuous Network Monitoring: Uses a range of protocols, including SNMP.
• Maintains a Network Inventory: Provides details of each device on the network.
• Visual Maps and Topography of the Network: Generated automatically.

The autodiscovery service in PRTG is central to the entire package and it is closely tied to the live network device monitoring system. The discovery process repeats continuously and will automatically update the system inventory and network topology map.

Beyond discovery, PRTG offers bandwidth monitoring, application performance tracking, and virtual environment support, making it suitable for hybrid infrastructure management. PRTG integrates with many third-party systems and provides a REST API for further customization. Its sensor-based licensing model ensures users only pay for the specific features they need.

PRTG is available as both a downloadable software package for Windows Server and a cloud-based SaaS platform. The Free edition includes up to 100 sensors, with paid plans expanding this capacity. A 30-day free trial of the unlimited sensor package is available.

4. Zenmap

Zenmap is the official GUI for the popular open-source network scanner Nmap. Zenmap is designed for both beginners and seasoned network administrators, offering a powerful suite of tools for device discovery, vulnerability analysis, and network mapping.

Key Features:

• Graphical Interface: Simplifies Nmap’s command-line interface for easier accessibility.
• Automated Network Scanning: Runs customizable scans to detect active hosts, open ports, and services.
• Topology Mapping: Generates visual network maps for easy device identification.

Zenmap automates discovery scans, leveraging Nmap’s extensive device fingerprinting and port-scanning capabilities to detect network devices and services. It compiles a detailed report of each device’s IP address, operating system, open ports, and services. The network topology feature shows device connections and paths, making it easier to document network layouts and spot potential vulnerabilities.

Nmap is a little old but it is powerful with many options for examining each device and its security measures. The tool is widely used by both hackers and cybersecurity professionals but it takes time to learn and isn’t very user-friendly. Zenmap was created to cater to casual users and automates many of the more commonly used commands of Nmap and also implements network visualization.

Zenmap is a downloadable, cross-platform software available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and BSD Unix. As an open-source tool, it’s free with no licensing fees or limitations.

5. Progress WhatsUp Gold

Progress WhatsUp Gold is a robust, all-in-one network monitoring tool, focusing on network discovery, visualization, and real-time tracking. It is designed to provide visibility into device statuses, traffic, and performance, making it ideal for organizations with extensive IT infrastructures.

Key Features:

• Automatic Network Discovery: Scans IP ranges to detect and categorize network devices.
• Visual Network Maps: Offers customizable maps for clear visualization of network topography.
• Advanced Alerts: Configurable notifications and alerts for proactive issue management.

WhatsUp Gold sets itself up. Once you install the package and start it up, the tool builds up the network inventory through autodiscovery. This makes the package very easy to use. The system also provides a network map automatically. The discovery cycle repeats continuously and also provides live status monitoring. If your network only has 10 devices, you can use WhatsUp Gold without ever having to pay.

The core of WhatsUp Gold can be extended by add-ons that build up a full-stack observability package. These modules include systems for monitoring servers, applications, and network traffic. There aren’t any free editions for those extra units.

The WhatsUp Gold software runs on Windows Server. You can get a 30-day free trial of the unrestricted paid core package.

6. Open-AudIT

Open-AudIT is an open-source network discovery and auditing tool designed for network inventory management. It catalogs, audits, and reports on network devices, applications, and operating systems. This is an asset management system.

Key Features:

• Automated Device Discovery: Scans networks and automatically detects new devices.
• Detailed Inventory Reports: Creates comprehensive asset reports for documentation and compliance.
• Change Tracking: Monitors configuration changes across devices.

Regular network scans discover devices, documenting attributes like IP addresses, MAC addresses, operating systems, and installed software. Change tracking allows for ongoing updates, keeping device documentation current, and ensuring accurate network inventory records.

Beyond network discovery, Open-AudIT includes a range of reporting options, such as software licensing and hardware status, making it ideal for asset management and compliance reporting. Its flexibility allows for customization through scripting, making it suitable for users with specific auditing requirements.

Open-AudIT is available as both a free Community edition and a commercial edition, with additional features for large networks. It runs on Windows and Linux. Open-AudIT Professional Edition is free to use in order to track up to 20 devices.

7. Zabbix

Zabbix is an open-source network monitoring and discovery solution with automated device tracking and performance monitoring capabilities. The on-premises system is completely free to use. A new cloud-hosted version is available for a fee.

Key Features:

• Automated Network Discovery: Finds and registers network devices.
• Alerting and Escalation: Customizable alerting options for proactive issue handling.
• Performance Monitoring: Tracks device metrics, server health, and applications.

The discovery feature generates a network inventory that catalogs IP addresses, operating systems, and network roles. The tool will categorize devices based on predefined rules, streamlining documentation.

Zabbix’s advanced monitoring covers server health, applications, and cloud resources, making it suitable for complex environments. Alerting and escalation policies allow administrators to respond quickly to issues.

Zabbix is available as a free, open-source software package compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS. It offers extensive community support, with no trial necessary. Paid support packages are available for larger organizations.