To inventory your network you have to discover what devices are connected to it. This can be used to study networking concepts or to map your Enterprise Network. There is a number of solutions in how to discover the network. Here is a list of some networking tools that can help you map your network.
- Nmap/ZenMap – Open source networking tool that can run a number of TCP, UDP , SNMP , and various scripts to determine many layers of your network.
- Angry IP Scanner – This is a simple dekstop IP scanner, that scans entire subnets very quickly. These scans are very noisey, so be careful using it in a production setting.
- Spiceworks – Spiceworks is open source and can be used to inventory your network. It can autodiscover devices when given an IP range, inventory them, and create a network map. It is Windows friendly.
# Nmap - A popular choice with Linux users. It is easy to install on debian and redhat systems.
# Install nmap, net-tools, and xsltproc on Debian based system
$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install nmap net-tools xsltproc
# Find your IP / subnet
$ ifconfig
# Use that subnet to scan your network ( Example Scan )
$ sudo nmap -sC -O -F -sS 192.168.0.1/24 -ox nmap-mapper.xml
# You can convert namp xml into an html report
$ xsltproc nmap-mapper.xml -o nmap-mapper.html
# Zenmap - Install on Debian is more complex and easier to install on Redhat , Windows, and Mac.
# Download : https://nmap.org/download# Angry IP Scanner - Not a stealthy scanner, it works to see all devices on a network easily.
# Download: https://angryip.org/
# Launch , set IP range, see results.# SpiceWorks - A windows friendly alternative and creates an inventory and network map.
#Download: https://www.spiceworks.com/free-pc-network-inventory-softwareIf you are good with the Linux terminal, nmap is the obvious choice. If you prefer a desktop application, Zenmap or Angry IP scanner are good solutions. If you use WIndows and want to create an Enterpise Inventory list and network map, Spiceworks is a good option.