Hi,

I want to ask if it is possible under linux to scan network for computers while wanting theirs NIC MAC. I know about arp-scan but that works on higher OSI layer with logical addresses. What I need is to see every member in network indifferent to their logical network.

I think there is some way with SNMP on CISCOs, but is there any cli tool in linux for that?

Thanks in advance,

Marek

P.S. My first post, but this forum helped me many times before

Hello Zeratul021 and welcome to LQ,

I don't know if I've fully understood your question. The function of the arp-protocol is to connect the MAC-Adresses of a network-member to its IP-adress. The only situation which I can think of, where it would be more complicated is when a member of a TCP/IP-network has an ip-adress of another subnet. So this machine will be invisible for protocols in the TCP/IP family. Then one has to use something like an arp-broadcast. As far as I know there are arp-scanners which can handle such a situation.

What do you mean with "logical network"?

Markus

Hey,

I think you understood, I need it for finding hidden routers in network which are in different subnet = logical network, but on the same cable network = physical network. Yes, arp broadcast sounds like a good idea but I don't know about any command to do something like that. And actually thank you because I got an idea now... and it seems to work:
sudo arp-scan 0.0.0.0:0.0.0.0

Marek

Hi,

wasn't it arp-scan "FF FF FF FF FF FF"?

Another solution would be to change the subnetmask of your machine to a lower value. For example, if I have a machine with ip 192.168.24.3/24 and I'm searching for a machine in the same physical subnet with an ip between 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.254.254, I could change my ip-settings to 192.168.24.3/16. But I don't really know if this will work.

I know this problem from networkprinters which have been in another network before I installed them and which have a static IP.

Markus

Don't know about that FF - doesn't seem syntacticaly right, but lowering mask isnt enought as it can be any of private networks or even in multimedial ranges (236.0.0.0/8) so my suggested command should theoretically work because 0.0.0.0:0.0.0.0 is default route meaning any ip. But practically it consumes too much memory and probably needs to be run from script for /8 subnets 256 times - accoriding to man page this subnet scan consumes cca 400 MB memory.

Marek