Network device discovery is the process of finding all devices connected to a network. This involves scanning the network's IP address range and using various protocols and tools to identify active devices.
IP range scanning is the most common method for network discovery. The scanner sends ping requests to all possible IP addresses within the network subnet. Active devices respond to these requests, revealing their presence on the network.
ARP tables provide valuable information about devices on the local network by mapping IP addresses to MAC addresses. Professional network scanning tools like Nmap, Advanced IP Scanner, and others offer comprehensive device discovery capabilities with detailed information about services and operating systems.