netdiscover
Active/passive ARP host discovery on a LAN.
KaliParrotmedium
pkg: netdiscover
netdiscover finds live hosts on a local network via ARP requests — useful where ICMP is filtered.
Syntax
netdiscover -i {iface} -r {CIDR}
Example
netdiscover -r 192.168.1.0/24
Sweeps the local /24 with ARP to list live hosts and their MAC vendors.
Options & flags
What each switch does. Toggle them in the builder below to assemble a command.
Command builder
Tick options (and fill any values) to build a ready-to-copy command.
netdiscover
Usage examples
netdiscover -r 192.168.1.0/24
Active ARP host discovery.
netdiscover -p -i eth0
Passive discovery (stealthy).
Advantages
- Works when ping is blocked
- Reveals MAC/vendor info
- Passive mode is stealthy
Disadvantages
- LAN-only (ARP is not routed)
- Active mode is detectable
- Needs interface access/root
Tags
#arp#lan#discovery
Official docs: netdiscover ↗
Related commands
Frequently asked questions
What is netdiscover used for?
netdiscover finds live hosts on a local network via ARP requests — useful where ICMP is filtered.
What is an example netdiscover command?
A common example is: netdiscover -r 192.168.1.0/24 — Sweeps the local /24 with ARP to list live hosts and their MAC vendors.
Is netdiscover part of Kali Linux?
Yes. netdiscover ships with Kali Linux (and Parrot OS). If missing, install it with: sudo apt install netdiscover.
What category of security tool is netdiscover?
netdiscover is a Information Gathering tool with a medium-risk profile when run against a live target.
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