SoftPerfect Network Scanner checks a chosen IPv4 or IPv6 range and builds a table of the devices and network services it can reach. A basic pass can identify live addresses and host names. Optional checks add open ports, shared folders, MAC addresses, and remote system details. This differs from opening the Network area in File Explorer: SoftPerfect Network Scanner works across an explicit address range and records each reply as structured scan data that can be filtered, saved, or exported.
Ranges define the job
The program can detect the local address range as a starting point, or the operator can enter another range. Ping and name resolution give a quick inventory, while extra port and service checks increase the work sent to every target. A large range with many enabled checks takes longer and can resemble unwanted probing to monitoring systems.
A silent device is not proof that no device exists at that address. Firewalls may ignore ping, a host may sleep, and a router may block traffic between segments. SoftPerfect Network Scanner can try other discovery methods, but the scan result always describes what replied through the selected methods.
Ports reveal listeners
Port checks show which TCP or UDP endpoints respond at scan time. A named service beside a port is a label based on common assignments, not proof of the exact program behind the socket. Banner or HTTP checks can add detail when the service exposes it.
Scanning every possible port multiplies the request count. Choosing the ports used by the environment keeps the result readable. An open administrative port also deserves context: it may be expected on a managed server and unexpected on an employee workstation.
Remote details need access
SoftPerfect Network Scanner can query Windows Management Instrumentation, the remote registry, services, files, performance counters, PowerShell, SSH, and SNMP. These checks reach beyond network presence into operating-system or device data. They require the corresponding service, firewall permission, protocol settings, and an account with sufficient rights.
A failed WMI or registry query does not mean the machine is offline when ping and ports still respond. The Remote Registry service may be stopped, or the account may lack access. SNMP has its own community or authenticated credentials. Treating every empty field as a missing computer produces the wrong inventory.
Credentials stay separated
The credential manager stores reusable accounts for remote operations, while an individual action can request another account. A master password encrypts saved credentials inside the configuration. Without the master password, an automated run that needs those entries cannot simply recover them as plain text.
Using one administrator account across every target increases the impact of a leaked configuration. Separate credentials and the least permissions needed for each query reduce that exposure. SoftPerfect Network Scanner can run port discovery without administrative credentials, so deep access is not a prerequisite for every scan.
Actions change machines
Wake-on-LAN, remote shutdown, service control, messaging, and program launch turn a result row into a management target. Wake-on-LAN needs a compatible adapter and network path. Shutdown or service commands need remote permission and act on the selected machine rather than merely annotating the table.
Selection is therefore important before a bulk action. A filter can hide rows without necessarily changing the underlying selection. Testing an action on one known device confirms credentials and command behavior before SoftPerfect Network Scanner repeats it across a group.
Saved results age
Results can be saved and reopened, then exported as HTML, XML, JSON, CSV, or text. A saved scan is a snapshot. It does not update when a laptop leaves the network, a DHCP lease changes, or a port closes later.
Comparing snapshots can expose a change, but matching by address alone can confuse two devices that received the same leased address at different times. Host name and MAC data add context when they are available. The evaluation mode displays no more than ten devices, so it cannot present a complete larger inventory even if the scan reaches more addresses.
