The best IP address tools allow you to easily manage a digital network, by simplifying the use and allocation of IP addresses.The best IP Address ToolsIf you manage a large network of computers and other devices, you probably have many IP addresses to keep track of, which makes it essential to have a reliable IP address tool.With an IP address tool, you can keep track of all the addresses on your network, ensure that all your devices can connect to each other successfully, and troubleshoot any conflicts. There is a variety of different types of IP address tools. IP address managers, at their most basic, provide a database of your IPs. IP address trackers tell you which IPs are actually configured for specific devices, as opposed to which ones are in existence on the network, which is what the address manager tells you. There are also IP address scanners that let you scan a range of IPs to see which ones are responding. In this article, we’ll look at five of the best IP address tools available, to make the task of administering your network more manageable.
(Image credit: Advanced IP Scanner)1. Advanced IP ScannerEasy to use IP scanner for WindowsReasons to buy+Free+Easy to use+Fast network scanningReasons to avoid–Used to be cross-platform compatible, but now is Windows only–Not as many features as some others in this listAdvanced IP Scanner is a free tool from Famatech Corp. It’s designed for Windows operating systems, including Windows 10. Despite its name, the software is actually simple to use. To get started, enter the range of IP addresses that you want to scan. This can either be done manually or with a text file. Once the scan is completed, you’ll receive a report that contains the responses from each device, along with other information, like the hostname, MAC address, and network interface vendor. This report can then be exported to CSV.Advanced IP Scanner also allows you to remotely control devices—including switching them on and off—via remote desktop protocol (RDP) and Radmin, another software product developed by Famatech.(Image credit: Angry IP)2. Angry IP ScannerOpen source and cross-platform IP scanningReasons to buy+Free & open source tool+Cross-platform compatible+GUI and command line optionsAngry IP Scanner is a free IP scanning tool that is open source and cross-platform compatible (the only requirement is that Java must also be installed).It can scan your local network, as well as the internet. If scanning locally, you can choose to scan the whole network or specific subnets or IP ranges. Information captured will include hostnames, MAC addresses, ports, and NetBIOS information, like the computer and workgroup name and the currently logged-in user. If you need more information, the data captured can be extended with plugins. Anyone who is able to code in Java will be able to write their own plugins.Although Angry IP Scanner is a GUI tool, it also has a command-line version that will enable system admins to integrate its capabilities into custom scripts. The results of scans can then be saved to a variety of file formats, including CSV, TXT, and XML. (Image credit: BlueCat)3. BlueCat Address ManagerManage your DDI dataReasons to buy+Full IPv6 support+Automated DDI management+Accessible and scalable+Support for Microsoft Hyper-VReasons to avoid–Provides less information out of the box than other optionsBlueCat Address Manager is a tool for managing your DDI data. DDI stands for domain name system, dynamic host configuration protocol, and IP address management. BlueCat gives you a web-based interface for managing all the IP addresses on your network, displaying them in a table with a wide range of information, including hostname, MAC address, IP range, and the device. The software aims to simplify network management by including built-in IP modeling tools and network templates. With these, network admins can bring together data for both their on-premises and cloud-based devices.BlueCat is a paid product, and you’ll need to contact the company to get a customized quote based on your company’s requirements.(Image credit: Solarwinds)4. Solarwinds IP Control BundleEnables admins to detect IP conflictsReasons to buy+Easy to use+30-day free trial+Feature packedReasons to avoid–Windows Server 2016 and 2019 only–Limited languages support–May not be compatible with other IP management softwareThe primary purpose of the IP Control Bundle software from Solarwinds is to enable network admins to detect IP conflicts and the systems affected, and then reconfigure IP settings to solve the issues. Not only will you get detailed information on IPs and associated devices and users, but you’ll also be able to edit the status, type, hostname, and MAC address.The program has a comprehensive reporting system that will alert you if there are any IP conflicts or if any subnets are getting close to reaching their capacity. Alerts can be received in several ways, so you can be notified even when you’re not at your workstation.
