Goscan is a Go-based network scanner designed to discover active devices on a local IPv4 subnet. It achieves this by sending ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) packets to the network and analyzing the responses. The project addresses the need for a simple, efficient tool to enumerate devices within a local network, providing a quick overview of active hosts and their associated information.
Goscan distinguishes itself through its straightforward approach and comprehensive output. It leverages ARP and SMB/mDNS to gather detailed information, including vendor identification based on MAC addresses. The tool's portability across Linux, macOS, and Windows, utilizing libpcap/WinPcap, enhances its usability across diverse environments.
- IPv4 Scanning: Scans the entire IPv4 address space of the local subnet.
- ARP Packet Sending: Utilizes ARP packets to probe the network for active devices.
- Device Information: Displays IP address, MAC address, hostname, and vendor details.
- SMB/mDNS Hostname Detection: Employs SMB (Windows) and mDNS (macOS) to identify hostnames.
- Vendor Identification: Calculates device vendor information based on MAC address.
- Platform Support: Runs on Linux and macOS using libpcap and on Windows using WinPcap.
- Root Privileges: Requires root privileges for network packet manipulation.
Goscan is an archived project with last commits in 2019, suggesting it is no longer actively maintained. While documentation exists, its completeness could be improved. The project's relatively low number of forks and stars indicates a smaller community, although it remains a useful tool for basic network scanning.
Goscan benefits network administrators and developers needing a quick and easy way to identify devices on a local network. It addresses scenarios where manual network discovery is impractical or time-consuming. Compared to more complex network mapping tools, Goscan offers a lightweight and focused solution for fundamental device enumeration.