Network Lab vs AlphaProbe

Network Lab is a privacy-first LAN scanner and network toolbox for iPhone, iPad and Apple silicon Mac. Use it to discover devices on your Wi-Fi or wired network, inspect Bonjour and Zeroconf services, monitor favourite hosts and troubleshoot common connectivity problems without creating an account or uploading scan data to a cloud service. What Network Lab helps with: - Scan your local subnet and identify active hosts - Browse Bonjour / Zeroconf services and service records - Inspect IP addresses, MAC addresses, vendors, ports and host details where available - Save network snapshots, compare scans and export results as CSV - Monitor favourite hosts for reachability - Run ping, traceroute, DNS lookup, whois and bandwidth tests - Send Wake-on-LAN magic packets to sleeping devices - Open SSH sessions to known hosts Network Lab is built for home labs, small offices, developers, admins and curious users who want a clear view of their own network. The core LAN scanner stays available for free, while Pro unlocks the extended diagnostic tools.

AlphaProbe (developed by Obipixel Ltd | Obisec) is a professional network utility for iPhone and iPad. Map the LANs you are allowed to test, home labs, small offices, or any network where you have permission, and keep a clear record of what you found. Disclaimer: Only use AlphaProbe on authorised systems/network you have permission for. By using AlphaProbe you agree to use it lawfully and at your own risk; the app is provided as a diagnostic aid, not a guarantee of security or completeness. Requirements: iOS 17 or later. Local network access is required for discovery and most LAN features. Optimised for iPhone and iPad. SCAN • See active network interfaces and usable address ranges on your device. • Discover live hosts across your subnets with fast TCP reachability checks. • Scan open ports on discovered hosts using outbound TCP connections and timed UDP probes. • Enrich results with UPnP (SSDP) friendly names and reverse DNS when the network responds. • On-device hints help interpret roles and platforms with confidence-style labels—they are heuristics, not proof of a specific product or service (for example, open ports 80/443 do not identify Tor or other software by themselves). • In-app Info explains how discovery works, why UDP results can differ between runs, and why retries often find more hosts. RESULTS • When a scan completes, save a snapshot of hosts and open ports on your device. • Snapshots can include integrity fingerprints (MD5/SHA-256) for supported formats so you keep a fixed record of what was stored at save time. • Copy or share formatted exports; verify fingerprints against the canonical payload where the app supports it. • Delete individual snapshots when you no longer need them; clearing live scan data removes current discovery results from local storage as described in the app. TOOLS All tools are manual, you start each check. Use them only on hosts and networks you own or are explicitly authorised to test. • DNS lookup (addresses): Resolve hostnames to IPv4 (A) and IPv6 (AAAA) using the system DNS resolver, shown in separate lists. CNAME chains are followed by the system. • DNS lookup (MX, NS, SOA): A separate action uses DNS over HTTPS to Google Public DNS (dns.google). This is not the same as your device's system resolver or VPN DNS, so results may differ. Each answer shows TTL and record data. • Reverse DNS: Look up PTR style names for numeric IPv4 or IPv6 addresses. • TCP port check: Measure how long until a TCP connection becomes ready using Apple's Network framework, not ICMP ping. • HTTP(S) check: Send a GET with URLSession; see status, redirects, response size, and timing. Cleartext HTTP to LAN devices may work when the system allows local networking; use HTTPS for public sites. • TCP reachability: Same TCP timing idea, framed for a quick "is something answering?" probe (try 443 or 80). REFERENCE • Port encyclopedia for quick context on common ports and services. ACCESS • Sign in with Apple to use the app's access model. • Complimentary trial for eligible new users, then a one-time in-app purchase to unlock ongoing use (pricing and terms are shown in the app). IMPORTANT Unauthorised scanning or probing may be illegal or against network policy. You are responsible for using AlphaProbe only where you have permission and for complying with applicable laws and rules.