SZ PortScan is a free network tool that helps you explore and analyze your local network or the internet. It allows users to identify active devices, scan for open ports, and retrieve associated details like IP addresses, hostnames, and MAC addresses. Beyond scanning, it includes functionalities for pinging devices, tracing routes, performing speed tests, and querying domain information via WhoIs and DNS services. It is a portable application and is very lightweight—just around 426 KB in size for version 2.03. This makes it ideal for quick use on various machines.
Features of SZ PortScan
SZ PortScan has many features tailored for network diagnostics. The main feature is obviously the port scanning capability, which identifies open ports on devices and lists services running on them, such as HTTP, SMB, FTP, SMTP, SNMP, MySQL, and MongoDB. It uses multi-threading—up to 100 threads—to efficiently scan large IP ranges, making it suitable for both small home networks and larger setups.
Another feature is device searching. Without needing exact IP addresses, you can locate specific devices using protocols like UPnP, Bonjour, and SLP (Service Location Protocol). This includes discovering UPnP-enabled gadgets, Bonjour services, routers from brands like Netgear and Asus, NAS devices from Synology and Buffalo, printers from Samsung and HP, and even smart lights like Wiz or projectors from Epson. It also supports IPv6 devices, ensuring compatibility with modern networks.
The ping function is robust, offering options to send standard packets, vary sizes for testing, or ping continuously. Results are displayed in a graphical format, showing response time distributions for easy analysis. Traceroute helps map the path to a device, while the speed test measures your internet connection’s download and upload speeds, plus latency, by connecting to various servers.
Additionally, WhoIs and DNS queries provide insights into domain names and IP addresses, rounding out a comprehensive toolkit for network investigation.
Using SZ PortScan
Using SZ PortScan is straightforward, even for beginners. To scan ports, enter a starting and ending IP address or a server name, and choose options like scanning only common ports or checking SMB shares. The tool then probes the range, displaying results in a tree-like structure with icons for clarity. For device searches, select the type—such as Miracast devices or MSA network gear—and let it hunt across the network.
Pinging involves selecting the device and packet type; the graph visualizes performance, helping spot inconsistencies. Speed tests are simple: pick a server and run the test to get metrics on your connection quality. All operations are multi-threaded where possible, ensuring speed without overwhelming your system.
The software handles both local and remote queries efficiently, with support for IPv6 to future-proof your scans. While it doesn’t mention explicit limitations, users should note that advanced features might require administrative privileges, and results depend on network permissions.
A Clean User Interface
The interface is clean and tab-based, with sections for Scan Ports, Search Devices, Ping Devices, Traceroute, Speed Test, WhoIs, DNS, and About. It’s intuitive, with dropdowns for inputs and buttons like Start, Stop, Save, and Exit. Results appear in lists or graphs, with filters to narrow down information.
Screenshots show a Windows-classic look, but it’s functional and easy to navigate. Help is accessible via an FAQ, and support comes through email. While user comments aren’t detailed on the main page, the tool’s presence on multiple download sites suggests positive reception for its reliability and feature set.
Conclusion
In summary, SZ PortScan is a powerful, user-friendly tool that empowers anyone to take control of their network. Its blend of scanning, searching, testing, and querying features makes it indispensable for diagnostics and maintenance. Whether you’re hunting for hidden devices or checking connection speeds, it delivers efficiently without complexity.
You can download SZ PortScan from https://www.the-sz.com/products/portscan/.