Advanced IP Scannerfor Windows
Windows LAN scanner for device discovery, shared folders and remote access.
- Freeware
- Freeware license
- By Famatech
Scan and capture only on networks you own or have written permission to assess. Read the authorization checklist.
Advanced IP Scanner overview
Advanced IP Scanner is a Windows-only tool from Famatech built around one very practical idea: scan the local network, list every device, and give you one-click ways to actually do something with them. If you run a Windows helpdesk or you are the person who fixes everyone’s machines in a small office, it is one of the friendliest scanners you can install. Honest positioning: it is a convenience tool for Windows environments, not a serious auditing or automation platform — and if you are not on Windows, it is simply not for you.
In a Windows-based corporate environment, Advanced IP Scanner saves administrators time on the routine tasks that eat into a support day: locating a specific machine on the LAN, checking which shared folders are exposed, or quickly remoting into a workstation to troubleshoot a user’s issue. It turns a multi-step process — scan, look up the name, open a remote session — into a single workflow, which matters when there are fifty machines to look after and no dedicated helpdesk tool in place.
What Advanced IP Scanner actually does
Point it at your local subnet and it sweeps the range, then shows you a tidy list of the devices it found — IP addresses, hostnames, MAC addresses, and manufacturer where it can work that out. So far, that is a standard scan. What sets it apart is what it layers on top for a Windows admin.
It detects and lists shared folders on the machines it finds, so you can browse a device’s shares straight from the results. It integrates with Windows tools for remote work: launch an RDP session to a machine, or connect via Radmin if you use it, right from the list. It supports Wake-on-LAN to power machines up, and remote shutdown to bring them down. It runs as a normal installer or as a portable executable you can carry on a USB stick, which is handy for a technician moving between sites.
How administrators use it
Locating a workstation to remote into for support. A user calls with a problem but does not know their IP address. Scan the office subnet, find the machine by hostname in the results list, right-click, and launch an RDP session — all from one window. This turns a multi-step lookup into a single workflow and saves real minutes on a busy support day.
Auditing shared folders before a file-server migration. Before consolidating file shares onto a new server, scan the subnet and expand the shared-folder view on each host. The results show every share that is currently exposed on the network, including accidental shares on workstations that nobody remembered. Export the list, review it with the team, and clean up stale shares before they migrate.
Powering on machines for an after-hours patching window. Your patch management tool needs machines to be online at 2 AM. Select the target workstations in the scan results, right-click, and send Wake-on-LAN packets to bring them up. After patching completes, use the remote shutdown option to power them back down — all without walking the floor.
Where it shines
It is genuinely easy. There is essentially nothing to learn — install it, click scan, and you have a readable inventory of the LAN in moments. For a non-specialist who has quietly become the office IT contact, that approachability is the whole value.
The remote-action shortcuts save real steps. Being able to see a machine, spot its shares, and jump into an RDP session without hunting through Windows menus turns a scanner into a small helpdesk console. Wake-on-LAN and remote shutdown are nice touches for managing desktops after hours.
The portable option is convenient. No install, no leftover footprint — useful when you are working on a machine that isn’t yours or in a locked-down environment.
Where it falls short
It is Windows-only, full stop. There is no macOS or Linux version, so on a mixed network it only ever gives you half the picture from a Windows box, and it is no help at all to Mac or Linux administrators.
It does not automate or scale. There is no scripting, no scheduling, and no way to run recurring scans unattended. Every scan is something you kick off by hand. That is fine for occasional helpdesk work and frustrating the moment you want repeatable, hands-off checks.
It is a snapshot, not a system of record. It won’t track devices over time, keep history, or alert you when something changes. And because its comfort zone is discovery plus remote access, it deliberately skips the deep service and version detection that a security-minded audit needs.
Who it’s for
This is a strong pick for the Windows helpdesk technician, the office manager who handles day-to-day IT, or the small business where everything runs on Windows and the main need is “find the machine, see its shares, remote in and fix it.” It is a comfort tool. If your environment includes Macs or Linux, or you want scheduled scans, scripting, or genuine security auditing, look elsewhere — this tool intentionally stays in the easy lane.
Licensing
Advanced IP Scanner is proprietary, closed-source software distributed by Famatech. Unlike the open-source options, you cannot inspect or modify the code, and you are relying on the vendor’s builds. Check the current license terms on the official site before rolling it out across an organization. For most small-office use, the ease of use is the point.
How it compares
Advanced Port Scanner is its sibling from the same maker. Where this tool leads with device discovery and remote actions, the port scanner focuses on finding open ports and identifying the services and programs behind them. If your question is more “what ports and services are exposed” than “what devices are here and how do I reach them,” reach for that one.
Angry IP Scanner is the cross-platform alternative. It is similarly quick and friendly, and it runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux — so if you are not exclusively on Windows, it is usually the better default, though it lacks the built-in RDP and shared-folder conveniences.
Nmap is the serious step up for anyone who needs depth — service and OS fingerprinting, scripting, repeatable audits — at the cost of a command line and a real learning curve.
Getting it safely
Get Advanced IP Scanner from Famatech’s official site (advanced-ip-scanner.com). We are an independent review portal — we host nothing and offer no installers of our own. Popular network scanners are a frequent target for tampered or bundled copies, so confirm your download is genuine first: see our short guide on how to verify a download. And use it only on networks you own or have written permission to assess — start with our authorization checklist.
How to verify what you got. Advanced IP Scanner is a signed Windows executable. After obtaining the installer, right-click it, open Properties → Digital Signatures, and confirm the signer is “Famatech Corp.” with a valid, unexpired certificate chain rooted in a trusted CA. If the Digital Signatures tab is missing or the signer name is anything other than Famatech, the file is not genuine. As an extra check, compare the file size against the one shown on the official product page — a significant difference is a red flag. Famatech does not publish per-release checksums, so the code signature is your primary verification method.
FAQ
Is Advanced IP Scanner open source? No. It is proprietary, closed-source software, so you are trusting the vendor’s builds rather than being able to inspect the code — one more reason to verify your download.
Will it run on my Mac or Linux machine? No. It is Windows-only. If you need to scan from macOS or Linux, or across a mixed network, a cross-platform tool like Angry IP Scanner is the better choice.
Can I schedule it to scan automatically? No. There is no scheduling or scripting — every scan is manual. If you want recurring, unattended scans you will need a different tool or a monitoring platform.