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Scan Network
When using the program for the first time, generally you should scan network to find IP and computer, collect network information before performing other operations. The program provides three methods, "Scan LAN", "Scan Workgroups" and "Scan IP" to perform scan operation. To manually add machine by name or by IP address one by one, using "Add Machine".
Scan LAN
Scan local network.
Scan Workgroups
Select one or more workgroup to scan within local network.
Scan IP
In Scan IP dialog box, specify the ranges of IP address that you would like to scan in "IP Ranges" field. Click "C Class" or "B Class" radio button to automatically fill them according to local IP address. For example, the local IP address is w.x.y.z, then the IP ranges will be from w.x.y.0 to w.x.y.255 when click "C class", and be from w.x.0.0 to w.x.255.255 while click "B class". The options "Ping timeout" and "Maximum threads for IP scanning" please refer to Options.
When running the program under Windows XP without service pack 1 installed, you must set the threads number to 1 while scanning IP, otherwise you will get incorrect DNS name or NetBIOS name returned due to a bug of Windows XP system.
Skip ping
At present LanHelper sends ICMP echo request to target IP and wait for a reply to verify an IP to be active or be in use. This improves the efficiency and speed while scanning IP. But nowadays almost all the routers and the firewalls (including personal firewall programs) would filter or block the ICMP traffic, which bring great difficult to scan IPs that behind router or firewall. This option helps Scan IP to find more secret targets, but it may greatly slow down the speed.
You can use Scan LAN and Scan Workgroups to scan targets on your LAN. If the targets are located on a different subnet such as virtual LAN or WAN, use Scan IP instead. If a machine has multiple network adapters installed, only the first one would be scanned.
Having a high speed in analyzing, Scan IP function is capable of scanning hundreds of IP addresses per second. Using the function you can scan LAN, virtual LAN and MAN, WAN. At presently LanHelper sends ICMP echo request to target IP to verify whether an IP is active or in use. This improves the efficiency and speed. But nowadays almost all the routers and the firewalls (including personal firewall programs) would filter or block the ICMP traffic, which bring great difficult to scan IPs behind router or firewall. From version 1.20 on, a option "Skip ping" was available, it helps to find more secret targets, but it may greatly slow down the speed.
The returned machine data include name (NetBIOS name or DNS name), IP address, MAC address, SNMP (system), workgroup name, logged-on user name, OS type, server type, comment, shared folders, shared printers, access property to the shared folders (writable, read-only or password protected), comment of the shared resource, etc.
If the program failed to get valid data from a target, the name may be shown as "(Unknown)", the IP address may be shown as "?.?.?.?" and the MAC address may be shown as "00-00-00-00-00-00".
Notes: The Windows NT operating system will be identified as "Win9x" while scanning network under Windows 95/98/ME.
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