Port Authority vs netdiscover

Struggling to choose between Port Authority and netdiscover? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Port Authority is a Network & Admin solution with tags like network, monitoring, traffic, ports, bandwidth.

It boasts features such as Network traffic monitoring and control, Visibility into open ports, Bandwidth usage tracking, Rogue device detection, Policy enforcement and pros including Comprehensive network management capabilities, Visibility into network activity, Ability to detect and mitigate security threats, Granular control over network policies.

On the other hand, netdiscover is a Network & Admin product tagged with network, scanner, arp, discovery.

Its standout features include Active and passive host discovery, Detects live hosts on a network by sending ARP requests, Prints IP address, MAC address and hostname of discovered devices, Can scan entire subnet or custom IP range, Lightweight and fast host discovery, Open source and cross-platform, and it shines with pros like Easy to use with simple command line interface, Fast and efficient host discovery, Identifies active hosts accurately, Works on Linux, Mac and Windows, Free and open source.

Feature	Port Authority	netdiscover
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Network & Admin	Network & Admin

Product Overview

Port Authority

Description: Port Authority is network management software that helps monitor and control network traffic. It provides visibility into open ports, tracks bandwidth usage, detects rogue devices, and enables policy enforcement.

netdiscover

Description: netdiscover is an open-source network scanner used to actively detect live hosts on a network. It sends ARP requests to identify active devices and prints the IP address, MAC address, and hostname if available.

Key Features Comparison

Port Authority Features

• Network traffic monitoring and control
• Visibility into open ports
• Bandwidth usage tracking
• Rogue device detection
• Policy enforcement

netdiscover Features

• Active and passive host discovery
• Detects live hosts on a network by sending ARP requests
• Prints IP address, MAC address and hostname of discovered devices
• Can scan entire subnet or custom IP range
• Lightweight and fast host discovery
• Open source and cross-platform

Pros & Cons Analysis

Port Authority

Pros

• Comprehensive network management capabilities
• Visibility into network activity
• Ability to detect and mitigate security threats
• Granular control over network policies

Cons

• Complexity may require dedicated IT staff
• Potential performance impact on network devices
• Limited customization options for advanced users

netdiscover

Pros

• Easy to use with simple command line interface
• Fast and efficient host discovery
• Identifies active hosts accurately
• Works on Linux, Mac and Windows
• Free and open source

Cons

• Only does basic host discovery, no advanced scanning features
• May miss some hosts if ARP requests are blocked by firewall
• Requires root/admin privileges to scan network
• No official graphical user interface

Pricing Comparison

Port Authority

• Subscription-Based

netdiscover

• Open Source