Getting started
What does PingDuck do?+
PingDuck scans the Wi-Fi network your phone is on and lists every device that responds, with its IP address, name, manufacturer, latency and the services it advertises. From there you can inspect a single device: live ping, port scan, Wake-on-LAN, and your own name and notes.
Is PingDuck free?+
Yes. Scanning, the radar, the device list and Node Inspect are free, with no account needed. We plan an optional paid plan later for extras that cost us money to run, such as the Homelab Agent, cloud sync and intrusion alerts. If we add one, the price and terms will be shown clearly in the app before you subscribe.
Which networks can it scan?+
The IPv4 network your phone is connected to over Wi-Fi, up to a /24 subnet (254 addresses). Scans normally finish in under 15 seconds. PingDuck does not scan over mobile data.
Permissions
Why does PingDuck ask for location permission?+
iOS and Android only reveal the name of your Wi-Fi network to apps that have location access. PingDuck uses it to label the network and remember it for next time. It never reads GPS coordinates or records your location. If you decline, scanning still works; the network just won’t show its Wi-Fi name.
Why does iOS ask to find devices on my local network?+
That is the Local Network permission, and PingDuck can’t scan without it. If you declined, turn it back on in Settings › Privacy & Security › Local Network.
Results
Why can't I see MAC addresses?+
Since iOS 14 and Android 10, phones block apps from reading MAC addresses of other devices. PingDuck identifies devices by name, services and UPnP details instead. The upcoming Homelab Agent, which runs on a computer on your network, can read exact MAC addresses and send them to the app.
Why is a device missing from the list?+
A device only shows up if it answers. Common reasons it doesn’t:
- It is asleep or in a power-saving mode (phones and tablets often are). Wake it and rescan.
- Its firewall ignores ping and it doesn’t advertise any services.
- You are on a guest network or a router with client isolation turned on, which hides devices from each other.
- It is on a different subnet or VLAN from your phone.
What do the ICMP, MDNS and SSDP tags mean?+
They show how a device answered. ICMP means it replied to a ping. MDNS means it announced itself over Bonjour, which is where names like “Living Room TV” come from. SSDP means it responded to a UPnP search, which often gives the make and model. More tags usually means more detail.
What does the port scan check?+
It tries to open a TCP connection to each port and reports the ones that accept. Quick scan checks common ports such as SSH, HTTP, HTTPS and RDP. Deep scan checks ports 1–1024. Closed and filtered ports look the same from a phone, so a port not listed isn’t necessarily blocked by a firewall.
Why doesn't Wake-on-LAN work for my device?+
Wake-on-LAN needs the device’s MAC address, which phones can’t read, and it must be enabled in the device’s BIOS or network settings. Most devices can only be woken over a wired Ethernet connection.
Privacy & safety
Does PingDuck send my data anywhere?+
No. There is no account, no analytics and no ads, and your device list is stored only on your phone. The app’s traffic goes to devices on your own network. See the Privacy Policy for details.
How do I delete my data?+
Open the Account tab and tap Clear device inventory. Uninstalling the app also deletes everything it stored.
Is it legal to scan a network?+
Scanning your own network, or one you have permission to test, is fine. Scanning networks you don’t own or manage can break their rules or the law, so don’t. Our Terms of Use require that you have permission.
Homelab Agent
What is the Homelab Agent?+
An optional Docker container that runs PingDuck’s scanning engine on a Linux server, NAS or Proxmox box on your network. Because it is not limited by phone sandboxing, it captures exact MAC addresses and vendors, keeps 24/7 history, and will alert you when an unknown device joins. Pairing it with the app is coming soon.