Network Radar (Mac) review

NETWORK RADAR (MAC)

Network Radar is a polished, Mac-native network scanner and monitoring utility that balances power and simplicity. For home power-users, IT technicians and small-office admins who want quick discovery, persistent device history and convenient action links (SSH, HTTP, Telnet, ports) in a macOS-friendly UI, it’s an excellent buy. For deep packet inspection, enterprise monitoring or free cross-platform workflows, you’ll need other tools. (witt-software.com)

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The app is actively maintained — release notes show updates in 2024–2025 (e.g., a 3.1.1 update in May 2025 with UI refinements). Current builds support Apple Silicon and Intel on relatively recent macOS versions (MacUpdate lists macOS 12+ compatibility). That ongoing maintenance is important for compatibility and security. (witt-software.com)

1. Fast network discovery & device inventory
   One click scan discovers devices on LANs, lists IP/MAC addresses, hostnames, open services and vendor info. The app keeps a historical record of seen devices (so “previously online” devices reappear). This makes it easy to spot new devices or intruders. (witt-software.com)
2. Service and port tooling
   Built-in ping, port-scan, whois and quick action links for SSH/HTTP/Telnet let you go from discovery to remediation quickly — useful for troubleshooting or remote administration. Early reviews highlighted this as a key strength versus macOS’s limited built-ins. (Macworld)
3. Notifications & change detection
   Network Radar can notify you when devices appear/disappear or when discovered attributes change — useful for small office/internet-of-things monitoring. The app keeps scanning profiles and periodic checks so you don’t have to run scans manually. (witt-software.com)
4. Clean, native macOS UI
   The interface is typical Mac-app quality: minimal, readable, with contextual menus for quick actions. It favors discoverability and workflow speed over overwhelming technical detail. Many users praise the user experience. (Appfigures)

1. Install the app
   Download from the Mac App Store or from the developer’s site. The app supports macOS 13.5+ (version 3.2) per the App Store listing. Apple+1
   Optionally you can install via Homebrew: brew install --cask network-radar Homebrew Formulae
2. Launch & grant permissions
   When you first open Network Radar, you may be asked for permissions to access the local network / network interfaces (for scanning). Accept them so scanning works properly.
3. Perform your first scan
   Inside the app’s main window there’s a “Scan” button. Click it to scan the default network interface (WiFi or Ethernet). According to the developer: “All you have to do is click the Scan button. No configuration is required.” stacksocial.com+1
   The scan will list all devices it finds, including those previously online.
4. Review discovered devices
   Once scanning completes you’ll see a list of devices with details such as IP address, MAC address, vendor name, open ports, etc. witt-software.com+1
   Click a device to view deeper insights (hostname, mDNS/NetBIOS, vendor).
5. Set up monitoring / notifications
   If you wish to be alerted when devices appear/disappear or properties change:
   • Go to Preferences → Monitoring (or similar).
   • Set up a rule (e.g., “Notify when device with vendor = XYZ goes offline”).
   • Choose whether to receive a visual alert, sound, or email.
     The developer mentions this capability:
   “Monitor devices and receive notifications about changes in your network.” Apple
6. Customising & organising
   • You can rename devices, assign custom icons, vendor names. witt-software.com
   • Use folders or smart folders to group devices (for example: “All iPads”, “Servers”, etc).
   • Create custom IP-range scans if your network spans multiple subnets.
   • Export scan results (XML/CSV/TXT/PDF) for documentation or reporting. Network Radar
7. Use built-in network tools
   From a device’s detail pane you often have quick-action buttons: Ping, Port Scan, Traceroute, Whois, even Wake-on-LAN. witt-software.com
   For example, if you spot an unknown device you can quickly ping it or see open ports.
8. Regular use & maintenance
   – Repeat scans periodically or leave monitoring active so you can track changes.
   – Periodically update the app (the developer updates vendor/port databases and UI) — see release notes. witt-software.com+1
   – If you have multiple networks (home + office) you can bind scans to network profiles so scan context is correct (i.e., different subnets). witt-software.com

• When scanning large networks (> 500 devices), give it time and possibly limit to ranges to avoid UI lag.
• For remote networks, ensure any routers/firewalls allow the scanning machine to detect all devices (some networks hide client-to-client traffic).
• Label unknown devices immediately — the history log will help in detecting intruders.

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Product	Platform / Price	Strengths	Weaknesses
Network Radar (Mac)	macOS only; paid (≈ US $17.99 in App Store for recent version) Apple+1	Native macOS UI, device history + monitoring + notifications, built-in utilities, smart folders	Not cross-platform, lacks some deep enterprise features (packet capture, SNMP monitoring)
Angry IP Scanner	Cross-platform (Windows/Mac/Linux); free/open source SaaSHub+1	Very fast, lightweight, export capability, good for quick network sweeps	Interface is more basic, fewer monitoring/notification features, less polished on Mac
IP Scanner for Mac	macOS; free basic version with paid upgrade ip-scanner.macupdate.com	Decent local device discovery, vendor names, good for casual users	Free version limited device count, fewer advanced features, less monitoring/alerting functionality

• If you’re on macOS and regularly manage a home/office network, want history + alerts + a polished UI → choose Network Radar.
• If you need cross-platform support, free/open source, quick sweeps → Angry IP Scanner.
• If you’re more casual, scanning fewer devices and want lower cost → IP Scanner for Mac (or similar) may suffice.

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1. Not an enterprise NMS — Network Radar is designed for discovery and light monitoring, not full-blown network management (no SNMP-based topology maps, long-term analytics or large-scale alerting). For enterprise monitoring you’ll want a specialized NMS. (witt-software.com)
2. Depth vs. breadth tradeoff — It gives useful device/service detail but stops short of deep packet inspection, forensic logs or complex scripting integrations that network pros sometimes require.
3. Price model — It’s paid (one-time or App Store price varies). For casual users there are free alternatives (Angry IP Scanner, Fing) though those lack the macOS polish. MacUpdate lists a typical price around $29.99 but App Store pricing/promotions can change. Check the App Store for the current price. (Network Radar)

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There’s no public reporting that Network Radar behaves maliciously; its functionality requires active local network scanning and local service checks. As with all network tools, grant only the permissions needed and download from the App Store or the developer’s official site to avoid tampered builds. The developer has an update history and generally responsive support per user reports. (Always keep security-sensitive tools up to date.) (witt-software.com)

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Network Radar stands out for macOS users who want more than just a one-time scan. The ability to monitor changes, organise devices, take actions (Ping/Port/Whois/WoLAN) and tie scans to profiles/folders makes it a strong tool for proactive network oversight.

If your needs are basic and you prefer free tools, one of the alternatives might be fine. But if you appreciate the macOS native experience and want ongoing visibility into your network (especially as devices multiply — IoT, guest WiFi, remote offices) then Network Radar is a worthy investment.