Advanced IP Scanner: Common Issues, Status Colors, and Real-Time Monitoring

Advanced IP Scanner is a powerful yet easy-to-use tool for managing and scanning devices on a network. However, users may occasionally encounter issues such as devices acting abnormally during scans, missing right-click Ping options, unclear color indicators, or confusion about whether real-time monitoring is supported. These concerns are common, especially among IT staff or home network managers.

This post aims to answer those questions with clear explanations and practical tips for getting the most out of Advanced IP Scanner.

1. Can Devices Malfunction During a Scan?

Advanced IP Scanner uses non-intrusive scanning methods and is generally safe. However, there are a few cases where device responses may slow down or logs may be triggered:

Low-end routers/switches – May lag when processing many ARP or Ping requests at once.
Frequent Wake-On-LAN use – Some devices may respond oddly to repeated WOL packets.
Firewall or IDS systems – Some security tools detect scans and may block or log them as suspicious activity.

While hardware damage is unlikely, temporary delays or logging events can occur, especially in networks with strict security settings.

An illustration showing Advanced IP Scanner on a monitor with status indicators, and troubleshooting questions like device issues, missing Ping option, and real-time monitoring

2. Why is the Right-Click Ping Option Missing?

If the Ping function does not appear when right-clicking a scanned device, there are several possible reasons:

Device is grayed out – It may be offline or not responding to Ping.
Lack of admin privileges – Running without administrator rights may disable certain features.
Firewall settings – Windows or third-party firewalls may block ICMP Echo Requests.

Try running Advanced IP Scanner as an administrator or adjusting the firewall and device settings for better results.

3. What Do the Blue and Green Status Colors Mean?

Scan results often show color-coded dots beside each IP entry. Here's what they mean:

Green – The device is online and responding to Ping.
Blue – The device is online but Ping is blocked or filtered; detected via other protocols like NetBIOS.
Gray – The device is not reachable or fully offline.

This color coding provides a quick overview of connectivity status, helping you assess your network at a glance.

4. Does Advanced IP Scanner Support Real-Time Monitoring?

The short answer is: No, Advanced IP Scanner does not include built-in real-time monitoring. It performs a one-time snapshot scan and does not auto-refresh.

To monitor device status continuously, consider the following alternatives:

Use third-party tools – Tools like NetCrunch Tools or PRTG Network Monitor provide live tracking.
Manual rescan – Use the Favorites tab to re-scan selected devices regularly.
Automate with scripts – Use Windows Task Scheduler and batch scripts to run scans periodically.

5. Best Practices and Use Case Summary

Advanced IP Scanner is ideal for quick network snapshots and discovery. While it lacks live monitoring, it is excellent for:

Initial network setup – Quickly discover devices and assign IP/MAC associations.
Unauthorized device detection – Spot unknown MACs or hostnames easily.
Remote power control – Use Wake-On-LAN to boot up machines remotely.
Routine audits – Perform weekly or monthly scans to track network changes.

Pairing Advanced IP Scanner with dedicated monitoring tools can offer comprehensive visibility and better control over network health and security.

Conclusion

Advanced IP Scanner remains a top choice for network scanning thanks to its fast performance and ease of use. Still, it’s important to know that real-time status tracking is not included, and Ping or service queries may not always work depending on the target device’s configuration.

By understanding how to interpret scan results, troubleshoot features, and combine with other tools, users can maximize their network visibility and management efficiency.