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WiFi Guard or Network Scanner: what to choose?

If you are looking at our WiFi Guard and Network Scanner products, you most likely noticed that some of their functionality is similar, and may be wondering which product to choose. It is a good question, as in their essence both are network scanners with the primary goal of detecting other devices in the network. However, they differ significantly in scope and complexity: WiFi Guard is designed for simplicity and automatic monitoring, while Network Scanner is a feature-rich toolkit for in-depth network administration.

WiFi Guard

WiFi Guard is generally intended for individual and home users who want a simple application for discovering devices connected to their networks. It runs quietly in the background, periodically scanning your network and alerting you immediately if an unknown device is detected. The idea is straightforward: you mark all your devices as “known”, and from then on you will be notified of any new devices that could potentially be intruders.

If you want to keep an eye on who is using your Wi-Fi network without delving into technical details, or you simply want peace of mind that strangers are not accessing your Internet connection without your knowledge, WiFi Guard is the right choice. It is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

Network Scanner

Network Scanner is a very sophisticated tool primarily intended for professional use by system administrators managing medium to large networks. Beyond simple device discovery, it can retrieve detailed system information via WMI, SNMP, SSH and PowerShell; scan for open TCP/UDP ports; discover shared folders; query remote registries and services; and integrate with tools like Nmap for OS detection and vulnerability testing.

If you need to audit your network infrastructure, inventory workstations, retrieve hardware and software information from remote devices, or perform advanced administrative tasks, Network Scanner is the tool for the job. It is available for Windows, macOS and Linux, though some advanced features are Windows-specific.

Comparison

Feature	WiFi Guard	Network Scanner
Device discovery (ping sweep)	✔	✔
MAC address and vendor detection	✔	✔
Automatic scheduled scanning	✔
Instant alerts for new/unknown devices	✔
Mark devices as known/unknown	✔
Simple interface, suitable for beginners	✔
IPv6 support and neighbour discovery		✔
TCP/UDP port scanning		✔
Shared folder discovery		✔
WMI, SNMP and SSH queries		✔
Remote registry, services and file queries		✔
Remote command execution (PowerShell, SSH)		✔
Wake-On-LAN and remote shutdown		✔
Export to HTML, XML, JSON, CSV		✔
Integration with Nmap		✔
DHCP and UPnP server discovery		✔
Command-line automation		✔
Supported systems	Windows macOS Linux	Windows macOS Linux

Which one to choose?

The choice depends on your situation and requirements:

Choose WiFi Guard if you are a home user or small office user who simply wants to know what devices are on your network and be alerted when something new connects. It is lightweight, easy to use, does just one thing and does it well.
Choose Network Scanner if you are a network administrator or IT professional who needs comprehensive network auditing, detailed device information, remote management capabilities, or integration with other tools.

That said, there are also professionals using WiFi Guard for quick monitoring, and enthusiastic home users happily using Network Scanner for its advanced features. Ultimately, it's a personal choice.

Try before you buy

Whatever your requirements are, we strongly recommend downloading and taking advantage of the free trials of WiFi Guard and/or Network Scanner to make a truly informed decision and choose the product that works well in your environment and helps you achieve your goals.