When you know the IP address of a host, it’s possible to access and interact with it.įinding an IP address with Wireshark using ARP requestsĪddress Resolution Protocol (ARP) requests can be used by Wireshark to get the IP address of an unknown host on your network. If you think of your local network as a neighborhood, a network address is analogous to a house number.

Using Wireshark, you can watch network traffic in real-time, and look inside to see what data is moving across the wire.Īn IP address is a unique identifier used to route traffic on the network layer of the OSI model. It works below the packet level, capturing individual frames and presenting them to the user for inspection. Wireshark is a network monitor and analyzer. Here’s how I use Wireshark to find the IP address of an unknown host on my LAN. But it can also be used to help you discover and monitor unknown hosts, pull their IP addresses, and even learn a little about the device itself. Wireshark is a powerful tool that can analyze traffic between hosts on your network.

Wireless network sniffer mac