1-2-3 Guide: How to Install and Use Beacon Network Scanner

1-2-3 Guide: How to Install and Use Beacon Network Scanner

1. Download and Prepare:

   • Open Chrome, Edge, or Firefox and go to smitebyte.com to download beacon_scanner.exe (no installation needed, just a standalone executable for Windows 10 and 11 systems only). These browsers may block the .exe file—click “Keep” (Chrome), “Keep anyway” (Edge), or “Allow download” (Firefox) to permit it.

   • When Windows SmartScreen warns “Windows protected your PC,” click “More info,” then “Run anyway” to proceed, as it’s a trusted, signed file with a valid SSL certificate (issuer: SSL.com, valid until 2026).

   • Ensure admin rights—when Windows UAC prompts for permission, click “Yes.” This allows Beacon to adjust firewall settings, opening ports 137 (NetBIOS), 5353 (mDNS), 80 (ONVIF), and 443 (api.ipify.org) for scans, and may prompt for Nmap-related ports (e.g., 445, 139). Manually allow these if your firewall blocks them.

2. Set Up Nmap and Run Beacon:

   • Download Nmap from nmap.org (official site) by getting the latest Windows binary (e.g., nmap-x.x.x.exe). During setup, click “Yes” to all prompts to enable network features.

   • Install Nmap to its default location (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Nmap). Once installed, run beacon_scanner.exe from anywhere—desktop, downloads folder, or USB thumb drive. UAC will prompt again, click “Yes.” Beacon auto-detects the installed Nmap and is ready to use.

   • Note: Verified to handle networks up to 2,048 IPs in ~22 seconds on two workstations (tested August 29, 2025).

3. Use and Secure:

   • Launch beacon_scanner.exe, enter your subnet (e.g., 192.168.0.0/21), and hit “Scan.” Results (device types, MAC addresses) show in ~10-20 seconds for smaller networks, up to ~22 seconds for 2,048 IPs, exportable to CSV/Excel.

   • Beacon is secure: encrypted data handling, rigorously tested malware-free (0/70 antivirus detections on VirusTotal, last analyzed August 27, 2025, 23:38 UTC), and signed with an SSL certificate for trust. No personal data is collected beyond the public IP fetch from api.ipify.org, ensuring privacy.