Nmap

Nmap (Network Mapper) is a free and open-source network scanning and mapping tool used to discover hosts, services, and operating systems on a network.

The primary purpose of using Nmap is to scan networks for available hosts, open ports, and running services, which helps in network inventory management, security auditing, and vulnerability assessment.

Nmap can be installed on various platforms such as Linux, Windows, and macOS using the package manager or by compiling from source. The installation process varies depending on your operating system and distribution.

A port scan in Nmap is a technique used to scan for open ports on a target host, which can be used to identify running services or vulnerabilities. Port scanning can be performed using various techniques such as TCP SYN, UDP, and ICMP.

Yes, Nmap is an excellent tool for network discovery. It can scan IP ranges to identify available hosts, and it also supports IPv6 addresses. You can use the '-sn' option to perform a ping scan or '-sL' option to list all targets in your input file.

When used responsibly, Nmap is a safe and valuable tool for network administrators. However, like any other powerful tool, it can be misused by attackers to scan networks without permission. Always ensure you have the necessary permissions before scanning a network.