lanwatch/README.md

lanwatch

Report new devices that appear on LAN, and maintain an inventory of devices.

[IN PROTOTYPING STAGE; NOT DANGEROUS, BUT NOT READY FOR USE !!!]

https://github.com/BillDietrich/lanwatch

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Basic installation

Copy the minimal files to disk

In the GitHub repo, click the "Clone or download" button, then click the "Download ZIP" button. Save the ZIP file to disk.

On Linux

Copy file lanwatch.py from the ZIP file to /usr/local/bin

On Windows 10

Copy files lanwatch.cmd and lanwatch.py from the ZIP file to some folder.

Requires Python 3.3+

On Linux

# See what is installed
python3 --version

# If it's not installed:
# On Debian-type Linux:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python3

# After python is installed:
pip3 install plyer
pip3 install scapy

On Windows 10

Open windows command prompt: Win+X and then choose "Command Shell (as Administrator)".

Type "python -V"

If Python is not installed:

1. Go to https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/
2. Download installer (EXE).
3. Run the installer.
4. In the installer, check the checkboxes "Installer launcher for all users" and "Add Python 3 to PATH" before you click on the Install button.
5. Near end of installation, click on "Disable limit on PATH length".
6. After installer finishes, open windows command prompt (Win+X and then choose "Command Shell (as Administrator)") and type "python -V" to verify the installation.

With Python installed:

• pip install requests
• pip install pywin32
• pip install plyer
• pip install plyer

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Quick-start to try lanwatch: run it manually

On Linux command-line

sudo lanwatch.py

See desktop notifications.

On Windows 10

Double-click on lanwatch.cmd file.

See notifications in "action center" at right end of system tray.

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Ways lanwatch can report IP address changes

You can choose one or more of the following:

Desktop notifications

(This is the default setting; no edit needed unless you change things later.)

Edit lanwatch.py to set gsUIChoice to "notification".

You will see notifications on the desktop or in the "action center".

To stdout

Edit lanwatch.py to set gsUIChoice to "stdout".

You will see reports in the command-line window where you ran lanwatch.py.

To system log

Edit lanwatch.py to set gsUIChoice to "syslog".

You will see reports in the system log:

For Linux, to see output, on command-line do

sudo journalctl | grep lanwatch

For Win10, to see output, run Event Viewer application. Look in administrative events from Applications, and look for events with Origin "lanwatch".

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Ways to run lanwatch

Run the program manually

(Easiest way to start out; try this first.)

On Linux command-line

sudo lanwatch.py

Then try steps in the "Testing" section, below.

On Windows 10

Double-click on lanwatch.cmd file.

Then try steps in the "Testing" section, below.

Run the program automatically

From a Linux systemd service started at system boot time

sudo cp lanwatch.py /usr/local/bin		# you may have done this already
sudo edit /usr/local/bin/lanwatch.py		# to set gsUIChoice to "syslog".
sudo cp lanwatch.service /etc/systemd/system

After rebooting, on command-line do

sudo journalctl | grep lanwatch

Then try steps in the "Testing" section, below, and check the journal again.

From a Windows 10 task started when you log in

1. Go to Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Program Tasks.
2. In Actions (rightmost pane), click on Local Tasks / Create Basic Task.
3. Set Name of Task to "lanwatch" (not mandatory, just for clarity).
4. Set various fields.
5. For "When do you want to run the task ?" select "At start of session".
6. For "What action do you want to take for this task ?" select "Run a program".
7. For "Program or Script" select the lanwatch.cmd file.
8. Save the task.
9. The task will appear in the list of Active Tasks (bottom of middle pane).
10. Log out and back in.
11. lanwatch should report an IP address change, in whatever way it's configured to report.

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Testing

1. After lanwatch.py starts (either via command-line or service), add a new device on the LAN.

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Limitations

• Tested only on Linux Mint 19.3 Cinnamon with 5.3 kernel, and Windows 10 Home.
• Tested only with IPv4, not IPv6.
• On Linux, tested only with strongSwan/IPsec to Windscribe VPN.
• On Win10, tested only without VPN.
• Not tested on a LAN with no internet access.
• Requires Python 3.3 or greater.
• Can't guarantee that quick, transient device appear/disappear will be detected.

To-Do

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Privacy Policy

This code doesn't collect, store, process, or transmit anyone's identity or personal information in any way. It does not modify or transmit your system's data outside your system in any way.