Content
# MCP Homescan Server
[](https://www.npmjs.com/package/mcp-homescan)
[](https://github.com/aplaceforallmystuff/mcp-homescan/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
[](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
[](https://modelcontextprotocol.io)
MCP server for home network discovery and security scanning. Discovers devices on your local network, identifies manufacturers, flags potential security concerns, and exports to Obsidian inventory format.
## Why Use This?
If you're managing a home or small office network, this MCP server lets you:
- **Discover all devices** - Find everything connected to your network via ARP table scanning
- **Identify manufacturers** - Automatic MAC address to manufacturer lookup
- **Flag security concerns** - Identify unknown or potentially risky devices (IoT from certain regions, etc.)
- **Track changes** - Detect new or removed devices between scans
- **Document your network** - Export to markdown for Obsidian or other documentation systems
## Features
| Category | Capabilities |
|----------|-------------|
| **Discovery** | ARP-based network scanning, ping sweep for comprehensive discovery |
| **Identification** | MAC address manufacturer lookup, device categorization |
| **Security** | Flag unknown devices, identify potential IoT risks |
| **Change Detection** | Compare scans, track new/removed devices |
| **Export** | Markdown and JSON formats, Obsidian-compatible inventory |
## Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+
- macOS or Linux (uses `arp` command)
- Network access to local subnet
## Installation
### Using npm (Recommended)
```bash
npx mcp-homescan
```
Or install globally:
```bash
npm install -g mcp-homescan
```
### From Source
```bash
git clone https://github.com/aplaceforallmystuff/mcp-homescan.git
cd mcp-homescan
npm install
npm run build
```
## Configuration
### For Claude Desktop
Add to your Claude Desktop config file:
**macOS**: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
**Windows**: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"homescan": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-homescan"],
"env": {
"HOMESCAN_SUBNET": "192.168.1"
}
}
}
}
```
### For Claude Code
Add to `~/.claude.json`:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"homescan": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-homescan"],
"env": {
"HOMESCAN_SUBNET": "192.168.1"
}
}
}
}
```
### Environment Variables
| Variable | Description | Default |
|----------|-------------|---------|
| `HOMESCAN_SUBNET` | Network subnet to scan (e.g., `192.168.1`) | `192.168.1` |
## Usage Examples
### Network Discovery
> "Scan my home network for devices"
> "What devices are on my network?"
> "Refresh the network scan and show all devices"
### Device Investigation
> "What's the device at 192.168.1.34?"
> "Look up the manufacturer for MAC address aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff"
### Security Review
> "Show me any flagged devices on my network"
> "Are there any unknown devices I should investigate?"
### Change Tracking
> "Have any new devices appeared since the last scan?"
> "Show me what's changed on my network"
### Documentation
> "Export my network inventory to markdown"
> "Generate a network report"
## Available Tools
| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `homescan_discover` | Discover all devices on the local network |
| `homescan_device` | Get details for a specific device by IP |
| `homescan_mac_lookup` | Look up manufacturer from MAC address |
| `homescan_report` | Generate comprehensive network discovery report |
| `homescan_export` | Export devices to markdown or JSON format |
| `homescan_diff` | Compare current scan to previous, show changes |
| `homescan_flagged` | List devices flagged for security review |
## Development
```bash
# Watch mode for development
npm run watch
# Build TypeScript
npm run build
# Run locally
node dist/index.js
```
## Troubleshooting
### "No devices found"
Ensure you're on the same network segment and the subnet is configured correctly. Try running with `refresh: true` to perform a ping sweep first.
### "Permission denied" errors
The ARP table may require elevated permissions on some systems. Try running with `sudo` if needed.
### Devices missing from scan
Some devices may not respond to ARP queries. Use `homescan_discover` with `refresh: true` to ping sweep the network first.
### Wrong subnet
Check your network configuration and update `HOMESCAN_SUBNET` to match your local network (common values: `192.168.1`, `192.168.0`, `10.0.0`).
## Security Notes
- This tool only scans your local network
- No data is sent externally
- Flagged devices are recommendations only — verify before taking action
- See [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md) for vulnerability disclosure
## Roadmap
See [ROADMAP.md](ROADMAP.md) for planned work and scope estimates.
## Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for guidelines.
## License
MIT - see [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details.
## Links
- [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io)
- [MCP Specification](https://spec.modelcontextprotocol.io)
- [GitHub Repository](https://github.com/aplaceforallmystuff/mcp-homescan)
