LANState

LANState is a Windows program from 10-Strike Software that scans your LAN, draws a map of computers, switches and other devices, and keeps checking them, so a failed host, service or disk shows up on the map and in an alert. It is aimed at admins of small and mid-sized networks who want a visual status board without deploying agents. Since version 10.5 (December 2025), a LANState download runs as freeware for up to 25 devices on all maps, with no time limit; larger networks need a paid licence, so we list it as shareware (conditionally free).

There is no separate “LANState Free” product: the same program switches to its free mode when you stay within 25 devices. The current release, 11.0 from September 2026, brought a redesigned main window, automatic map saving and an OpenStreetMap geomap in the web interface.

LANState at a glance

What it does

• Scans IP ranges or the Windows network neighbourhood and places found hosts on a map with vector icons.
• Draws the links between devices automatically when managed switches answer SNMP, using their MAC address and port tables.
• Runs agentless checks: ICMP ping, TCP port, HTTP/HTTPS, SNMP values, WMI data, processes and services, CPU load, free disk space, file or folder existence, databases, Windows Event Log entries and SSH.
• Shows host state on the map in real time and raises alarms with sound, on-screen messages, e-mail or SMS through a 3G/4G modem.
• Reacts to failures with actions such as running an SSH script.
• Pro edition: web interface for viewing maps remotely (with an OpenStreetMap geomap in 11.0), charts and reports, SNMP trap and syslog reception, and MS Visio export.
• Monitors switch ports, so you see which device sits behind which port and when that changes.

How sysadmins use it

Map a small office network

1. Start a new map and choose how to discover hosts: an IP range scan (recommended for subnets you know) or the network neighbourhood.
2. Enable SNMP during the scan and enter the read community of your managed switches, so LANState can draw the actual cabling between switches and hosts.
3. Arrange the result into areas (server room, floors, branch) and add devices the scan missed manually, such as printers on another VLAN.
4. Stay within 25 devices across all maps to keep the program in free mode, for example by mapping only infrastructure: switches, servers, firewall, NAS and printers.

Add a service check and an alert

1. Select a host on the map, open its context menu and choose Add Check.
2. In the Monitoring Check Wizard, pick the check type, for example a TCP check on port 443 for a web server or a free-disk-space check on a file server, and set its parameters.
3. On the next step, set the logic: polling interval, retries and dependencies, so a dead switch does not produce alarms for every host behind it.
4. On the last step, choose notification actions, such as e-mail to the helpdesk and a sound alarm on the admin PC.

Prepare Windows hosts for WMI and service checks

1. Use an account with administrator rights on the remote computers; WMI, services and process checks need it.
2. Make sure the RPC service runs on both machines and that Windows Firewall allows WMI and file sharing (ports 139/445) from the monitoring PC. On domain PCs a Group Policy rule is the cleanest way:

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)" new enable=yes

3. For SNMP checks, enable the SNMP agent on the device and allow UDP 161 from the monitoring PC.

Install and first run

• Requirements: a Windows PC or server that stays on; the official list covers Windows XP to 10 and Server 2003 to 2022 (Windows 11 and Server 2025 are not yet listed on the product page).
• No agents: everything runs from the monitoring machine using ping, TCP, SNMP and WMI, so no software goes on the monitored hosts.
• Rights: install with admin rights and run checks with credentials that have admin access on target Windows machines.
• Firewall: outbound ICMP, UDP 161 for SNMP, and the WMI/RPC and SMB ports toward Windows hosts must be allowed. The web interface (Pro) needs its own inbound port opened.
• Editions and licence mode: Standard and Pro come as separate installers. The trial runs with up to 50 hosts on all maps; after it ends, the program keeps working in free mode with up to 25 hosts, showing a reminder to activate a licence.

Limitations

• Free mode is capped at 25 devices across all maps; beyond that you need a paid licence.
• Windows only; the monitoring runs from one PC rather than a distributed server.
• Automatic link drawing needs SNMP-managed switches; unmanaged switches appear without real topology.
• Web interface, reports, Visio export, SNMP traps and syslog are Pro-only.
• The official OS list has not been updated for Windows 11 and Server 2025.

LANState vs alternatives

Advanced IP Scanner and Angry IP Scanner are free for quick discovery of what is on a subnet, but they do not draw maps or monitor continuously. NetCrunch Tools adds free ping, trace and port utilities for troubleshooting. For monitoring that scales past a few dozen hosts with dashboards and alert rules, Prometheus is the open source route, though it has no network map and needs more setup.

FAQ

Is LANState free?

LANState is shareware (conditionally free). Since version 10.5 the full program runs in freeware mode, without a time limit, for up to 25 devices on all maps; more devices need a paid licence.

What is the difference between LANState and LANState Pro?

Pro adds a web interface for remote map viewing, statistics and reports, SNMP trap and syslog functions, advanced SNMP features and Visio export. Standard covers mapping and monitoring from the desktop program.

Does LANState need agents on monitored computers?

No. It uses ping, TCP, SNMP and WMI from the monitoring PC. Windows hosts need WMI and RPC reachable and an account with admin rights for WMI-based checks.

How does LANState draw connections between devices?

It reads the MAC address and port tables of managed switches over SNMP. Without SNMP-enabled switches, hosts are placed on the map but links must be drawn manually.

Is there a LANState portable version?

The official site offers an installer; a portable edition is not listed. Unofficial “portable” builds circulate but are not from the developer.

Does LANState work on Windows 11?

The product page still lists Windows up to 10 and Server up to 2022. Test on your Windows 11 system with the trial before relying on it.

Last checked against official sources: 30 September 2026 (developer website: 10-strike.com). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in production.