What Are the Top CEH Tools for Network Scanning?

Introduction

Network Scanning is the second highest weightage module after web hacking. You will face 20–25 questions in theory and 4–6 flags in practical from host discovery, port scanning, service enumeration, OS fingerprinting, and vulnerability scanning. Students who master these tools finish the scanning section in under 45 minutes. At Ethical Hacking Training Institute we give you 200+ real network devices with daily new targets every day so you practice exactly like the real CEH practical exam.

Top 10 Network Scanning Tools for CEH (2025 Ranking)

Start with Nmap mastery.

Nmap – The Only Tool You Need 90% of the Time

• nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24 → ping sweep
• nmap -p- -sV -sC -O target → full scan
• nmap --script vuln target → vulnerability scan
• nmap -sS -sV -T4 -A -v target → aggressive scan
• nmap -iL targets.txt -oX result.xml → multiple targets
• Our lab has 100+ Nmap challenges daily

Masscan & ZMap – When You Need Speed

Masscan is called “the fastest port scanner” — it can scan the entire internet in minutes. Use it for large networks when Nmap is slow. ZMap is similar but even faster for internet-wide scans. In CEH practical, use Masscan first for discovery, then Nmap for deep analysis. Our cloud lab gives dedicated high-speed instances for Masscan practice.

Scan large networks quickly.

Nessus & OpenVAS – Vulnerability Scanners

• Nessus Professional – most accurate (used in exam)
• OpenVAS – free alternative
• Authenticated vs unauthenticated scans
• Policy creation & report generation
• Export to PDF/CSV
• We provide Nessus Pro in cloud lab

Other Important Scanning Tools for CEH

Angry IP Scanner for simple host discovery, Unicornscan for async scanning, Hping sweep tools like fping, and Zenmap (Nmap GUI). These are less used but appear in theory questions. We cover all of them with live demos and challenges.

Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE) – Your Secret Weapon

• --script vuln → built-in vuln scanner
• --script smb-os-discovery, http-enum
• --script http-title, smb-enum-shares
• Custom scripts from /usr/share/nmap/scripts
• Our lab has 200+ NSE script challenges

Use NSE for router enumeration.

Host Discovery & Service Enumeration Techniques

• Ping sweep vs ARP scan
• TCP SYN vs TCP Connect vs UDP scan
• Version detection (-sV)
• OS fingerprinting (-O)
• Banner grabbing with nc, telnet

Conclusion

Network scanning is all about practice. Join Ethical Hacking Training Institute and get:

• 200+ live network devices
• All tools pre-installed in cloud Kali
• Daily new targets
• Weekend & weekday batches
• 100% placement support

Book free demo — start scanning real networks in 10 minutes!

Avoid common mistakes in scanning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which scanning tool is most important for CEH?

Nmap — appears in every exam and practical.

Is Masscan better than Nmap?

For speed yes — use both together.

Is Nessus compulsory?

Yes — vulnerability scanning section.

Do I need to memorize all Nmap options?

Top 20 commands — we give cheat sheet.

Is OpenVAS enough instead of Nessus?

Yes — 95% same coverage.

How many machines to scan?

Minimum 300+ for confidence.

Is Angry IP Scanner useful?

Yes — for quick host discovery.

Do you provide Nessus Pro?

Yes — in cloud lab.

Is NSE scripting tested?

Yes — 5–8 questions + practical flags.

Weekend batch covers scanning?

Yes — full hands-on every Saturday-Sunday.

Can freshers learn scanning?

Yes — we start from IP basics.

Is scanning legal?

Yes — only on authorized targets in our lab.

Do you teach stealth scanning?

Yes — SYN, Xmas, Null scans.

How many flags from scanning?

4–6 flags in practical.

How to start today?

Book free demo — scan your first network in 10 minutes!