Listen. Identify. Connect.
LLDP and CDP capture turns switch advertisements into readable port details. Launch SSH through macOS Terminal or Windows PuTTY/OpenSSH, or open the management web page. Telnet needs an optional client.
PiNT DESKTOP / DISCOVER & DIAGNOSE
LLDP discovery.
Know your port.
A free, open-source LLDP and CDP discovery tool for Windows and macOS. Identify the switch and port advertised on your Ethernet connection, discover local devices and inspect your link.
INSIDE PiNT DESKTOP
REAL APP · SAMPLE DATAOne workspace.
The answers you need.
Explore the real PiNT Desktop 1.6 Beta 1 interface on macOS, populated with sample data for these screenshots. See grouped navigation, connection cards and sortable results tables.
PiNT Desktop 1.6 Beta 1 · macOS · sample data. LLDP/CDP use Layer 2 multicast advertisements. PiNT shows parsed switch and port details, with a management IP and LLDP port VLAN ID when available.
REAL APP · SAMPLE DATASee who’s nearby.
Browse services through mDNS queries and responses. Desktop 1.6.0 prefers service-target A/AAAA records, with the packet source as a fallback. A proxy or gateway address may still appear when service address records are absent.
Follow the link.
View a local adapter’s OS-reported speed, duplex and drop/error counters since monitoring started or reset. Available details depend on the OS and driver. Save scan timeouts and the monitor interval with Apply Settings. Preferences persist across launches; scan results stay session-only.
FROM CABLE TO CONTEXT
Plug in.
Listen.
Know your port.
PiNT listens for LLDP or CDP advertisements from the switch connected to your Ethernet adapter. It turns the details received into a readable switch and port identity.
Advertisements must be enabled and reach your capture adapter. Available fields depend on the switch. An advertised LLDP PVID is not confirmation of your laptop’s assigned VLAN.
Check capture requirements ↓ PORT ID / PASSIVE CAPTURESAMPLE DATA
SAMPLE ADVERTISEMENTLLDP
SWITCH NAMEACCESS-SW-01
SWITCH PORTGi1/0/24
ADVERTISED PVID10
LLDP PVID is optional; it does not confirm the laptop’s assigned VLAN.
Local examples. No network traffic generated.
From discovery
to documentation.
Keep the practical checks in one app, then take the results with you.
Find local devices.
Browse mDNS services and scan for responding IPv4 devices with ARP. Reverse lookups add hostnames when available. ARP discovery stays within the local Layer 2 broadcast domain.
Check the connection.
Read IP and DHCP details, inspect local link information, run TCP scans and query SNMP v1/v2c. Choose the adapter that matches the network you are working on.
Take the results further.
Save session results to Excel. After a scan, export ARP records as a separate workbook. Import it into PiNT Live to enrich your documentation: matching MAC addresses add IPs and hostnames when available.
NEW IN 1.6.0 / STABLE
A familiar workspace.
More reliable results.
The 1.6 desktop refresh, native Mac packages and saved preferences, with protocol, DHCP, adapter and export fixes from both betas and the complete source review.
Match the right response.
SNMP replies must match the selected host, request ID, version, community and requested OID, with BER structure validation. Incomplete walks report an error while retaining partial results. mDNS queries use the selected adapter, handle records across response sections and compare DNS identities without case sensitivity.
Keep the context current.
Adapter changes refresh automatically detected ARP subnets and stop the old monitor. Stale callbacks no longer create duplicate polling loops after Stop/Start. TCP socket failures are reported instead of appearing as closed ports, and timeout and port inputs are validated.
Keep discovered text literal.
CSV exports protect discovered text from spreadsheet formula interpretation, and table sorting handles Unicode values. The release also retains the DHCP response matching, complete option lists and export reliability fixes from Beta 2.
PiNT DESKTOP / LATEST STABLE
PUBLISHED 25 OCTOBER 2026Ready for your
next connection.
Desktop 1.6.0 stable for Windows x64, macOS Apple Silicon and macOS Intel. Python is included. Choose your platform, then check the packet capture setup below.
Stable release · platform limits remain
The Windows executable is unsigned. Both Mac packages use ad hoc signatures and are not Apple Developer ID signed or notarised, so security warnings or launch restrictions may apply. Physical switch/network acceptance, clean-system capture setup and Apple distribution signing remain outstanding.
Windows x64
Download and run the executable. Python is included. Packet capture requires Npcap, installed with permissions appropriate to your account.
Download Windows x64Apple Silicon
Download the native Apple Silicon ZIP and extract PiNT.app. Move the app into Applications and launch it there. Python is included.
Download Apple SiliconIntel Mac
Download the native Intel ZIP and extract PiNT.app. Move the app into Applications and launch it there. Python is included.
Download Intel MacPacket capture setup: Windows requires Npcap; administrator access is needed to install its driver. Mac capture requires suitable BPF permissions through an administrator-approved setup. PiNT does not install capture drivers or change privileges. Port ID, ARP, mDNS capture and DHCP scope probing need capture access. Ordinary TCP/SNMP queries and local IP configuration do not need raw packet access. Missing capture access produces a setup error. Platform setup guide ↗ · Apple’s guidance for trusted downloaded apps ↗
THE PRACTICAL DETAILS
Before you
plug in.
How do I find which switch port my laptop is connected to?
Connect your laptop to wired Ethernet, open PiNT Desktop and choose the matching network adapter. Use Port ID to listen for Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) or Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) advertisements. PiNT displays the switch and port details it receives. See the downloads and packet capture requirements before your first scan.
Why am I not receiving LLDP or CDP?
Check the selected Ethernet adapter, its link and your packet capture setup. Windows needs Npcap; macOS needs suitable BPF permissions. The connected switch must advertise LLDP or CDP on that port, and those frames must reach your adapter. Allow time for an advertisement. A silent or unmanaged switch will not provide these details.
What do I need to run PiNT Desktop?
For 1.6.0, use Windows 10/11 x64 or a Mac with the matching Apple Silicon or Intel build. Python is included in all three packages. Wired Ethernet and a switch advertising LLDP/CDP are needed for port identification. Windows capture requires Npcap; installing its driver needs administrator access. Mac capture requires suitable BPF permissions through an administrator-approved setup. PiNT does not install drivers or change capture permissions. SSH uses macOS Terminal or Windows PuTTY/OpenSSH; Telnet needs an optional client. Read the setup guide ↗
How do I install PiNT Desktop on Mac?
Choose the Apple Silicon/M-series or Intel ZIP, extract PiNT.app, move it into Applications and launch it there. Python is included. These 1.6.0 apps use ad hoc signatures and are not Apple Developer ID signed or notarised, so security warnings or launch restrictions may apply. Configure BPF permissions for packet capture as described in the setup guide. Physical-network testing remains outstanding. Desktop downloads and setup ↗
Will it identify every switch port?
Port identification needs LLDP or CDP advertisements to reach the capture adapter. Allow time to receive them. Fields depend on what the switch advertises and PiNT can parse. Desktop 1.6.0 reads LLDP port VLAN ID when present; it does not extract a VLAN from CDP. This is not a list of all VLANs allowed on a port.
How has 1.6.0 been checked?
The release reports a suite of 86 offline tests covering synthetic packets, mocked failures, GUI callbacks and export round trips. Local macOS verification passed 85 tests with one Windows-only check skipped, plus a native arm64 build and signature integrity check, all ten GUI panels at two window sizes, and real loopback SNMP v1/v2c and TCP integration. Windows and both Mac architecture CI builds are checked before publication; assets are built from the tagged source commit. Physical network and clean-system capture acceptance remain outstanding. Read the checks and platform limitations ↗
Can I contribute or report a problem?
Absolutely. PiNT Desktop is open source and MIT licensed. Open an issue in the relevant GitHub repository with the tool version, your platform and a reproducible description, or get in touch at reece@pinetworktools.com. Remove credentials and sensitive network details before sharing logs.