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An IP tracker, in the sense network teams use the term, is an IP address management (IPAM) tool. It discovers the addresses in your managed subnets, shows which are assigned, free or changing, and keeps a record of the devices behind them. The three products most often shortlisted for this job are SolarWinds IP Address Manager, ManageEngine OpUtils and Infoblox IPAM for Microsoft. Each covers the core tracking job, but they differ in how they discover addresses, how far they reach into DHCP and DNS, and which infrastructure they fit best. There is no single winner for every network, so the right choice depends on your environment and the questions you need answered.
What “IP tracker” means in this comparison
The tools covered here manage addresses on your own network. They are not consumer lookup services that estimate where a public IP address is located. If you need to know which of your laptops, servers or printers holds a given address, or which subnet still has free space, an IPAM product is the right category. If you need the physical location of an internet address you do not control, you need a different kind of service.
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What a network IP tracker has to do
Whatever product you choose, it should answer the two questions that bring most teams to IPAM software: how to track and manage IP addresses across the network, and how to find addresses that are available for new devices. In practice that breaks down into a short list of capabilities:
- Discovery: finding live hosts and their addresses across the subnets you define, rather than relying on a spreadsheet someone last updated a year ago.
- Status tracking: marking each address as assigned, available or reserved, and noticing when it changes.
- Device context: recording the MAC address, hostname and related details for each address, along with when those values changed.
- Conflict detection: alerting when two devices claim the same address, a common cause of intermittent outages.
- IPv4 and IPv6 coverage: managing both address families in one view, if your network runs both.
- DHCP and DNS integration: whether the tool only observes these services or also administers them.
How the three tools compare
The table below uses the capabilities each vendor describes on its own product page. These are vendor-stated features, not results from independent testing, and the pages do not establish a ranking of performance or accuracy.
#1 Best Overall
- Multi-Function Device: Serves as both a USB server and print server, enabling multiple computers on the same network to share USB devices, such as printers, scanners, or storage devices, eliminates direct computer-to-device cabling
- Compatible with Printers: Converts USB printers into wireless printers. Added printers via using an IP address or hostname, supports RAW and IPP printing protocols. Compatible with printers from HP, Canon, Epson, and others. Can also connect printers using virtual USB connect software. Note: Mobile printing and AirPrint are not supported.
- Compatible with USB Devices: Integrates software and hardware to wirelessly connect USB devices like printers, scanners, and dongles; our virtual USB software simulates a direct USB connection, just like physically plugging the device into the computer.
- Network Connection Options: Flexible deployment via 2.4GHz Wi-Fi or Ethernet port; maintains stable connectivity for devices located anywhere within Local network coverage areas, whether at home or in a small office.
- Multi-system compatibility: Works with Windows, Linux, and macOS through lightweight client software; Please refer to user guide before use, and our dedicated tech support team is available to assist you with any setup or usage queries.
| Comparison point | SolarWinds IP Address Manager | ManageEngine OpUtils | Infoblox IPAM for Microsoft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery methods named | ICMP, SNMP and neighborhood scanning | Periodic subnet scans using ICMP, SNMP, DNS and WMI | Device discovery (methods not itemized on the reviewed page) |
| History of address changes | Records changes in MAC address, hostname and address status | Not stated on the reviewed page | Not stated on the reviewed page |
| Conflict alerting | Described as a feature | Not stated on the reviewed page | Not stated on the reviewed page |
| IPv4 and IPv6 | Centralized management of both | Not stated on the reviewed page | Not stated on the reviewed page |
| DHCP and DNS | Combined IP address, DHCP and DNS interface; supports multiple DHCP and DNS platforms | Microsoft DHCP support; IP request workflow | Central management of Microsoft DNS and DHCP and Infoblox addresses; automated workflows |
| Deployment approach | Described as covering hybrid environments | Not stated on the reviewed page | Described as agentless and not requiring changes to Microsoft Active Directory |
| Best-fit environment (as described) | Multi-platform DHCP and DNS estates | Teams that want scanning plus an address request workflow on Microsoft DHCP | Organizations already built on Microsoft DNS and DHCP |
SolarWinds IP Address Manager
SolarWinds positions its product as a single place to manage IPv4 and IPv6 addresses along with DHCP and DNS. Its tracker page describes scanning with ICMP, SNMP and neighborhood scanning, and recording changes to MAC addresses, hostnames and address status. That history is useful when you need to answer “which device had this address last Tuesday?” It also lists conflict alerts and visibility across hybrid environments. Its FAQ asks the two questions quoted above, which makes it a reasonable starting point if your main problem is address sprawl across several DHCP and DNS platforms.
ManageEngine OpUtils
ManageEngine describes OpUtils as a tool that periodically scans subnets using ICMP, SNMP, DNS and WMI. Those four protocols give it several ways to identify hosts, including Windows machines through WMI. The product page also describes an IP request workflow, which lets staff ask for an address through a defined process rather than messaging the network team, and it lists Microsoft DHCP support. It is a sensible shortlist candidate if you want discovery breadth and a request process, especially on a Windows-heavy network. The reviewed page does not spell out history or conflict-alerting features in the same detail as SolarWinds, so confirm those with the vendor if they matter to you.
Rank #2
- 【Wi-Fi Network Connection】NetumScan wifi barcode scanner can connect to Wi-Fi TCP, UDP and other network protocols, support Internet MQTT/HTTP protocol, and enable cloud server data transmission.
- 【Bluetooth Data Transfer】Bluetooth barcode scanner can be directly applied to Android, iOS, Windows, Mac OS system devices, support HID, BLE and SPP (secondary development) modes data transmission.
- 【Powerful Barcode Recognition】Wireless 2d barcode scanner supports mainstream 1D and 2D barcode scanning, such as QR code, Data Matrix, PDF 417, FedEx, USPS, VIN, etc. It can scan barcodes from different media, not only printed barcodes, but also screen barcodes.
- 【Convenient and Rechargeable】NetumScan barcode scanner comes with a charging cradle, providing power at any time, ensuring full-day work. When it is out of range reading in Auto Mode, the scanned data will be automatically saved to the scanner memory buffer and transmitted to the host when back to the wireless coverage.
- 【Small and Sturdy】NetumScan barcode reader is suitable for all-day use, with a battery life of up to 40 hours per charge. It has a rugged design, dust-proof and moisture-proof. Moreover, the built-in long-life trigger guarantees a continuous productivity of 10 million times, for the best reliability. This scanner can be used in the most practical way according to different scanning tasks, in various solutions such as retail, warehousing, manufacturing, logistics, etc.
Infoblox IPAM for Microsoft
Infoblox’s offering targets organizations that already run Microsoft DNS and DHCP. Its page describes central management of those services together with Infoblox-managed addresses, device discovery and automated workflows. It also describes an agentless implementation that does not require changes to Microsoft Active Directory, which can matter in environments where directory changes need a lengthy approval process. If your team’s daily work is in Microsoft’s DNS and DHCP consoles, this is the option to weigh for integration. If your estate spans several non-Microsoft platforms, the SolarWinds page is the more explicit about multi-platform support.
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The protocol a tool uses decides which devices it can find and how reliably it identifies them. Understanding the basics helps you judge a trial result.
- ICMP (ping) shows whether a host answers on an address. It finds live devices but says little about what they are. Hosts that block ping can be missed.
- SNMP queries managed devices such as routers, switches and printers for interface and address data. It works well where SNMP is enabled and credentials are available.
- Neighborhood scanning reads the local neighbor (ARP) information to pair addresses with MAC addresses, which helps when a device is online but does not answer ping.
- DNS lookups map addresses to names, which makes records readable to people.
- WMI queries Windows hosts directly, so it fills in detail that other methods cannot see on Windows machines.
A tool that combines several of these will usually produce a more complete inventory than one that relies on a single method, but it also needs the access and credentials to use them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Pricing and trial terms
SolarWinds’ tracker page lists “Starts at $590,” and its IPAM page advertises a fully functional 30-day trial. Neither page states the currency, the billing interval (one-time, annual or otherwise), or the year the price applies to, so treat $590 as a starting marker rather than a total cost. The ManageEngine and Infoblox pages reviewed for this article did not present a comparable starting price, so cost cannot be compared across the three from these sources alone. Ask each vendor for a written quote that covers your number of subnets, managed devices and support term, and confirm whether a trial can be run against your own network.
How to evaluate a shortlist
- List the subnets you need to manage, including any IPv6 ranges, and note which DHCP and DNS platforms serve them.
- Identify the discovery methods your network allows. If SNMP is restricted or WMI access is not permitted, rule out tools that depend on it.
- Decide whether you need only tracking, or also DHCP and DNS administration, and whether a request workflow for staff is required.
- Run a trial against one representative subnet. Compare the inventory the tool produces with the address list you already trust, and count the devices it missed and the ones it reports incorrectly.
- Check conflict alerts by deliberately testing a duplicate address on a lab segment, if your change policy allows it.
- Request a written quote and confirm the currency, billing term and what support is included.
Choosing among the three
- Choose SolarWinds IP Address Manager if your main need is history of address changes and a single console across several DHCP and DNS platforms, including hybrid environments.
- Choose ManageEngine OpUtils if you want broad scan protocols, including WMI, and an IP request workflow on a Microsoft DHCP network.
- Choose Infoblox IPAM for Microsoft if your DNS and DHCP are already Microsoft-based and you want centralized administration without changing Active Directory.
Each vendor’s page describes its product in its own terms, and the trial is the only reliable way to see how a tool behaves on your network. Use the table above to narrow the list, then let the trial decide.
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