`nmap` command

Scan hosts for open ports and services.

Networking
Package nmap
6 options · 5 examples

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On this page

Syntax
Common options
Examples
Tips
Guides
Related commands

Syntax

nmap [options] target

Provided by the nmap package. Run man nmap for the full manual.

Common options

Option	What it does
`-p PORTS`	Ports to scan, e.g. 22,80 or 1-1000
`-sV`	Detect service versions
`-sn`	Ping scan only (find hosts)
`-F`	Fast: top 100 ports
`-A`	OS, versions, scripts and traceroute
`-Pn`	Skip host discovery

Examples

Scan the common ports of a host
```
nmap 192.0.2.10
```
Scan specific ports
```
nmap -p 22,80,443 example.com
```
Scan all ports
```
nmap -p- 192.0.2.10
```
Detect service versions
```
nmap -sV 192.0.2.10
```
Find live hosts on a subnet
```
nmap -sn 192.0.2.0/24
```

Tips

Only scan hosts you own or have permission to test.

nmap guides

How to Scan Open Ports with Nmap Linux Commands · Updated Apr 2025

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