FAQ

Where can I get help?

The PortDroid Community Forum is a great resource where you can find answers to your queries, learn from other users’ experiences, or discover solutions to common issues.

We also have a set of guides for each of the tools in PortDroid.

If your question cannot be addressed in the forum or guides, you’re always welcome to email us directly via the in-app link. We’re here to help and ensure your experience with PortDroid is as smooth and efficient as possible!

Why cant I see MAC addresses anymore?

As of recent updates to the Android operating system, the ability for apps to access the MAC addresses of devices found on local network scans has been restricted. This change is a part of Google’s broader initiative to improve user privacy and data security, where one of the primary areas of focus has been limiting access to potentially sensitive hardware identifiers such as MAC addresses.

This is great news for our own personal privacy, but bad news for applications like PortDroid. As this means that while we can still perform network scans and provide insights on open ports, host names, and other network characteristics, it is no longer able to display the MAC addresses of detected devices. This change is beyond the control of individual app developers and is a result of alterations in the Android system’s fundamental accessibility permissions. As always, we are committed to adapting PortDroid to provide the best possible functionality within the evolving Android privacy framework.

How do I close an open port?

Identifying and closing open ports on your network and devices can be crucial for maintaining good security. Open ports are like doors to your network, providing potential access points for hackers or malware to enter. In this article, we’ll discuss the steps you can take to identify and close any open ports on your network:

1. Identify: You can use a port scanning tool like PortDroid to scan your network for open ports. These tools can identify any open ports on devices on your network and can provide additional information about the service or application running on the port.
2. Assess: Once you know what ports are open on a device you need to determine what each of them is for and what service is responsible for it. Some applications or services require open ports for functionality, while others may be left open by mistake or because they were not properly closed after use. It’s essential to understand which ports are necessary and which are not.
3. Close: If you identify any unnecessary open ports on your network, the next step is to close them. Depending on the operating system you are using, the steps to close a port may vary. This is can often be as simple as disable any services or applications that are exposing the port. However, you can also close a port by blocking traffic to it using a firewall.
4. Retest: After closing these unnecessary ports, it’s a good idea to retest to ensure they are closed.

In conclusion, identifying and closing open ports on your network is an essential step in securing your system. By scanning your network for vulnerabilities, determining which ports are necessary, and closing any unnecessary ports, you can greatly reduce the risk of unauthorized access to your network. Regularly performing these steps can help ensure that your network remains secure and protected.

Do you have any guides or tutorials?

Yes! We currently have the following set of guides for the tools in PortDroid:

Feature Guides

• Device Information
• Local Network Scanner
• Port Scanner
• Multi-IP Port Scanner
• WiFi Scanner
• Ping
• Traceroute
• Wake-On-Lan
• DNS Lookup
• Reverse IP Lookup
• Whois Lookup
• IP Calculator
• Certificate Viewer

Still need help?

The PortDroid Community Forum is a great resource where you can find answers to your queries, learn from other users’ experiences, or discover solutions to common issues.

What libraries are used in PortDroid

An up to date list of the libraries used in PortDroid can be found here.

Why cant I browse /proc/net anymore?

Due to the privacy changes in Android 10, applications can no longer browse /proc/net directly any more. You can read more about this and other privacy changes here.

Why can't I see my IMEI anymore?

Due to the privacy changes in Android 10, applications can no longer get IMEI numbers. You can read more about this and other privacy changes here.

What personal data does PortDroid use?

PortDroid does not save any user data on our servers or share any data with third-parties.

The one exception is the analytics library inside the application that is used to share crash reports via Google’s Firebase Crashlytics so that we can improve the stability of the application. This crash data does not include any user identifiable information.

You can choose to disable this crash reporting for additional privacy in the advanced settings (Settings > Advanced Settings > Crash Reporting)

What permissions are needed and why?

Please see the permissions page for a detailed list of which are needed and why.

Suspect you've been hacked? Here's What to Do

Law enforcement and/or legal advice is almost certainly the best next step, and depending on your location there are likely free services you can get help from. However, if you have an app related question please send an email via the Bug/Feature Request in the app.