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Nmap Commands

Comprehensive Nmap commands and workflows for network discovery and security auditing across all platforms.

Installation

Linux/Ubuntu

# Package manager installation
sudo apt update && sudo apt install nmap

# Alternative: Download from official source
wget https://releases.nmap.com/latest/nmap-linux.tar.gz
tar -xzf nmap-linux.tar.gz
sudo mv nmap /usr/local/bin/

# Kali Linux
sudo apt install nmap

macOS

# Using Homebrew
brew install nmap

# Using MacPorts
sudo port install nmap

# Manual installation
curl -O https://releases.nmap.com/latest/nmap-macos.pkg
sudo installer -pkg nmap-macos.pkg -target /

Windows

# Using Chocolatey
choco install nmap

# Using Scoop
scoop install nmap

# Using winget
winget install nmap

# Manual download from official website
# Visit https://nmap.com/download

Basic Commands

Command Description
nmap --help Show help information
nmap --version Display version information
nmap -h <target> Basic scan of target
nmap -v <target> Verbose scan of target
nmap -o <file> Save output to file
nmap -i <input> Read input from file
nmap -p <port> Specify port number
nmap -t <timeout> Set timeout value

Advanced Commands

Command Description
nmap -A <target> Aggressive scan mode
nmap -sS <target> Stealth SYN scan
nmap -sU <target> UDP scan
nmap -O <target> OS detection
nmap -sV <target> Version detection
nmap --script <script> Run NSE scripts
nmap -T4 <target> Timing template
nmap -f <target> Fragment packets

Configuration

Command Description
nmap config --list Show current configuration
nmap config --set <key> <value> Set configuration value
nmap config --get <key> Get configuration value
nmap config --unset <key> Remove configuration value
nmap config --global <key> <value> Set global configuration

Common Use Cases

Network Scanning

# Basic port scan
nmap -p 1-1000 192.168.1.1

# Service version detection
nmap -sV -p 22,80,443 target.com

# OS fingerprinting
nmap -O target.com

Vulnerability Assessment

# Script scan for vulnerabilities
nmap --script vuln target.com

# Comprehensive scan
nmap -A -T4 target.com

# Save results to file
nmap -oA scan_results target.com

Troubleshooting

Issue Solution
Command not found Ensure nmap is installed and in PATH
Permission denied Use sudo or check file permissions
Connection timeout Check network connectivity and firewall
Invalid syntax Verify command syntax and parameters
Version conflicts Update to latest version or check compatibility

Tips and Tricks

  • Use nmap --help for command-specific help
  • Check nmap --version to verify installation
  • Use tab completion for faster command entry
  • Create aliases for frequently used commands
  • Keep nmap updated to latest version
  • Nmap - Network discovery and security auditing
  • Metasploit - Penetration testing framework
  • Burp Suite - Web application security testing
  • Wireshark - Network protocol analyzer

Resources

Last updated: 2025-07-05|Edit on GitHub