Connection Doctor
Run health checks on selected devices to verify connectivity, find open ports, and generate PDF reports.Video Walkthrough
Run Connection Doctor tests, interpret pass/warn/fail results, and export a report for handoff.
What It Does
Connection Doctor runs 7 diagnostic checks on each selected device from your laptop's perspective. It tests whether your laptop can reach the device, what ports are open, and how the device sits on the network. All tests are run from the machine running NetMap Pro — nothing is installed on the target devices. Results are color-coded (pass, warning, fail) and saved with timestamps for future reference.
How to Use It
- Select devices — In the Devices tab, click the checkboxes next to the devices you want to test. You can select as many as you want.
- Click "Connection Doctor" — The button appears in the filter bar above the device table, or in the toolbar at the bottom when devices are selected.
- Watch the progress — The Doctor tab opens and shows an overview card with per-device progress bars. Each device shows which check is currently running.
- Review results — When complete, each device shows a detailed result card with all 7 checks color-coded: green (pass), amber (warning), or red (fail).
The 7 Diagnostic Checks
| Check | What It Tests |
|---|---|
| Ping | Can your laptop reach the device at its IP address? Measures round-trip response time in milliseconds. |
| DNS Resolution | Can the device's IP be resolved to a hostname (reverse DNS)? Useful for verifying the device is registered in DNS. |
| Gateway Reachability | Verifies that the default gateway (router) is reachable from your laptop. If the gateway is down, all devices on the subnet will fail connectivity tests. |
| Subnet Match | Checks whether the device's IP is on the same subnet as your laptop. A mismatch means traffic has to route through a gateway, which can cause control issues for some AV protocols. |
| Port Discovery | Scans 30+ common ports (HTTP, HTTPS, SSH, RTSP, AirPlay, Sonos, Crestron, etc.) on the device and reports which are open and listening. |
| Manufacturer Ports | Checks ports specific to the device's manufacturer (e.g., Crestron CIP on port 41794, eISCP on port 60128 for Onkyo/Integra). If the manufacturer isn't recognized, this check is skipped — the general Port Discovery still runs. |
| Hop Count | Traces the network path from your laptop to the device. On the same subnet this should be 1 hop. More hops mean the traffic is being routed through additional switches/routers, which can add latency. |
Understanding Results
Each check returns one of three statuses:
- Pass (green) — The check succeeded. The device is healthy for this metric.
- Warning (amber) — The check partially succeeded or returned unexpected results. Worth investigating but not necessarily a problem.
- Fail (red) — The check failed. This indicates a connectivity issue that needs attention.
The overall device status is determined by the worst individual check result. A device with one failed check shows as "fail" overall.
Port Discovery
The port discovery scan checks 30+ ports commonly used in AV installations and smart home networks. This is especially useful for devices that aren't being controlled properly — you can see exactly which ports are open and listening.
Ports Scanned
| Port | Service |
|---|---|
| 22 | SSH |
| 23 | Telnet |
| 80, 443 | HTTP / HTTPS |
| 554 | RTSP (cameras) |
| 1883 | MQTT (IoT) |
| 3389 | RDP |
| 5353 | mDNS |
| 7000, 7100 | AirPlay |
| 8008, 8009, 8443 | Chromecast / HTTPS alt |
| 8080, 8888 | HTTP alt |
| 1319 | AMX ICSP |
| 4998, 41794, 41795, 41796, 41797 | Crestron CIP / CTP / SIMPL |
| 9090, 9100 | Control / Print |
| 1443, 1400 | Sonos |
| 8060 | Roku |
| 55443 | Samsung SmartThings |
| 3000, 3001 | LG TV |
| 20060 | Sony Bravia |
| 60128 | Onkyo/Integra eISCP |
Test History
Every test run is saved automatically with a timestamp. You can view past results in the History section at the bottom of the Doctor tab.
- View a past run — Click the View button next to any history entry to see the full results again.
- Delete runs — Check the boxes next to runs you want to remove, then click Delete Selected.
- History persists — Results are saved in the project file. Close the app and reopen — your test history is still there.
History limit: NetMap Pro keeps the 50 most recent test runs per project. Older runs are automatically removed.
PDF Export
Export selected test runs as a clean, print-ready report for client handoff:
- Select runs — In the History section, check the boxes next to the test runs you want to include in the report.
- Click "Export PDF" — A new browser tab opens with a formatted report showing all selected test results.
- Print to PDF — Use your browser's print function (Ctrl+P) and select "Save as PDF" as the destination. The report is styled for clean printing.
Tip: Run Connection Doctor before and after making network changes to document the improvement. Export both runs together for a before/after comparison report.
Common Failures & What to Do
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Ping fails, but device is on the network | Device has ICMP disabled (common on Crestron, enterprise switches) | Check Port Discovery results — if ports are open, the device is reachable. Ping is not required for control. |
| Port Discovery finds no open ports | Device is behind a firewall, powered off, or using non-standard ports | Verify the device is online. Check its documentation for which ports it uses. |
| "No specific ports to check" for manufacturer | Device manufacturer isn't in the built-in port database | The general Port Discovery (30+ ports) still runs. Check those results for open ports. |
| Hop count is 2+ on a flat network | Traffic is routing through an extra switch, AP, or bridge | Check your network topology. For AV control, devices should ideally be 1 hop away. |
| Everything fails for one device | Wrong IP, device powered off, or on a different VLAN | Verify the IP is correct. Try pinging manually. Check VLAN assignments. |
For more troubleshooting, see the Troubleshooting & FAQ page.
Next Steps
After running Connection Doctor:
- Export the results - select test runs in History and click Export PDF, then add that PDF to your closeout handoff package as needed. See Exporting & Reports.
- Push to router — if everything checks out, push your IP plan to the router. See Router Integration.