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Checking if mDNS is enabled on your network

Last updated July 23, 2025

Neat devices require mDNS to be enabled on the network, as per the Network and Firewall requirements. This protocol allows Neat Pad to find devices such as a Neat Bar, Bar Pro, Board, Board 50, Board Pro and Neat Center in the same subnet and pair with it.

We recommend providing this article to your Network IT Admin so that they can enable this service on your network.

Contents

1. What is mDNS

Multicast DNS or mDNS is a networking protocol that allows devices on a local network to resolve hostnames to IP addresses without needing a central DNS server. It’s a zero-configuration service, meaning it doesn’t require manual setup or configuration, making it ideal for small networks like home or office networks. mDNS uses multicast IP addresses to send out queries and responses, allowing devices to discover each other and their services automatically. 

2. How does Neat Devices use mDNS

All Neat devices rely on mDNS (multicast DNS) protocol to discover each other. As soon as it has joined the network, a Neat Bar/Bar 2/Bar Pro/Board/Board 50/Board Pro and Center will register itself as an mDNS service in your network. It will use an mDNS service string of _neat._tcp and _neat-oob._tcp and use the domain .local. A Neat Pad will then look for any devices on the same subnet that are registered with these service strings. Once it finds the device (e.g. Neat Bar or Neat Center), it will subsequently pair with the device.

Neat Bar/Neat Bar 2 and Neat Bar Pros will use the service string _neat._tcp. Neat Center will advertise itself using _neat-oob._tcp when in out-of-box mode and once paired, it will switch to _neat._tcp.

In most subnets, mDNS protocol (which uses multicast packets) will be allowed and therefore the Neat Pad should not have any difficulties in finding the Neat Bar/Neat Bar Pro (provided they are on the same subnet). However, in some subnets, especially when using Wireless Controllers, mDNS may be disabled or only a select few mDNS services may be allowed. In such cases, you will have to ask your network team to enable mDNS for the subnet or add the mDNS service string to the allowed list.

Note: Some network devices like Aruba require you to add only the service string to their allowed list for mDNS (e.g. _neat._tcp). However, Cisco WLCs appear to require both service string + domain (e.g. _neat._tcp.local) to be added to the allowed list. Please consult your network team and/or the manufacturer’s documentation in such cases.

3. Summary of mDNS-related information

  • Devices that require mDNS when pairing:
    • Paring Bar/Bar2/Bar Pro/ Board/Board Pro/Board 50 with a Neat Pad
    • Pairing a Neat Center with the main room device
  • Devices that advertise as an mDNS service: 
    • Bar, Bar 2, Bar Pro, Center, Board, Board Pro and Board 50
  • Service string:
    • Bar, Board, Board 50 and Bar Pro (both OOB and Paired): _neat._tcp
    • Neat Center in out-of-box (OOB) stage: _neat-oob._tcp
    • Neat Center once paired: _neat._tcp
  • How to add Service String:
    • Some network devices like Aruba require you to add the service string only to their allowed list for mDNS (e.g. _neat._tcp). However, Cisco WLCs appear to require both service string + domain (e.g. _neat._tcp.local) to be added to the allowed list. Please consult your network team and/or the manufacturer’s documentation in such cases.
  • Requirements: 
    • Pairing devices (e.g Bar + Pad) must be on the same subnet and mDNS should be allowed in that subnet.
    • In some cases, even when devices are on the same subnet, the devices may join different Access Points (AP) and mDNS may be blocked between such APs. Please consult your network team that mDNS needs to be allowed to work in the same subnet and between Access Points in the same subnet.

4. How to confirm that your Neat devices are online and receiving an IP address

  • Confirm that the Neat Bar/Bar Pro/Board/Board 50 is online and receiving an IP address:
    • During the OOB (out-of-box) process select the Network setting or press and release the reset button on the back of the device.
  • Confirm that the Neat Center is online and receiving an IP address:
    • During the OOB (out-of-box), navigate to a computer on the same subnet and type on the browser: https://<center_serial_number>.local

5. How to find the IP address of your device and check if mDNS is enabled on your network

The easiest way to confirm if your network allows mDNS and if Neat devices are able to advertise over it, is to do a quick mDNS query from your laptop or computer. The exact instructions on how to do this varies between operating systems so we have included the steps for macOS and Windows.
Note: If you already know the IP address of your device and can confirm they are online, but only want to confirm if mDNS is working/enabled in your network, then please jump to step 5.1.2 for Mac OR 5.2.2 for Windows.

5.1 For macOS:

5.1.1 Resolving the IP address of your Neat device if you know the serial number:

Once you have confirmed the laptop is on the same subnet as the Neat device, open Terminal and type (replace with your own Neat device’s serial number):

dns-sd -q NF12220001021
DATE: ---Tue 01 Oct 2024---
10:49:56.613  ...STARTING...
Timestamp     A/R  Flags         IF  Name                          Type   Class  Rdata
10:49:56.636  Add  2              0  NF12220001021.lan.            Addr   IN     192.168.1.228

5.1.2 Checking if mDNS is allowed on your network:

Once you have confirmed the laptop is on the same subnet as the Neat device, open Terminal and type:

dns-sd -B _neat._tcp

(For Neat Center in OOB, type: dns-sd -B _neat-oob._tcp)

This should give you an output similar to the following if you have devices online and advertising over mDNS. If mDNS is not enabled in your network, despite the devices being online, you will not be able to see any output in the result.
In the following example, there is a Bar, Bar Pro and Board that are advertising over mDNS and the network is allowing this: 

Browsing for _neat._tcp
DATE: ---Tue 12 Oct 2021---
13:18:56.149  ...STARTING...
Timestamp A/R Flags if  Domain Service Type Instance Name
13:18:56  Add  2    15  local. _neat._tcp.  barra_NB12033000144
13:18:57  Add  2    15  local. _neat._tcp.  barra_ND12567890124
13:18:57  Add  2    15  local. _neat._tcp.  barra_NC52227000575

If you don’t get a similar response, and your Neat devices are online (e.g. ping to their IP address works), then mDNS is not enabled on this network:

Browsing for _neat._tcp
DATE: ---Thu 12 Oct 2023---
12:43:12.157  ...STARTING...

5.2 For Windows:

5.2.1 Resolving the IP address of your Neat device if you know the serial number:

On Windows, you can use the Resolve-DnsName built-in command to check the IP address of your device. Open powershell and type (replace with your own Neat device’s serial number):

Resolve-DnsName -Name NF12220001021

5.2.2 Checking if mDNS is allowed on your network:

On Windows, although mDNS is enabled by default, the priority is very low. This means that running the DNS query command will not result in looking for mDNS entries for name resolution.

This will require you to download and install a third-party package called Bonjour Print Services for Windows to recognise the dns-sd command.

Once you have installed a third-party package run the following command in your command prompt/powershell:

dns-sd -B _neat._tcp
(or for Neat center in OOB, use: dns-sd -B _neat-oob._tcp)