Discover Servers on the Network

Last updated 7 August 2026

Use the Brainsalt Hub Desktop App to find every Brainsalt server on your network. The Hub discovers servers automatically — even when a server's current IP is wrong or on a different subnet.

Before you start

  • The Brainsalt Hub Desktop App is installed on your workstation (Windows, macOS or Linux)
  • Your workstation is connected to the same physical network (Ethernet) as the target server

Steps

1. Open the Hub and sign in

Launch the Brainsalt Hub Desktop App on your workstation. Sign in with the username and password configured on your servers. If the servers are fresh out of the box, click Skip to sign in with the factory default credentials.

Your Hub login must match a user account on the servers. This is the same username and password you would use to log in to a server's System Management web interface.

2. Find your server in the list

The Hub automatically discovers every Brainsalt server on the local network. Each server appears as a row showing its hostname, IP address(es), and a status indicator:

  • Green dot — core software running.

  • Dark dot — core software not responding (server is on but software is not running, or it is unreachable).

  • "not on a local subnet" warning — the server was discovered but its current IP is on a different subnet than your workstation. You can still change the IP.

Discovery uses a raw Ethernet mechanism (BSMD protocol) that operates below the IP stack. This is why the Hub finds servers even when their IP address is misconfigured, on the wrong subnet, or completely unreachable by normal means.

3. Next steps

Once you have found your server in the list, the typical next step is to configure its network settings — IP address, hostname, and management controller. Click IP Config on the server row or in the functions panel to open the configuration dialog.

Configure Server Network Settings — configure IP addresses, hostname, adapter names, and BMC network settings.

Common Mistakes

  • Server not appearing in the list — The discovery protocol requires Ethernet. It does not work over Wi-Fi. Make sure your workstation is on the same physical Ethernet network as the server. If you are on a different VLAN with no Layer 2 path, the broadcast cannot reach the server.

  • "No challenge response" error when applying — The server's System Management Service may not be running. Check that the server has fully booted and the service is active. On a fresh server, wait for the boot sequence to complete.

Tips

  • Each server row in the list shows one entry per host, not per adapter. All of a server's adapters appear inside the IP Config dialog.

  • The Hub highlights IP addresses that are not on any of your workstation's local subnets with a warning color. This is a quick way to spot misconfigured servers before opening IP Config.

  • The standalone BSMDeviceDiscovery.exe command-line tool uses the same discovery protocol and can serve as a fallback if the Hub is unavailable.

Configure Server Network Settings — set IP addresses, hostname, and BMC network settings on a discovered server.

Sign In to a Server for the First Time — how to sign in to a server's web interface for the first time.

Use the Brainsalt Hub Desktop App — the full Brainsalt Hub Desktop App guide.