a *fast* check for whether another machine is on the local network?

[Mark Wieder]

Dr. Hawkins <dochawk at ...> writes:

> 
> On Thu, Jun 13, 2013 at 2:13 PM,  <dunbarx at ...> wrote:
> > Would the "openSockets" function do what you need? Not as direct as what
> >OS9 could do, but those days are over. And I am sure there must be an
> >appleScript gadget that could query the network.
> 
> But that only handles connections already open, doesn't it?
> 
> What I'm really looking at is a laptop that spends some of its time in
> the office, but also goes to court, where an attorney may want to make
> time entries.
> 
> At that point, I'd like the laptop to simply figure out where it is
> without waiting for a timeout.

I think the ping-once method is going to give you the best results.
If you *know* that the laptop has an open socket then you migh try

open socket to ipaddress:socket with message "ItsAlive"

Barring that, I think the NSA can tell you exactly where a laptop is.

-- 
 Mark Wieder
 mwieder at ahsoftware.net