Has anyone discovered a smartphone or tablet connected to a PC via Discovery?

[markulmer]

We operate under a pretty strict mandate of having to identify all network attached devices, etc as company assets.

I'm concerned that if a user connects their personal smartphone or tablet to their PC via USB for charging and Discovery identifies it that we will have to classify their personal device as a company asset (ex. attached storage).

1. Is it even possible to discover smartphones or tablets attached to a PC via USB?

2. Has anyone ever actually discovered a device in this manner and if so how do you handle it from a policy standpoint?

[Allen Andreas]

Very interesting question and I'd love to know the answer to this as well.

Based off of the probes that Discovery sends out....I wouldn't think it would capture that device, but you never know (thinking if it was perhaps a Windows phone -- but who uses those anymore, haha)....but curious none the less.

Thanks for asking!

[curtisrowell]

I haven't done this myself; however, you might try creating a WMI probe which queries the USB Device Registry.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/usbcon/usb-device-specific-registry-settings

[dcwilson · Accepted solution]

Discovery will only attempt to discover devices that have an IP address assigned included in your Discovery Range.  I have never gotten a printer that is attached via USB to be discovered.  The device the smartphone/tablet is attached to will have to have the ability to issue an IP address to the smartphone/tablet.    I believe you will more likely run into this issue when discovering Wireless Access Points because the smartphone/tablet receives an IP from the WAP.

[markulmer]

Thanks for the responses!