ACNet for Mac

Requirements

A Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 26 or later. ACNet for Mac is coming to the Mac App Store. The iPhone and iPad app is separate and stays free.

First steps

1. Open Devices, choose an address range and click Scan. Nothing is sent before you click Scan.
2. Open Wi‑Fi. To show the network name and access point, click Allow Location access…. macOS treats these identifiers as location. ACNet does not store them unless you turn on Keep network identity in saved Wi‑Fi results.
3. Saved results appear in Sessions.

Scan, capture and monitor only networks you own or are authorised to administer.

Packet Capture and Network Activity: approve the system extension

Both features use ACNet’s system extension, an observe-only content filter. It lets every packet and connection through and never blocks, changes or sends traffic. Both need ACNet Pro.

1. Make sure ACNet is in your Applications folder.
2. Choose Packet Capture in the sidebar and click Enable capture… (or ACNet › Settings › Permissions › Packet capture › Install…).
3. Read Terms for Packet Capture and Network Activity and click Agree.
4. macOS reports that a system extension was blocked and opens System Settings › General › Login Items & Extensions. Allow ACNet’s extension there. macOS may ask for your password.
5. Return to ACNet. When macOS asks whether ACNet may filter network content, click Allow.
6. Click Run to start a capture. Nothing starts before that.
7. For Network Activity, open ACNet › Settings › Network Activity and set Monitoring to While ACNet is open or Always, also when ACNet is closed. Monitoring is off by default.

Turn off or remove the extension

• Stop a capture with Stop. Set Monitoring to Off in Settings › Network Activity.
• To take ACNet out of the network path, turn its filter off in System Settings › Network › Filters.
• ACNet › Settings › Permissions › Remove extension… removes the filter configuration and the extension. Do this before you delete ACNet.
• Saved captures and activity stay until you delete them in Sessions or Settings › History. Factory Reset ACNet… deletes everything ACNet stored on this Mac.

ACNet Pro: subscribe, restore, cancel

• Choose ACNet › ACNet Pro…, or See Plans… on a locked screen. Pick Monthly (US$1.99) or Annual (US$9.99, billed once a year) and confirm in Apple’s purchase sheet. Prices in your country or region are shown by the App Store.
• Eligible customers get a two-week free trial, once per subscription group. The screens unlock as soon as the App Store confirms.
• Restore Purchases in the ACNet Pro window brings back an active subscription, for example on another Mac. Use the same Apple Account as for the purchase.
• Manage Subscription opens the App Store, where you can cancel or switch plans. You can also open the App Store app › your name › Account Settings › Subscriptions. Cancel at least 24 hours before the period ends to avoid the next renewal.
• If Pro does not unlock, check that the App Store is signed in with the right Apple Account, click Restore Purchases and keep ACNet open with an internet connection for a moment.
• When a subscription ends, monitoring turns off and a running capture or Wi‑Fi test stops. Your saved results stay in Sessions and remain readable.

Refunds are handled by Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.

Report a problem on a Mac

Write to report@acnet.ch and include:

• Your Mac model and macOS version (Apple menu › About This Mac).
• The ACNet version (ACNet › About ACNet) and the screen involved.
• The steps that led to the problem and what you expected.
• For capture or monitoring problems: whether ACNet appears in System Settings › Network › Filters, and what Settings › Permissions shows.
• A screenshot with private names, addresses and credentials removed.

Do not send pcapng files or other captures unless we ask for them. They can contain other people’s personal data. Never send passwords or private keys.