How do I obtain “model name” for a networked device (potentially using Bonjour)?

Question

Apple\'s Finder.app is able to consistently determine the exact model of each physical computer that uses bonjour (as evidenced by the icons being unique for each individual dev

Answer 1

OSX is broadcasting this information if certain network services are running on this machine. To my knowledge these are _afpovertcp, _rfb and _airport (Airport router only of course). You are looking for a bonjour service called _device-info._tcp. The trouble is, that it is not showing up via a simple

[someNSNetServiceBrowserInstance searchForServicesOfType:@"_services._dns-sd._udp." inDomain:@""];

Instead you need to start monitoring a specific Host which you think could broadcast _device-info._tcp.

NSNetService *aNetService = [[NSNetService alloc]initWithDomain:@"" type:@"_device-info._tcp." name:@"MyFancyIMacWithAFPOn"];
    [aNetService setDelegate:self];
    [aNetService startMonitoring];

Implement the callback

- (void)netService:(NSNetService *)sender didUpdateTXTRecordData:(NSData *)data

Which will give you the deviceModel string.