Allow "" to Access Devices on Local Networks

Part 2 of 2 

How to Identify Intel-Only Applications on an Apple Silicon Mac

If you're using an M-series Mac, such as an M4 iMac, it's worth checking whether you have any older applications that were originally designed exclusively for Intel-based Macs.

Fortunately, macOS makes this fairly easy to establish, and you don't need to install any additional software.

The easiest way is through Finder. Open your Applications folder, select an application, and press Command + I to open its Get Info window. Under General, look for the Kind entry. It will tell you whether the application is Intel, Universal, or Apple silicon. Intel applications require Rosetta 2 to run, while Universal applications contain code for both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

You can also check whether a Universal application is actually running through Rosetta. In the same Get Info window, look for the "Open using Rosetta" option. If it's selected, the application is configured to run using Intel translation. Otherwise, it normally runs natively on Apple Silicon.

For a more complete inventory, System Information is the better option. Click the Apple menu (), select About This Mac, then More Info and System Report. Under Software, select Applications. The Kind column identifies each application's architecture. You can sort this column to group all Intel-only applications together.

Apple provides further instructions here: Using Intel-based apps on a Mac with Apple silicon.

One additional step is particularly relevant when investigating the "<unknown>" Local Network notification.Open Activity Monitor (Applications → Utilities → Activity Monitor) immediately after waking your Mac. Look for unfamiliar background processes, especially those associated with older applications, printer or scanner software, VPNs, network utilities, and backup software. Selecting a process and clicking the information button can provide additional details about it. Apple's Activity Monitor User Guide explains how to inspect running processes.

I'd also compare any Intel-only applications you discover with the entries under System Settings >> General >> Login Items & Extensions. Remember that a Universal application can still have a separate Intel-only background helper, plug-in, or extension, so checking the main application alone may not reveal the whole picture.

My recommendation: Start with System Information >> Software >> Applications and make a note of every application identified as Intel. Don't uninstall anything immediately; first check whether the developer offers a newer Universal or Apple Silicon version.

Do you see a corresponding <unknown> at:

System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network or maybe:

System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions

Part 1 of 2

macOS Local Network Alert: Allow "<unknown>" to Find Devices on Local Networks?

I'm getting a recurring macOS notification asking, "Allow '<unknown>' to find devices on local networks?"

I'm using a 2024 iMac with an M4 processor, and what's particularly puzzling is that the notification appears every time the Mac wakes from sleep, but never after a restart. So far, I've always selected Deny, as I have no idea which application is making the request.

One possibility is an older third-party application originally developed for Intel-based Macs. Although Apple Silicon Macs can run Intel applications through Rosetta 2, older applications and their background components may not always behave as expected. Apple explains this compatibility in its Using Intel-based apps on a Mac with Apple silicon support article.

Another possibility is a macOS privacy or application-identification issue. Apple's technical documentation, TN3179: Understanding Local Network Privacy, explains that macOS attempts to identify the application responsible for a network request, including requests made by background helper processes. It also acknowledges that application code signatures and executable identifiers can sometimes cause unexpected behaviour.

The fact that this happens specifically after waking from sleep is another useful clue. When macOS wakes, background applications and network services become active again. Something running in the background may be attempting to discover printers, network storage, or other devices, triggering the permission request.

For now, I think it's best to continue selecting Deny until the application can be identified. I'd start by checking System Settings >> General >> Login Items & Extensions for unfamiliar applications or background processes. Apple's instructions are available Change Login Items & Extensions settings on Mac

I'd also check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network to review which applications have requested network access. Apple explains these controls Control access to your local network on Mac

Finally, Activity Monitor may help identify an unfamiliar process running immediately after waking the Mac. Updating older Intel applications, including their associated extensions and background helpers, may also help resolve the problem.

My suspicion is that a background application or helper is attempting to access the local network when the Mac wakes from sleep, but macOS is failing to identify it properly. Whether this is related to Intel compatibility or a macOS permissions issue remains to be established.