diff --git a/backend/internal/arp/arpscan.go b/backend/internal/arp/arpscan.go
index 7a41c8e..4fa1b4f 100644
--- a/backend/internal/arp/arpscan.go
+++ b/backend/internal/arp/arpscan.go
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@ package arp
 
 import (
 	"log/slog"
+	"net"
+	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+	"sort"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -72,17 +76,13 @@ func Scan(ifaces, args string, strs []string) []models.Host {
 	var foundHosts = []models.Host{}
 	arpArgs = args
 
-	if ifaces != "" {
+	p = resolveScanInterfaces(ifaces)
+	for _, iface := range p {
+		slog.Debug("Scanning interface " + iface)
+		text = scanIface(iface)
+		slog.Debug("Found IPs: \n" + text)
 
-		p = strings.Split(ifaces, " ")
-
-		for _, iface := range p {
-			slog.Debug("Scanning interface " + iface)
-			text = scanIface(iface)
-			slog.Debug("Found IPs: \n" + text)
-
-			foundHosts = append(foundHosts, parseOutput(text, iface)...)
-		}
+		foundHosts = append(foundHosts, parseOutput(text, iface)...)
 	}
 
 	for _, s := range strs {
@@ -96,3 +96,192 @@ func Scan(ifaces, args string, strs []string) []models.Host {
 
 	return foundHosts
 }
+
+func resolveScanInterfaces(ifaces string) []string {
+	configured := strings.Fields(ifaces)
+	available := usableInterfaceMap()
+	auto := autoScanInterfaces(available)
+	selected, invalid, usedAuto := selectScanInterfaces(configured, available, auto)
+
+	if len(invalid) > 0 {
+		slog.Warn("Ignoring unavailable scan interfaces", "ifaces", strings.Join(invalid, " "))
+	}
+	if usedAuto && len(selected) > 0 {
+		slog.Warn("Using auto-detected scan interfaces", "ifaces", strings.Join(selected, " "))
+	}
+
+	return selected
+}
+
+func selectScanInterfaces(configured []string, available map[string]bool, auto []string) ([]string, []string, bool) {
+	if len(configured) == 0 {
+		return uniqueStrings(auto), nil, len(auto) > 0
+	}
+
+	var selected []string
+	var invalid []string
+	for _, iface := range configured {
+		if available[iface] {
+			selected = appendUniqueString(selected, iface)
+			continue
+		}
+		invalid = appendUniqueString(invalid, iface)
+	}
+
+	if len(selected) > 0 {
+		return selected, invalid, false
+	}
+
+	return uniqueStrings(auto), invalid, len(auto) > 0
+}
+
+func usableInterfaceMap() map[string]bool {
+	interfaces, err := net.Interfaces()
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Warn("Cannot list network interfaces", "err", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	available := make(map[string]bool)
+	for _, iface := range interfaces {
+		if isUsableInterface(iface) {
+			available[iface.Name] = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return available
+}
+
+func isUsableInterface(iface net.Interface) bool {
+	if iface.Flags&net.FlagUp == 0 || iface.Flags&net.FlagLoopback != 0 {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	addrs, err := iface.Addrs()
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Debug("Cannot list interface addresses", "iface", iface.Name, "err", err)
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, addr := range addrs {
+		if hasUsableIPv4(addr) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
+func hasUsableIPv4(addr net.Addr) bool {
+	ipNet, ok := addr.(*net.IPNet)
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	ip := ipNet.IP.To4()
+	return ip != nil && !ip.IsLoopback() && !ip.IsLinkLocalUnicast()
+}
+
+func autoScanInterfaces(available map[string]bool) []string {
+	if len(available) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	ifaces := defaultRouteInterfaces(available)
+	if len(ifaces) > 0 {
+		return ifaces
+	}
+
+	for iface := range available {
+		if isVirtualInterface(iface) {
+			continue
+		}
+		ifaces = append(ifaces, iface)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(ifaces)
+	return ifaces
+}
+
+func defaultRouteInterfaces(available map[string]bool) []string {
+	data, err := os.ReadFile("/proc/net/route")
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Debug("Cannot read default routes", "err", err)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	var ifaces []string
+	minMetric := -1
+	for _, line := range strings.Split(string(data), "\n")[1:] {
+		fields := strings.Fields(line)
+		if len(fields) < 7 || fields[1] != "00000000" {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		iface := fields[0]
+		if !available[iface] || isVirtualInterface(iface) {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		metric, err := strconv.Atoi(fields[6])
+		if err != nil {
+			metric = 0
+		}
+
+		switch {
+		case minMetric == -1 || metric < minMetric:
+			minMetric = metric
+			ifaces = []string{iface}
+		case metric == minMetric:
+			ifaces = appendUniqueString(ifaces, iface)
+		}
+	}
+
+	sort.Strings(ifaces)
+	return ifaces
+}
+
+func isVirtualInterface(iface string) bool {
+	prefixes := []string{
+		"br-",
+		"docker",
+		"lxc",
+		"tailscale",
+		"tap",
+		"tun",
+		"vboxnet",
+		"veth",
+		"virbr",
+		"vmnet",
+		"wg",
+	}
+
+	for _, prefix := range prefixes {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(iface, prefix) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
+func uniqueStrings(values []string) []string {
+	var out []string
+	for _, value := range values {
+		out = appendUniqueString(out, value)
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+func appendUniqueString(values []string, value string) []string {
+	if value == "" {
+		return values
+	}
+
+	for _, item := range values {
+		if item == value {
+			return values
+		}
+	}
+
+	return append(values, value)
+}
diff --git a/backend/internal/arp/arpscan_test.go b/backend/internal/arp/arpscan_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f4df4ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/arp/arpscan_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package arp
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestSelectScanInterfacesKeepsValidConfiguredInterfaces(t *testing.T) {
+	available := map[string]bool{
+		"enp6s0": true,
+		"wlo1":   true,
+	}
+
+	selected, invalid, usedAuto := selectScanInterfaces(
+		[]string{"enp6s0", "missing0"},
+		available,
+		[]string{"wlo1"},
+	)
+
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(selected, []string{"enp6s0"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("selected = %#v, want enp6s0", selected)
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(invalid, []string{"missing0"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("invalid = %#v, want missing0", invalid)
+	}
+	if usedAuto {
+		t.Fatal("usedAuto = true, want false")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSelectScanInterfacesFallsBackWhenAllConfiguredInterfacesAreInvalid(t *testing.T) {
+	available := map[string]bool{
+		"enp6s0": true,
+	}
+
+	selected, invalid, usedAuto := selectScanInterfaces(
+		[]string{"enP8p1s0"},
+		available,
+		[]string{"enp6s0"},
+	)
+
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(selected, []string{"enp6s0"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("selected = %#v, want enp6s0", selected)
+	}
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(invalid, []string{"enP8p1s0"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("invalid = %#v, want enP8p1s0", invalid)
+	}
+	if !usedAuto {
+		t.Fatal("usedAuto = false, want true")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSelectScanInterfacesUsesAutoWhenConfigIsBlank(t *testing.T) {
+	selected, invalid, usedAuto := selectScanInterfaces(
+		nil,
+		map[string]bool{"enp6s0": true},
+		[]string{"enp6s0"},
+	)
+
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(selected, []string{"enp6s0"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("selected = %#v, want enp6s0", selected)
+	}
+	if len(invalid) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("invalid = %#v, want empty", invalid)
+	}
+	if !usedAuto {
+		t.Fatal("usedAuto = false, want true")
+	}
+}