PING
✅ What is PING?
PING (Packet Internet Groper) is a network diagnostic tool used to test the reachability of a host (like a server or website) and measure the round-trip time (RTT) for messages sent from the originating host to a destination.
👉 In simple terms:
Checks if a device is reachable over a network.
Measures how fast the device responds.
💡 Why is PING important?
Check if a website/server is online.
Test Internet connectivity.
Diagnose network delays or failures.
Troubleshoot local and remote network issues.
⚙️ How does PING work?
Sends ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) Echo Request to the target.
Waits for an ICMP Echo Reply.
Measures time taken for the round trip.
Reports packet loss if replies are missing.
📜 Basic Syntax of PING Command:
✅ Examples:
📊 Example Output (Windows / Linux / macOS):
🧠 Key Terms in PING Output:
Reply from
The destination responded to the ping.
Bytes
Size of the ping packet sent.
Time
Round-trip time (ms) for the packet.
TTL
Time to Live - max hops before packet is discarded.
Packets sent/received/lost
Indicates packet loss or connectivity issues.
🛠️ Common PING Options (Switches):
-t
Ping the target continuously until stopped.
-n [count]
Send specific number of ping requests.
-l [size]
Set packet size (in bytes).
-4
Force using IPv4.
-6
Force using IPv6.
📌 Example:
📲 Ping on Linux/Mac (slightly different options):
-c [count]
Number of packets to send.
-s [size]
Packet size in bytes.
-i [interval]
Interval between pings (in seconds).
📌 Example:
🚦 How to Interpret PING Results:
Reply received
Host is reachable; network OK.
High response time (e.g., >200ms)
Network is slow or congested.
Packet loss
Unstable connection or network issue.
Request timed out / no reply
Host unreachable or network issue.
🔑 Real-life Uses of PING:
Check Internet connection:
Verify website is up:
Test local network device (like a router):
Measure latency to a remote server:
🚀 Summary:
Purpose
Check connectivity, measure latency
Protocol Used
ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol)
Command Syntax
ping [target]
Useful For
Troubleshooting, diagnosis
Key Outputs
Time, TTL, packet loss
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