1.1 Connecting to the Internet    
  1.1.7 Testing connectivity with ping  
Ping is a utility used to verify Internet connectivity. It is named after the sonar operation used to locate and determine the distance to an underwater object.

The ping command works by sending multiple IP packets to a specified destination. Each packet sent is a request for a reply. The output response for a ping contains the success ratio and round-trip time to the destination. From this information, it is possible to determine if there is connectivity to a destination. The ping command is used to test the NIC transmit/receive function, the TCP/IP configuration, and network connectivity. The following examples describe the types of ping tests that are commonly used in a network:

  • ping 127.0.0.1 - This ping is unique and is called an internal loopback test. It verifies the operation of the TCP/IP stack and NIC transmit/receive function.  
  • ping IP address of host computer - A ping to a host PC verifies the TCP/IP address configuration for the local host and connectivity to the host.
  • ping default-gateway IP address - A ping to the default gateway verifies whether the router that connects the local network to other networks can be reached.
  • ping remote destination IP address - A ping to a remote destination verifies connectivity to a remote host.
 

Lab Activity

Lab Exercise: Using ping and tracert from a Workstation

In this lab, the student will learn to use the TCP/IP Packet Internet Grouper (ping) command and the Trace Route (tracert) command from a workstation.

     
 

Web Links

Using Ping.exe

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