4.3BSD-Tahoe/usr/man/cat8/ping.0
PING(8) UNIX Programmer's Manual PING(8)
NNAAMMEE
ping - send ICMP ECHO_REQUEST packets to network hosts
SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
//eettcc//ppiinngg [ --rr ] [ --vv ] _h_o_s_t [ _p_a_c_k_e_t_s_i_z_e ] [ _c_o_u_n_t ]
DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
The DARPA Internet is a large and complex aggregation of
network hardware, connected together by gateways. Tracking
a single-point hardware or software failure can often be
difficult. _P_i_n_g utilizes the ICMP protocol's mandatory
ECHO_REQUEST datagram to elicit an ICMP ECHO_RESPONSE from a
host or gateway. ECHO_REQUEST datagrams (``pings'') have an
IP and ICMP header, followed by a ssttrruucctt ttiimmeevvaall, and then
an arbitrary number of ``pad'' bytes used to fill out the
packet. Default datagram length is 64 bytes, but this may
be changed using the command-line option. Other options
are:
--rr Bypass the normal routing tables and send directly to a
host on an attached network. If the host is not on a
directly-attached network, an error is returned. This
option can be used to ping a local host through an
interface that has no route through it (e.g., after the
interface was dropped by _r_o_u_t_e_d(8C)).
--vv Verbose output. ICMP packets other than ECHO RESPONSE
that are received are listed.
When using _p_i_n_g for fault isolation, it should first be run
on the local host, to verify that the local network inter-
face is up and running. Then, hosts and gateways further
and further away should be ``pinged''. _P_i_n_g sends one
datagram per second, and prints one line of output for every
ECHO_RESPONSE returned. No output is produced if there is
no response. If an optional _c_o_u_n_t is given, only that
number of requests is sent. Round-trip times and packet
loss statistics are computed. When all responses have been
received or the program times out (with a _c_o_u_n_t specified),
or if the program is terminated with a SIGINT, a brief sum-
mary is displayed.
This program is intended for use in network testing, meas-
urement and management. It should be used primarily for
manual fault isolation. Because of the load it could impose
on the network, it is unwise to use _p_i_n_g during normal
operations or from automated scripts.
AAUUTTHHOORR
Mike Muuss
Printed 7/9/88 May 23, 1986 1
PING(8) UNIX Programmer's Manual PING(8)
SSEEEE AALLSSOO
netstat(1), ifconfig(8C)
Printed 7/9/88 May 23, 1986 2