Definition: Ping is the name of a standard software utility (tool) used to test network connections. It can be used to determine if a remote device (such as Web or game server) can be reached across the network and, if so, the connection's latency. Ping tools are part of Windows, Mac OS X and Linux as well as some routers and game consoles.
Most ping tools use Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). They send request messages to a target network address at periodic intervals and measure the time it takes for a response message to arrive. These tools typically support options like
- how many times to send requests
- how large of a request message to send
- how long to wait for each reply
The output of ping varies depending on the tool. Standard results includes
- IP address of the responding computer
- length of time (in milliseconds) between sending the request and receiving the response
- an indication of how many network hops between the requesting and responding computers
- error messages if the target computer did not respond
Also Known As: Packet Internet Gopher
