The UNIX ping utility allows you to assess network servers and latency. Here’s a guide on utilizing it within the macOS Terminal application.
Understanding the UNIX Ping Utility
The ping command is a lightweight yet powerful tool designed for diagnosing network conditions, whether it’s for your own connection, that of your ISP or organization, or remote servers. This essential utility also helps measure network latency.
Being one of the oldest commands available in UNIX systems, ping can be found in nearly all distributions, including macOS.
The Origins of Ping
Originally developed in 1983 by Mike Muuss at the US Army Defense Ballistics Laboratory, sadly Muuss passed away at just 42 due to a car accident in Maryland in 2000. In addition to creating ping, he was responsible for various 3D/CAD applications and contributed to another significant networking tool known as ttcp—used for measuring TCP and UDP throughput. Notably, his original technical web page is still accessible on one of the internet’s earliest servers managed by the US Army FTP server.
How Ping Operates
Ping operates using Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), specifically by sending ECHO_REQUEST packets while employing Time To Live (TTL) settings along with detecting latency and packet loss metrics to evaluate round trip times to an online computer specified via IP address or domain name.
It’s important not to confuse Time To Live (TTL) with Transistor-to-transistor Logic – both are abbreviated as ‘TTL’ but refer to entirely different concepts from electronics.
The Concept Behind “Ping”
The term “ping” derives from submarine sonar technology that detects submerged vessels through sound wave emissions followed by measuring echo return time. With this command, users can ascertain if their network functions correctly and identify any hops between their computer and target destinations while providing insights into round-trip travel times and overall online status of devices.
Executing Ping on macOS
To utilize ping on macOS systems, launch the Terminal app located under /Applications/Utilities on your Startup Disk. Type ‘ping’, hit spacebar followed by either an IP address or domain name before pressing Return to initiate testing.
For instance: Entering ping apple.com into Terminal followed by Return will demonstrate connectivity if your internet is operational; tests will persist until interrupted by pressing Command-Z unless you have designated a count using -c option beforehand.
Domain Name versus IP Address
While executing a ping command, you may opt for either an IP address or domain name; utilizing a domain prompts DNS resolution towards its default server—or potentially towards gateways or CDNs directing traffic there as required.
Pinging with IPv6 Support
macOS also includes support for an IPv6 version dubbed ping6.
Pinging Options Available
- The command comes packed with numerous options which can be explored further through:
manuals.ping --help.
- A few notable options include:
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