The UNIX ping command allows you to test network servers and latency. Here’s a guide on how to use it in the macOS Terminal app.
The UNIX ping command is a simple network tool that helps you test your network, remote servers, and network latency. It is available in almost all UNIX distributions, including macOS.
Written by Mike Muuss in 1983, ping uses the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) to measure round trip hops, latency, and packet loss detection to a given internet-connected computer using an IP address or domain name.
To use ping on macOS, open the Terminal application in your Startup Disk’s /Applications/Utilities folder, then type ping followed by the IP address or domain name. Press Return to start the command.
You can test different options with ping by typing man ping in Terminal. Some options include audible bell for failures, test count, wait times, type of network service, TTL, source address, packet size, and more.
In addition to the standard ping command, macOS also offers ping6 for IPv6-enabled versions. You can ping your computer’s network interface to check for proper functionality and detect any duplicate or damaged packets.
Overall, ping is a handy tool for conducting network tests on your own network, Mac, and remote machines. Familiarizing yourself with its functionalities will make it a go-to tool for network troubleshooting.