Ping command options
Ping command options for Windows
Ping is a command tool available in Cisco/Windows/Unix/Linux Operating Systems to check the network connectivity between two computers. Please visit Ping command tool lesson to know how ping command tool works. Following table lists some important option parameters available with ping command tool in Windows Operating Systems. You can use charactar "/" or "-" to specify ping command parameters in Windows.
| Ping command option | Description |
|---|---|
| /4 | /4 option is used to specify IPv4 to use, if the destination is addressed using hostname. |
| /6 | /6 option is used to specify IPv6 to use, if the destination is addressed using hostname. |
| /t | /t option is used to run ping command to continously by sending ICMP Echo request messages to the remote computer until interrupted. This is called as continuous ping. Press CTRL+C keys together to interrupt the ping command and quit. Default nature is to send 4 ICMP Echo Request messages. |
| /a | /a option is used to specify reverse name resolution required for remote IP address. If /a parameter is entered while running the ping command, ping displays the corresponding remote host name. |
| /n <count> | /n <count> option is used to specify the number of ICMP Echo Request messages sent. Default nature is to send 4 ICMP Echo Request messages. |
| /l <size> | /l <size> option is used to specify the the length, in bytes, of the data to send in ICMP Echo request messages sent. The default is 32. The size range is from from 0 to 65,500. |
| /f | /f option is used to specify Do not Fragment (DF) flag in the IPv4 header with IPv4. Helpful in finding Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) related network problems. |
| /I <TTL> | /I <TTL> option is used to specify TTL field value in the IP header for ICMP Echo request messages. |
| /r <count> | /r option is to use Record Route option in the IP header is used to record the path taken by the ICMP Echo Request message and Echo Reply message for IPv4 ping. |
| /s <count> | /s option is to use Internet timestamp option in the IP header. |
| /k <hostlist> | /k option is used to specify Strict Source Route option in the IPv4 header. |
| /w <timeout> | /w option is used to specify the wait time in milliseconds to receive ICMP Echo Reply message. The default wait time is 4 seconds. If ICMP Echo Reply message is not received within the wait time, time out error will be displayed |
| /R | /R option is used to specify the round-trip path is traced for IPv6. |
| /S <address> | /S option is used to specify the source address. |
Ping command options for Linux
Following table lists some important option parameters available with ping command tool in Linux.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| -a | -a option can be used to hear a beep sound when the destination computer is reachable. |
| -b | -b option is used for pinging to a broadcast address |
| -B | -B option is used for not to allow the ping to change the source address of the ICMP packets |
| -c <count> | -c option is used to specify the number of ICMP Echo Request messages sent. Default nature is to send continuous ICMP Echo Request messages. |
| -f | -f option is used for flood ping. Use this option to flood the network by sending hundred or more packets per second. Only superuser can run this option. |
| -i <interval> | -i option is used to specify a time interval between Use this option to specify an interval between ICMP Echo Request messages. The default time interval is 1 second |
| -I <interface address> | -I option is used to specify a source IP address. |
| -l <preload> | -l option is used to set the number of packets to send without waiting for a reply. You need to be a super user for selecting a value more than 3. |
| -n | -n option is used to display addresses as numbers rather than as hostnames. |
| -q | -q option is used for quite output. |
| -r | -r option is used to bypass normal routing table. |
| -s <packetsize> | -s option is used to specify the number of bytes to send. |
| -t <ttl> | -t option is used to specify TTL field value in the IP header for ICMP Echo request messages. |
| -T | -T option is used for set special timestamp options |
| -v | -v option is used for verbose output |
| V | -V option is used to display the version and exit |
| -w <deadline> | -w option is used to specify a timeout, in seconds, before ping exits. |
| -W <timeout> | -W option is used to set the time in seconds to wait for a response. |