PING Full Form

Let’s know PING full form! In the field of computer networking, PING stands for Packet InterNet Groper. It is a network administration software utility that is used to test network connectivity between two systems. These systems could be any type of standard computer, Server, Switch, Router, or Gateway. It was designed to determine whether or not a specific computer on the network exists.

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How Does PING Work?

We have discussed PING long form and PING command full form, let’s know the working. 

When two systems are connected to a network, a series of packets are sent from one system to the other over the network to test connectivity and generate a response from the other system. The other system sends an acknowledgement to indicate that the two systems are connected via that network.

History of PING

Mike Muuss created the PING utility in December 1983 as a tool for troubleshooting problems in an IP network.

David Mills, who uses ICMP echo packets for IP Network diagnostics and measurements, inspired the development of PING utility software.

A Brief History of PING

• Mike Muussas created the PING utility in December 1983. It is a method of troubleshooting problems on an IP network.

• David Mills inspired the design and development of the PING utility software.

• He employs ICMP echo packets for IP network analysis and estimation.

• The first version was released as free software, and all subsequent versions were licenced under the BSD licence.

• The first time PING was used was in 4.3BSD.

• The FreeDOS edition was designed by Erick Engelke and is licenced under the GPL.

• The ReactOS version was designed by Tim Crawford and is licenced under the MIT License.

Working Principle of PING

• PING sends an ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) echo demand packet to a destination host and then retains an ICMP echo acknowledgement.

• The analysis's software overview reveals errors, packet loss rate, and a numerical summary of the analysis overview, which typically includes low, maximum, average round-trip times, and standard means variation.

• A series of packets is guided from one device to another over the network if the two systems are connected to the network to test the connections in an arrangement to produce a response from the other system.

• The other device sends an acknowledgement to indicate that both systems are connected to each other via that network.

• The difference between the PING utility's command-line options and its output occurs over a number of executions.

• The command-line options, which include the payload scale, the number of trials, the number of network hops (TTL) limits that are checked around the range, an interlude in the middle of the queries, and the response time.

• Several systems make the PING6 companion utility available for testing on ICMPv6-enabled Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) networks.

What is a Good PING Response Time?

• 30 ms PING is excellent; it is almost imperceptible; it is ideal for online gaming.

• PING ranges from 30 to 50 milliseconds, which is adequate for online gaming.

• PING time of 50 to 100 ms; not too noticeable for web browsing but may affect gaming

• 100 ms to 500 ms - slow PING; has little impact on web browsing but causes noticeable lag in online gaming

• > 500 ms - PINGs of a half-second or longer will add a noticeable delay to all requests; this is common when the source and destination are in different parts of the world.

What Does PING Stand for?

PING is derived from sonar terminology. A PING in sonar is an audible sound wave that is sent out to locate an object. If the sound strikes an object, the sound waves will reflect back to the source, or echo. The time and direction of the returning sound wave can be used to calculate the object's distance and location.

The PING command, on the other hand, sends out an echo request. If it locates the target system, the remote host responds with an echo. The distance (number of hops) to the remote system, as well as the conditions in-between, can be calculated from the response (packet loss and time to respond).

While the author of the PING utility stated that the program's name was inspired by the sound of sonar, others claim that PING is an acronym for Packet InterNet Groper.

PING Switches and Variables

The PING command has a number of switches that allow the default settings to be customised for more specific purposes. Regrettably, there is no consistency across platforms for the various switches. For example, Windows uses the -n (number) option to specify how many PINGs to send, whereas most Unix systems use the -c option (count).

How to Use PING?

The PING command, despite its small size and simplicity, can be a useful tool in a variety of situations. PING, as a command-line utility, lends itself easily to use in various scripts, allowing for a large number of PINGs to run and be recorded for a variety of purposes. The output of the PING command, for example, can be easily piped to a text file for later review.

Using PING to Troubleshoot

The PING utility is most commonly used for troubleshooting. The most important thing to know when attempting to use applications or systems over a network is whether or not there is a working connection. A series of PING commands can assist in determining the source of the problem.

A quick PING by IP address confirms that the system is operational, that there is a connection, and that the two machines can communicate with one another.