Networking & Internet
Ping
Definition
Ping is a computer network administration software utility used to test the reachability of a host on an Internet Protocol (IP) network. It measures the round-trip time for messages sent from the originating host to a destination computer that are echoed back by the destination.
Why It Matters
Ping is a fundamental tool for troubleshooting network connectivity. It quickly tells you if a server is online and responding, and it provides a measure of the latency (round-trip time) between your computer and the server.
Contextual Example
To check if `google.com` is reachable, you can open a command prompt and type `ping google.com`. The output will show you the time it takes for a packet to travel to Google's server and back.
Common Misunderstandings
- The time reported by ping is often called "latency".
- A high ping time indicates high latency, which can cause lag in online games.