Very often when problems arise with access to sites and services, users are advised to check the ping and indicate its value. A person who has at least basic networking skills will easily determine this parameter and, based on it, will be able to “make a diagnosis”. But what if you hear this mysterious word for the first time and don’t know how to determine the ping of a site or service? In fact, this is a five-minute affair that we will teach you in this article.

You will need:

What is a ping site

If you believe Wikipedia, then ping is the basic program with which you can check the connection on a TCP / IP network.

Simply put, the main principle of this utility is to send a short signal to a server or site and receive a response from it.

The time during which the signal has time to go "round trip" is called ping. Therefore, the lower this indicator, the faster the exchange of data between the service or site will occur.

Let's see how this happens in practice.

How to check ping in Windows

In order to learn ping, just use the standard features of the Windows operating system.

Open the command line - to do this, use the key combination “Windows” and “R”.

After that, the command line itself will appear in front of you. In it you need to enter a command that will begin the ping verification procedure: “ ping < IP  oraddress\u003e ”.Thus, if you want to check the ping to the Evrikak website, the command will look like this: “ ping evrikak. ru”.

To check ping to an IP address, you should specify it after the word ping. For example, " ping 11.222.33.44 ”.

After you enter the command, by pressing the Enter key we start, directly, the ping verification procedure.

After sending several packets, the program will show you the transmission speed of each of them, as well as the average number.

In our case, 49 ms. is a very good indicator - it allows you to work with the site without experiencing lags and freezes.

How to check ping on Linux

In that case, if you became the proud owner of the Linux operating system, but did not learn how to ping addresses and sites, there is good news for you - since there are many terminals in this OS, you can use one of them for these purposes. You can call it by pressing the key combination “CTRL” + “ALT” + “T”.

After the terminal appears in front of you, enter the ping command in it that is identical to the one used in the Windows operating system: “ ping < IP  oraddress\u003e ”.

How to check ping using web services

Alas, it happens that the user cannot use the standard utility for the test. The fact is that very often access to the command line is limited by the system administrator, and without it it would seem impossible to run a test. In fact, this is not so - you can use one of many web services for the test. The most popular of them is the site www.pr-cy.ru/monitoring. In the special field, enter the desired address or website and click the "Check" button.

The Ping command allows you to check the connection speed between your computer and another network node. You can use it to determine the strength, remoteness and accessibility of a connection with both your local network and the Internet. To use the Ping command on any operating system, follow the instructions in this guide.

Steps

Ping on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux

Run a command prompt or terminal.  Every operating system has a command line interface that allows you to run the Ping command. The Ping command works almost the same on all operating systems.

• If your computer is running Windows, open a command prompt. Click the "Start" button and enter "cmd" (without quotation marks) in the search bar. Windows 8 users can type “cmd” on the “Start” screen. Press Enter to launch the command prompt.
• If you are using macOS, launch the terminal. Open the Applications folder, and then the Utilities folder. Select a terminal.
• If you are using Linux, open a command prompt window. As a rule, you can find it in the menu "Applications" → "Accessories".
  • In Ubuntu, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T to open a terminal.

1. Enter the Ping command.  Type ping hostname or ping IP address.

   • Usually the host name (hostname) is the address of the web page. Replace hostname  to the website or server that you want to ping. For example, to check the ping of the wikiHow server home page, type ping www.wikihow.com.
   • An IP address is the location of a computer on a network, either local or on the Internet. If you know the IP address you want to ping, replace IP address  on him. For example, to check the ping of the IP address 192.168.1.1, enter ping 192.168.1.1.
   • For your computer to ping itself, type ping 127.0.0.1.

2. To see the ping result, press Enter.  Results will be shown under the current command line. The following describes how to decrypt the results.

   Ping on macOS with Network Utility

   Reading Ping Results

   1. Read the first line.  The first line indicates what the command does. It repeats the address you entered and tells you how much data has been sent. For example:

      Packet exchange with www.wikihow.com with 32 bytes of data:

      Read the body of the output.  If the Ping command completes successfully, lines will be displayed showing how much time the address took to respond. TTL reflects the number of network nodes traversed during the transmission of network packets. The lower its value, the more data packets passed through more routers. "Time" indicates how long (in milliseconds) the connection took place:

      Reply from 173.203.142.5: bytes \u003d 32 time \u003d 102ms TTL \u003d 48
        Reply from 173.203.142.5: bytes \u003d 32 time \u003d 105ms TTL \u003d 48
        Reply from 173.203.142.5: bytes \u003d 32 time \u003d 105ms TTL \u003d 48
        Reply from 173.203.142.5: bytes \u003d 32 time \u003d 108ms TTL \u003d 48

      • To stop pinging, press CTRL + C.

   2. Read the summary.  When the operation is completed, a summary of the results will be displayed. Lost data packets mean that your connection to the address is unreliable and data is lost during transmission. The summary also shows the average time spent on the connection:

      Ping statistics for 173.203.142.5:
        Packets: sent \u003d 4, received \u003d 4, lost \u003d 0 (0% loss),
        Approximate receive / transmit time in ms:
        Minimum \u003d 102ms, Maximum \u003d 108ms, Average \u003d 105ms

   Troubleshoot failed ping checks

   • Why use ping? Ping (by the name of the acoustic signal in echolocation) uses packets of the simplest type. The answer is produced by the network subsystem (TCP / IP) of the operating system. He does not need additional programs, he does not need access to any files and does not need to be configured. Ping has almost no effect on other tasks. To conduct a ping test, it is not necessary that all devices, gateways, routers, firewalls, DNS and intermediate nodes work. If ping is successful, but you cannot access the target node using a browser or other application, then the problem is most likely not on your side.
   • Options are subject to certain parameters. Here are some of them:
     • -c counter. Send the specified number of packets, then stop. Another way to stop execution is to type -C. This option is convenient for scripts that periodically check network behavior.
     • -t check ping before stopping (-C).
     • -w timeout. The number of milliseconds during which the program will wait for a response before a message appears stating that the time is up or that the packet has been lost. To detect problems associated with the waiting period, check the ping with a long time interval. ping -w 10000. This usually helps with cellular, satellite or other networks with high latency periods.
     • -n Only numerical output. Use in order not to contact the DNS.
     • -p pattern. A pattern is a string of hexadecimal digits that end a packet. This option is unlikely to be useful in case of data-dependent problems.
     • -R Use the IP Data Route option to determine the route that packets are traveling on. The target node may not provide the required information.
     • -r Bypass route tables. Use this option when you suspect a routing problem and the ping cannot find the route to the target host. The command works only for nodes that can be directly contacted without using routers.
     • -s packet size. Change package size. Large packets must be fragmented.
     • -V Detailed result. Display additional ICMP packets that provide very detailed information.
     • -f Avalanche Newsletter. Send packets as fast as possible. Used for stress testing network performance, you should not use this option unnecessarily.
     • -l preload. Send pre-loaded packages as quickly as possible, and then switch to normal mode of operation. Suitable for determining the number of packets that your router can quickly process, which, in turn, is good for diagnosing problems that arise only with large TCP window sizes.
     • -? Help. Use this option to see the full list of options for the Ping command, as well as the correct syntax.
   • When do you need ping? As with other diagnostic programs, it’s best to use it in a working configuration in order to understand how it should work. You can check the ping of your PC if you enter “ping -c5 127.0.0.1”. Use ping to check your his  equipment and configurations, when you are setting up your PC for the first time, changing your network, or if web pages do not load.

Multiplayer online games are becoming more popular every day. Millions of users from all over the world are fighting in virtual arenas. But, some are faced with a problem when the game begins to "slow down" or "crap", as gamers say. One of the reasons is a weak computer, whose performance is not enough for the game to work quickly. The solution is simple - to change or improve your hardware by upgrading.

And if you have a modern computer, then the reason may be a low data transfer rate. Experienced users in this case speak of high ping (ping in English). In this article, we will understand the root causes of this situation and how to ping on the Internet below so that the network game works as it should.

The essence of the concept of ping

As we wrote above, ping is an indicator characterizing the speed of information exchange between a client and a server. Consider the following scheme.

In the following:

You press the action button (for example, “shoot”).

This command is sent to the network card.

With the help of the Internet, it goes a certain way through communication centers.

The team arrives at the game server, where it is processed, thereby affecting the gameplay.

The game server sends a script that has changed based on the command you entered.

Information follows the path through the communication nodes in the opposite direction.

It is accepted by the network device and then the changes are already displayed on your computer directly in the game.

As you can see, one team goes a long way before changes occur on the player’s server and computer. During the game, hundreds of such operations are performed, including from other players.

Ping helps to display the speed with which this process occurs. Measurement takes place in milliseconds.

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Effect of indicator level on gameplay

Probably, such situations also occurred when the character reacted to your commands with a certain delay or the picture on the screen was updated late. Often, players with similar problems are thrown from game server servers, as this affects the performance of the resource.

Ping is considered good if the response time is no more than 15-25 ms. If the exchange of information will occur in more than 100 ms., It can be argued about the appearance of "lags" and "inhibitions" in the game process.

What reasons affect the indicator?

If your ping is big, then you need to deal with it. It can be influenced by many factors. However, each of them “slows down” the response time to varying degrees. The main reasons that during the game there is a high ping can be called:

long distance between client and server;

equipment used by your ISP

problems with devices on the server;

tariff plan (usually with low-speed Internet);

the presence of programs that slow down data transfer;

different versions of the game at the client and server.

The first reason refers to the path that the signal needs to make in order to get from the client to the server or vice versa. After all, a signal is a physical quantity and it travels a certain distance before getting to the other end of a computer circuit.

The second reason is the features of the equipment that the Internet provider uses. If it provides insufficient bandwidth for a connection to a specific host, this can negatively affect the speed of the connection.

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If there is a high ping, then problems with the server itself are possible. In case of poor reception of a signal, a large number of players, it may not have time to process and send the corresponding information to the players' devices. In this case, data exchange will affect the gameplay of all gamers.

It can also affect the interaction of the client and server. The entire exchange of information is necessarily accompanied by the downloading and transmission of data through the network. And you use the cheapest plan with a low Internet speed, the ping rate can be high.

The fifth reason that almost all PC users face is installed programs, which either check the data when sending / downloading or clog the communication channel themselves. These can be both anti-virus programs and those that use the Internet in their work. Also, viruses, trojans, etc. can be the reason for the low speed of data exchange with the server.

In addition, games with its server. At the same time, the machine misunderstands certain commands and their execution slows down. Often this is observed in cases when the game is being updated at the wrong time on the gamer's PC.

How to measure ping?

The easiest way to check ping internet connections was provided by Windows developers. On the desktop, press the key combination Win + R and write "cmd" or go through the Start menu to the command line. After you write “/ ping” and the name or IP address of the server, you will see the following window:

The above method will help you quickly check ping through the command line. In this case, an Internet test was conducted, ping was 215 ms in average when communicating with a Microsoft host.

This is quite enough to view web pages through a browser, and for online games this speed is quite low. Specifically, in this situation, this indicates a slow Internet speed (the test was carried out at a speed of 150 Kbps.).

If you are wondering how to check my ping without leaving the game, then look for the corresponding item in the options. Often, developers give gamers the opportunity to find out their ping on the game screen by turning on the appropriate setting.

Reduce ping

To increase the speed of information exchange between the client and server, or, in other words, to reduce ping, you can perform the following actions:

change game server;

change the tariff plan to a faster Internet;

refuse the services of an existing provider;

cure your PC of viruses and close unnecessary programs before entering the game.

The above methods apply if you have a high ping problem in the game.

Changing the ping will help change the game server. This method will help in cases where there is an increased load on the resource, and it can not cope with the processing of incoming information.

If you have connected low-speed Internet, you can not count on fast processing of information through the network. In some cases, it is the transition to a more expensive tariff plan that solves the problem.

In that case, when you use fast Internet and a proven game server, and the rate of information exchange with the server leaves much to be desired, it is worth looking for a problem in the provider. For example, to lower ping in Warface, contact your Internet service provider. If it does not help to fix the problem of connecting to the server, and you are sure that your computer is not infected with viruses, then you should think about switching to another operator.

Of course, there are special utilities to solve such problems. There is a popular program to lower ping cFosSpeed. However, she and similar utilities can only optimize the reception / transmission of data by your computer, but not the server itself. So they may not affect the reduction in ping.

Our life is so short that I want to devote as little time as possible to some actions. Standing in line, waiting for a bus, washing dishes - all these are routine activities that cannot be avoided. The same can be said about the loading of sites, since any person wants to quickly get access to information and not expect a moment:

If the speed does not suit us, then we want to be able to take some measures, and to do this, you need to have sufficient information about the problem that has arisen. One of the diagnostic methods is ping checking. What ping is and what factors influence it will be discussed in this article.

What is it and why check?

When the term “ping” is used, the first thing that is meant is the parameter for assessing the quality of the Internet connection. Ping means checking the speed of sending to the server and returning data packets from it. The number of packets sent and received is also verified.

Ping testing can be done out of curiosity or to collect statistical information. However, most often, users think about the speed of access to the server in cases where there are some problems. We list some unpleasant situations in which it is useful to check ping.

• Slow page loading speed;
• Periodic disappearance of Internet connection;
• If you watch your favorite series online, and the video is constantly "slowing down", then it's time to think about how to check Internet ping.

Diagnosis is possible not only in cases where there are problems, but also to collect important information.

• When choosing a game server. For many people, online entertainment is a great way to relax, and some games even bring real income, so ping is very important. How to check the server before real problems? - Ping again and again;
• The choice of hosting. When it becomes necessary to place your own project somewhere, the World Wide Web presents a huge number of possibilities, and an ordinary user really wants to make the right choice, but does not know how. Finding out your ping to a site that provides hosting services is one of the options, because if the selected hosting provider has problems accessing its own information resource, what can we say about yours;
• If you are the owner of a site visited by people from all over the world, then it will be useful for you to have information on how to find out ping to your information resource from residents, for example, Brazil or Australia.

Thus, to the common question: “ Why is big ping bad?"You can give a short answer -" Because slowly».

How to check the ping of the Internet (server)?

Before checking ping to the server, you need to decide on the main question: “ Will we test ourselves or others?". The method by which the diagnosis will be carried out depends on the answer to it. If we are interested in our own computer, then we must perform the following sequence of actions.

• Press “Win \u200b\u200b+ R” and enter cmd in the field that appears:

• Click OK. Now we see the command line, enter the ping command in it, press the spacebar and enter the site address:

• Press "Enter" and get all the information:

As you can see, not a single packet was lost, and the waiting time is quite acceptable. It is worth noting that for fiber, a value of up to 100 milliseconds is a good indicator, and you will not notice any delay in loading the page. Values \u200b\u200bup to 150 milliseconds are also not critical, but if there is more ping, then this problem should be addressed.

Another way is to use ping services on the Internet. Using such sites, you can check the availability of the information resource and the waiting time for users around the world. Below are a few of these services.

• Ping-admin.ru. This site uses a program to ping users from different parts of the globe. That is, you get data on access to the server from different computers around the world:

All that is needed is to enter the site address, check the boxes and press “Enter”. The results are as follows:

• Wservice.info allows you to get information about the site, as well as check the connection with it by recognizing the ping. The service provides services for free.

• Pr-cy.ru. This service allows you to find out the state of the host and domain. After verification, it displays the following information:

What does ping depend on?

If you think about what affects ping, you can distinguish the following factors:

• The physical distance from the computer to the server. If you, being in Russia, are trying to reach the Caribbean islands, then you will have to knock loudly and for a long time;
• The load on the Internet connection channel. Everything is simple here: a lot of simultaneously running online applications increase ping;
• Used equipment. In this case, the ping value depends on the quality of the hardware, both your computer and remote servers. Also of great importance is the type of Internet connection: direct connection ( cable from provider to consumer), wireless ( Wifi) and using the modem will provide different data transfer speeds ( the modem in this case is disadvantageously different).

How to reduce ping on the Internet?

If you enter the query "how to make ping less" in any search engine, then the results will be full of gamers' advice, because for them this is an urgent problem that requires effective solutions. We highlight the recommendations that are generally suitable for reducing ping.

• If you want to minimize the value of ping for visitors to your information resource, you must carefully analyze the target audience, designating a zone of approximate geographical location of these people, and choose a hosting whose servers are located in the center of this zone;
• To reduce your own ping, you need to take measures to offload the Internet channel ( close currently unnecessary Internet applications);
• Disk defragmentation is another option for making ping smaller. The speed of your applications depends not only on the technical equipment of the computer. Programs run faster if the files they access are sequentially stored in memory;
• Choose an Internet provider with the best quality of service;
• Use proxy server. However, this method is fraught with the loss of some packets of information.

In conclusion, it is worth noting once again that ping is the most important parameter that allows you to determine the quality of the Internet connection, and every self-respecting webmaster should pay attention to it.

Every more or less advanced user of the Internet and local network is faced with such a procedure as ping (ping). Most often, the service center wizard is asked to do this from the provider in order to understand the problem. In this article we will consider what ping is, why it is needed and how to ping correctly.

What is ping?

Ping is a process that allows you to check the quality of a network and its speed to a specific server. Most often, ping is done using the console (command line), both in Windows operating systems and in Linux. There are also special programs for pinging. It is worth noting the convenience and quality of this method of checking the local network and the Internet, since it is quite simple and very informative.

Pinging consists in the fact that you are sending a number of data packets from a computer to a specific device, both on the local network and on the Internet. Thanks to this packet exchange, you can get information on the quality of the connection.

If the sent packets are not returned, then this indicates a connection problem. Packages that did not return are called “losses.” The more packets lost, the worse. If the packets are lost in full, this means either the lack of a network connection or the inaccessibility of the device to which the ping was performed - it all depends on what you pinged. The response speed is also important: the lower it is, the better the connection from your device to the pinged one.

What is ping for?

As already mentioned above by the experts of the site, ping is necessary in order to check the quality of the Internet connection and speed to a specific network device. Let's look at an example of a situation where ping is necessary and very useful.

The first situation when pinging is performed is problems with the Internet, for example: you are working in a browser, and Internet pages load very slowly or do not load at all. The second situation is when the Internet simply disappears or the Internet connection is disconnected. The third situation is when it slows down the streaming playback of audio and video. The fourth situation is when there are problems connecting to something: a site, a game server, or another device on the network. Thus, thanks to the ping, you can find out whether there are any problems with the network or the Internet connection, where exactly the problem is and what it is.

Quite often, ping is checked for online games where a high speed of data exchange with the server is required.

How to ping

In order to ping - you need to open the console and enter the appropriate command, specifying the address of the device or resource with which you want to check the connection.

In order to check the quality of the Internet connection, ping the Google DNS server using the command (which must be entered in the console):

In the same way, you can ping not only servers and network devices, but also sites. In order to check the quality of the connection to Yandex, enter the following command:

In order to check the connection to the provider’s server, ping its DNS server or other local resource, such as a router on the roof.

To check the operability of the home local network, ping your router with the command:

ping 192.168.1.1

In the Linux operating system, ping is performed endlessly until you stop it yourself by pressing the Ctrl + C buttons. On Windows, standard ping is sent only 4 packets. In order to send a larger number of packets, the prefix “-n” is written to the ping command indicating the number of packets to be sent. In order to send 100 packets, for example, to the Google DNS server, write the following command:

ping –n 100 8.8.8.8

To send an infinite ping in Windows to the standard command, add “-t” through the space, and to stop, press Ctrl + C. For example, we ping endlessly to the Google DNS server:

ping 8.8.8.8 –t

After the ping is completed, a report will be displayed below, the analysis of which will help you understand the state of the network.