Ping is a command-line utility that allows a user to test and verify if a particular destination IP address exists and can accept requests). It is a computer network administration software utility used to test the reachability of a host on an Internet Protocol (IP) network). The name "ping" comes from active sonar terminology that sends a pulse of sound and listens for the echo to detect objects under water).

Ping works by sending an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request to a specified interface on the network and waiting for a reply). When a ping command is issued, a ping signal is sent to a specified address. When the target host receives the echo request, it responds by sending an echo reply packet. This approach serves two specific purposes: verifying that the target host is available and determining round-trip time (RTT) or latency).

Ping is a valuable tool in numerous situations, as it can be used to troubleshoot connectivity, reachability, and name resolution. It can also be used to track the availability status of different devices in a network and discover network connectivity and latency issues. As a command-line based utility, ping lends itself to easy use in various scripts, allowing for numerous pings to run and be recorded for all manner of usage.

The ping command can be used on virtually any operating system with network connectivity, including most embedded network administration software. The command-line options of the ping utility and its output vary between the numerous implementations. Options may include the size of the payload, count of tests, limits for the number of network hops (TTL) that probes traverse, interval between the requests, and time to wait for a response).