Ping Host
Send Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo requests and report round-trip time (RTT) and packet loss.
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NetTests can run this check on a schedule, preserve historical results, compare changes over time, and alert you the moment something breaks.
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What does Ping measure?
Ping sends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request packets to the target and measures how long each one takes to come back (round-trip time (RTT)) and how many are lost. It's the quickest way to confirm a host is reachable and get a baseline latency figure.
What is a good ping time?
- < 20 ms — excellent; local or nearby server.
- 20–60 ms — good; typical intra-country response.
- 60–150 ms — acceptable for most traffic; noticeable in gaming.
- > 150 ms — high; check routing or consider a Content Delivery Network (CDN) closer to users.
What does packet loss mean?
Packet loss means some Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packets were sent but no reply arrived within the timeout. Small amounts (1–2 %) can be normal on lossy networks, but sustained loss causes retransmissions, Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) slowdowns, and poor user experience. It usually points to a congested link, a misconfigured firewall, or a failing network interface.
Why does ping succeed but the website still fail?
Ping tests Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) reachability only — it doesn't test HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Transport Layer Security (TLS), or Domain Name System (DNS). The host may respond to pings while its web server is down, a port is blocked by a firewall, or a Content Delivery Network (CDN) is masking the origin. Use HTTP Request Timing or HTTP Headers to check the full HTTP stack.
Why does ping time out even though the host is up?
Many hosts block Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) for security reasons — firewalls, cloud providers, and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) often drop ping traffic while the actual service remains fully operational. A timeout here doesn't necessarily mean the site is down.