When something goes wrong with the internet, one of the fastest ways to test connectivity is with a simple command called ping. Ping is like asking another computer, “Are you there?” and measuring how long it takes for that computer to respond. It’s one of the most useful tools in basic troubleshooting.
What Ping Does
- Confirms whether your computer can reach another device or website
- Measures how quickly data travels there and back (latency)
- Helps identify whether the issue is on your device, your network, or the destination site
How to Run Ping
- Open a command line tool:
- On Windows: press Windows + R, type cmd, and press Enter.
- On macOS or Linux: open the Terminal application.
- Type the command: ping google.com
- Press Enter and review the results.
Example Output
Here’s a sample result from Windows:
Pinging google.com [142.250.190.78] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 142.250.190.78: bytes=32 time=23ms TTL=115
Reply from 142.250.190.78: bytes=32 time=25ms TTL=115
Reply from 142.250.190.78: bytes=32 time=24ms TTL=115
What this means:
- “Reply from” confirms the server responded.
- “Time=23ms” shows the round-trip time in milliseconds. Lower is better.
- “TTL” (Time to Live) is a technical value that shows how far the packet was allowed to travel.
Activity: Run Your Own Ping
- Run the command: ping google.com
- Take a screenshot of the results.
- Try another site, such as foxnews.com or espn.com, and compare response times.
Reflection
Before answering the following read Understanding Ping: What It Really Tells You About Your Network
- If the ping succeeds, what does that tell you?
- If it fails, is the problem likely with your computer, your router, or the website?
- How would you explain ping results to someone who simply says, “The internet feels slow”?
By learning to run and read a ping test, you’re adding a quick, reliable tool to your troubleshooting skillset — one you’ll use often in IT support.
RiseWithTech 
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