How to Use the Command 'psping' (with examples)

Psping is a versatile network utility that goes beyond the basic ICMP ping to offer robust testing capabilities. It allows users to assess and diagnose network performance issues with precision by providing tools for TCP pinging, latency, and bandwidth measurement. Perfect for network administrators, IT specialists, and developers, psping helps in identifying network bottlenecks, measuring response times, and understanding network behavior under different conditions. With its flexibility and detailed output, psping can be an essential tool for conducting network assessments.

Use case 1: Ping a host using ICMP

Code:

psping hostname

Motivation:

Pinging a host using ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) is one of the most common methods to check if a host is reachable and responsive across a network. This method is commonly used to verify connectivity and measure round-trip time, a critical metric for understanding the network reliability and speed. IT professionals utilize this function to ensure that systems are operational and can communicate over a network.

Explanation:

• psping: This is the command-line tool being used.
• hostname: This represents the target host’s name or IP address that you want to test connectivity to using ICMP.

Example Output:

Pinging hostname [192.168.1.1] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=10ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=8ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=64
Reply from 192.168.1.1: bytes=32 time=12ms TTL=64

Use case 2: Ping a host over a TCP port

Code:

psping hostname:port

Motivation:

Pinging over a TCP port enables users to confirm connectivity and responsiveness for specific applications or services that are networked over TCP. This is particularly useful for troubleshooting and verifying the availability of servers and services that depend on TCP ports, such as web servers, email servers, and database servers.

Explanation:

• psping: The command-line tool used for network testing.
• hostname:port: Specifies the target host’s name or IP address and the port number of the TCP service to which connectivity is being tested.

Example Output:

TCP connect to hostname:80:
5 iterations (warmup 1) ping test:
Connecting to hostname:80: time=20.13ms
Connecting to hostname:80: time=19.24ms
Connecting to hostname:80: time=18.90ms
Connecting to hostname:80: time=19.00ms

Use case 3: Specify the number of pings and perform it quietly

Code:

psping hostname -n pings -q

Motivation:

Running a set number of pings quietly is helpful for situations where you want to conduct a more streamlined test without cluttering the output with excessive details. This is especially advantageous when scripting automated tasks or collecting data over long periods where verbosity would otherwise overwhelm the data collection process.

Explanation:

• psping: The tool used for performing network diagnostics.
• hostname: The target host to ping.
• -n pings: Specifies the number of pings to be sent.
• -q: The quiet mode argument, which suppresses detailed output to reduce noise during operation.

Example Output:

Pinging hostname [192.168.1.1] with 32 bytes of data:
Ping statistics for 192.168.1.1:
    Packets: Sent = 5, Received = 5, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 6ms, Maximum = 10ms, Average = 8ms

Use case 4: Ping the target over TCP 50 times and produce a histogram of the results

Code:

psping hostname:port -q -n 50 -h

Motivation:

Generating a histogram from ping results offers insights into the distribution of response times, which can be vital for performance analysis. This detailed view of latency helps network administrators identify patterns and anomalies in network responses, pinpointing fluctuations that may suggest underlying issues with network paths or services.

Explanation:

• psping: The command-line utility used to test networks.
• hostname:port: The target for the TCP ping test, with both host and port specified.
• -q: Executes the ping in quiet mode to provide a clear output.
• -n 50: Sends 50 ping requests to the specified target.
• -h: Generates a histogram of the ping response times, illustrating the frequency distribution of the results.

Example Output:

TCP connect to hostname:80:
50 iterations (warmup 5) ping test:
Connecting to hostname:80: time=19.75ms
Connecting to hostname:80: time=18.24ms
...
TCP connect statistics for hostname:port:
    Sent = 50, Received = 50, Lost = 0 (0% loss)
    Minimum = 18ms, Maximum = 25ms, Average = 20ms

Response time histogram:
   17ms  - 18ms : 4
   18ms  - 19ms : 10
   19ms  - 20ms : 20
   ...

Use case 5: Display help

Code:

psping /?

Motivation:

Accessing help information is fundamental for understanding the range of functionalities and options available within psping. It is crucial for users both new and familiar with the tool to quickly find syntax and descriptions of available arguments to improve their command usage effectively.

Explanation:

• psping: The network testing utility.
• /?: The argument used to prompt the display of help information within the command line, showing descriptions for available options and their use.

Example Output:

Psping v2.01 - PsPing - Perform advanced ping commands.

usage: psping [-n count] [-i interval] [-h] target:port
       ...
Options for controlling the ping operation:
  -n           The number of pings.
  -q           Quiet mode.
  -h           Display a histogram.
  ...

Conclusion:

Psping is a powerful command-line utility that extends traditional ping functionality to provide deeper insights into network performance through TCP testing, latency measurements, and bandwidth evaluation. Each use case demonstrates the versatility and efficacy of psping, empowering IT professionals to diagnose and optimize network environments with precision. Whether performing ICMP-based tests, analyzing TCP port connectivity, or needing comprehensive latency statistics, psping offers a flexible suite of tools to tackle diverse network challenges.