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fping Linux Command Guide

fping is a command-line tool used to quickly ping multiple IP addresses to check their connectivity. It is faster than the traditional ping command and can be used to ping a range of IP addresses as well. Additionally, fping allows for customizing the number of ping packets sent, the time between pings, and can output the results in different formats. This makes it a powerful tool for network administrators and sysadmins to troubleshoot network issues efficiently.

Terminal window
fping [options] [parameters]
OptionDescription
-aShow targets that are alive
-bAllow pinging a broadcast address
-cNumber of pings to send
-gGenerate target list from given IP network
-qQuiet mode (output essential information)
-tTimeout in milliseconds
-vVerbose output
-4Use IPv4
-6Use IPv6
-hPrint usage information and exit
ParameterDescription
TargetThe hostnames or IP addresses to ping
FileSpecifying a file with a list of targets
Terminal window
fping 192.168.1.1

Pings the specific IP address “192.168.1.1” to test network connectivity.

Terminal window
fping 192.168.1.1 192.168.1.2 192.168.1.3

Pings multiple IP addresses “192.168.1.1”, “192.168.1.2”, and “192.168.1.3” concurrently.

Terminal window
fping -f ip_list.txt

Pings the IP addresses listed in the file “ip_list.txt” to test network connectivity.

Terminal window
fping -c 5 192.168.1.1

Sends 5 echo requests to the IP address “192.168.1.1”.

Terminal window
fping -p 1000 192.168.1.1

Sets the time interval between pings to 1000 milliseconds (1 second) for the IP address “192.168.1.1”.

Terminal window
fping -a 192.168.1.1 192.168.1.2 192.168.1.3

Ping multiple IP addresses and display only the ones that are reachable.

Terminal window
fping -s 192.168.1.1

Pings the IP address “192.168.1.1” and shows statistics at the end.

To use the fping command in Linux, execute the following command:

Terminal window
fping --version

The fping command is used to ping multiple hosts simultaneously, which is helpful for network analysis, as it can quickly show the status of multiple hosts in a single command.

How can I ping specific IP addresses using fping?

Section titled “How can I ping specific IP addresses using fping?”

To ping specific IP addresses using fping in Linux, you can specify the IP addresses you want to ping as arguments. For example:

Terminal window
fping 192.168.1.1 192.168.1.2 192.168.1.3

How do I customize the output format of fping in Linux?

Section titled “How do I customize the output format of fping in Linux?”

To customize the output format of fping in Linux, you can use options like -c for continuous output, -q for quick (quiet) output, and -e for showing elapsed times. For example:

Terminal window
fping -c 5 -q google.com

Can I use fping to send an ICMP echo request with a specific interval?

Section titled “Can I use fping to send an ICMP echo request with a specific interval?”

Yes, you can use the -i option in fping to set a specific interval (in milliseconds) between sending ICMP echo requests. For example:

Terminal window
fping -i 1000 google.com

How can I get additional help and information about fping command options?

Section titled “How can I get additional help and information about fping command options?”

To get more detailed information about the fping command options and their usage, you can refer to the man page by running:

Terminal window
man fping
  • Checking the availability of multiple hosts in a network
  • Monitoring network devices and servers for responsiveness
  • Troubleshooting network issues and determining network latency
  • Testing the reachability of hosts in a network
  • Batch monitoring of network hosts for availability