Verifies whether a device can reach another device through the network.

ping { ip-addr | host-name | vrf vrf-name | ipv6 [ ipv6-addr | host-name | vrf vrf-name ] [ outgoing-interface type number ] } [ source ip-addr ] [ count num ] [ timeout msec ] [ ttl num ] [ size num ] [ quiet ] [ numeric ] [ no-fragment ] [ verify ] [ data 1-to-4-byte-hex ] [ brief [ max-print-per-sec number ] ]
ip-addr
Specifies the IP address of the device to be pinged.
host-name
Specifies the host name of the device to be pinged.
vrf vrf-name
Specifies the Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) instance of the device to be pinged.
ipv6 ipv6-addr
Specifies the IPv6 address, host name or VRF instance of the device to be pinged.
outgoing-interface type number
Specifies an interface over which to verify connectivity.
source ip-addr
Specifies an IP address to be used as the origin of the ping packets.
count num
Specifies the number of ping packets that the device sends. The value can range from 1 to 4294967296. The default is 1.
timeout msec
Specifies the time, in milliseconds for which the device waits for a reply from the pinged device. The value can range from 1 to 4294967296. The default is 5000 (5 seconds).
ttl num
Specifies the time to live as a maximum number of hops. The value can range from 1 to 255. The default is 64.
size num
Specifies the size of the ICMP data portion of the packet, in bytes. This is the payload and does not include the header. The value can range from 0 to 10000. The default is 16.
no-fragment
Turns on the "don’t fragment" bit in the IP header of the ping packet. This option is disabled by default.
quiet
Hides informational messages such as a summary of the ping parameters sent to the device and instead only displays messages indicating the success or failure of the ping. This option is disabled by default.
verify
Verifies that the data in the echo packet (the reply packet) is the same as the data in the echo request (the ping). By default the device does not verify the data.
data1-to-4-byte-hex
Specifies a data pattern for the payload instead of the default data pattern, "abcd", in the packet data payload. The pattern repeats itself throughout the ICMP message (payload) portion of the packet.
brief
Specifies that the ping test characters are to be displayed. For more information, refer to the Usage Guidelines section.
max-print-per-sec number
Specifies the maximum number of target responses that the device can display per second while in brief mode. The value can range from 0 to 2047. The default is 511.

All configuration modes

The following ping test characters are supported:

  • !—Indicates that a reply was received.
  • .—Indicates that the network server timed out while waiting for a reply.
  • U—Indicates that a destination unreachable error PDU was received.
  • I—Indicates that the user interrupted the ping.

For numeric parameter values, the command does not check that the value you enter is within the allowed range. Instead, if you do exceed the range for a numeric value, the software rounds the value to the nearest valid value.

Note: If the device is a Layer 2 switch or Layer 3 switch, you can use the host name only if you have already enabled the Domain Name Server (DNS) resolver feature on the device from which you are sending the ping.

The following example checks the connectivity to the device at IP address 10.31.248.12. 

device> ping 10.31.248.12
Sending 1, 16-byte ICMP Echo to 10.31.248.12, timeout 5000 msec, TTL 64
Type Control-c to abort
Reply from 10.31.248.12    : bytes=16 time=33ms TTL=63
Success rate is 100 percent (1/1), round-trip min/avg/max=33/33/33 ms.