If you’ve been testing out the various functionalities of your wireless network, you may wonder how to ping a router. The best routers, after all, can be pinged by wireless devices of all kinds. Why would you want to ping a router and how to do it? Keep reading to find out.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Issuing a ping command to a router, a website, or any connected wireless device gives crucial information on network connectivity, packet loss, the outgoing interface, and more.
- Jot down the source address of your router and head to the terminal command prompt, accessed via Windows Command Prompt or the Terminal app for Linux and Max users.
- Type in “ping” along with the router IP address and wait for ping packet information to scroll through.
Why Ping a Router?
The main reason to ping a router is to check on a network connection to ensure that everything is running smoothly and both the modem and the router are operating up to spec. If you ping it and receive an issue, you can learn how to turn off a WiFi router remotely and work from there.
How do I Ping my Router?
The steps here vary slightly depending on what type of operating system you are using, but there is not as much variance compared to when you are learning, for instance, how to enable UPnP on a router.
Insider Tip
You can ping any wireless device, as long as you know the IP address or even websites.
STEP 1
The ping command sends packets of data to a specific IP address on your network. After that, it lets you know how long it took to transmit that data and get a response. So your first step? Check to make sure your network is plugged in and functioning properly, making sure both the router and modem are powered on and that they are connected via Ethernet cable.
STEP 2
Now it’s time to access your command prompt. For Windows users, open the official Windows Command Prompt application or use some third-party software like Windows PowerShell. For Mac and Linux users, use the Terminal app.
STEP 3
No matter which operating system you use, once you have accessed the terminal window, type “ping” and the public IP address or static IP address of your router. Hit enter.
STEP 4
As long as the response shows replies from each individual packet along with an acceptable time frame (in milliseconds) you should be good to go. At the bottom of your query results, there should be a summary that wraps up all of the data received. If no information was received at all, it will let you know, which means it is time to troubleshoot the router.
F.A.Q.S
How to ping an IP address from an Android device?
Android phones lack a built-in ping packet or echo reply process, but you can download a third-party app, enter the source IP address for the destination host, receive information on packet loss, and more.
How to ping an IP address from an iPhone?
The same goes for iPhones. Use a third-party app, enter the source address, and wait for information via echo reply.
Should I splurge on a new router?
New routers are faster and more efficient than older models, so maybe. It depends on your budget and your personal network needs. New routers will offer increased Internet connectivity and fewer error messages.
STAT: Windows has a handy utility called Command prompt, which enables the user to perform different tasks using various commands. (source)
REFERENCES:
- https://www.192-168-1-1-ip.co/ping-your-router/
- https://kb.netgear.com/989/Testing-network-connectivity-with-ping
- https://www.linksys.com/fi/support-article?articleNum=140557r
- https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/ios-nx-os-software/ios-software-releases-121-mainline/12778-ping-traceroute.html
- https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/ip/routing-information-protocol-rip/13730-ext-ping-trace.html
