Sometimes you just need an IP address to be check your internet connection. My current favourite IP address is to use the Google DNS servers. which are the IPv4 addresses 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
I have a favourite IP address to ping in Australia at 139.130.4.5 which is the primary name server for the largest carrier in Australia. (And reminds me that latency of 500 milliseconds is normal for some people).
I’ve also used the servers at OpenDNS 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220. OpenDNS (now owned by Cisco Umbrella business unit) provides a secure and safe DNS service which I recommend that you check out for home and commercial use. Note: Cisco uses DNS data to build a threat database and its highly likely that it sells data.
Cloudflare have a DNS service at 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1. The goal is to have the fastest DNS service possible. Like Google they have a large number of servers around the world that should respond to the PING request (uses AnyCast if you are interested)
Norton Connectsafe also have secure DNS servers for home users at 198.153.192.1 and 198.153.194.2 that respond to ICMP requests. I do not recommend Norton due to very poor track record on basic security.
DNSResolvers.com is another DNS servers 205.210.42.205 and 64.68.200.200 as a free service from EasyDNS.
| Host | IP Address |
|---|---|
| Cloudflare | 1.1.1.1 |
| google-public-dns-a.google.com. | 8.8.8.8 |
| google-public-dns-b.google.com | 8.8.4.4 |
| ns1.telstra.net | 139.130.4.5 |
It should look something like this:
GF:~ etherelamind$ ping 8.8.8.8
PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=0 ttl=47 time=66.060 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=47 time=114.892 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=2 ttl=47 time=103.609 ms
^C
--- 8.8.8.8 ping statistics ---
3 packets transmitted, 3 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 66.060/94.854/114.892/20.875 ms
GF:~ gregferro$
If you don’t get a response
If you ping these addresses and get an error like this, then there is more than one thing that could be wrong with your connection.
GF:etherealmind$ ping 8.8.4.4
PING 8.8.4.4 (8.8.4.4): 56 data bytes
Request timeout for icmp_seq 0
Request timeout for icmp_seq 1
Request timeout for icmp_seq 2
Request timeout for icmp_seq 3
The most likely problem is that your Internet connection is down or broken. It’s also possible that Internet router or firewall is blocking ping packets. Many firewalls do block ping packets by default so this isn’t the only test you should do.
Let me know if you have any other favourite places that might be worth adding to the list.
127.0.0.1 is very reliable, as is ::1 for ipv6.
Its a joke..for those who dont know 127.0.0.1 = your own computer.
That was funny (the exchange itself) 😉
Thanks Ed, you made us laugh. If only all my Internet queries returned a 1ms ping back time, I’d be one of the happiest dudes on earth.
I’ve gotten into the habit of 4.2.2.2/1 over the years, but yeah, I guess I could get used to 8.8.8.8 🙂
I still ping 4.2.2.2, I’m old school
I have used “4.2.2.2” for a long time now; it’s a Verizon DNS server in FL (USA) I believe.
Favorite ipv6 host to ping is 2600:: Kudos to the engineer at Sprint who saw the opportunity to use this address for a public facing service.
I still use 4.2.2.2 since it’s what I’ve always used but I’m trying to get in the habit of using 8.8.8.8 since I trust Google to stay up more than Level3.
i always use 4.2.2.2, on a standard keyboard i think its a few fractions of a second to type that 8.8.8.8
Hey Greg, long time reader here from Australia, currently working for the carrier you mention. Stop stealing our cycles!
Like hell. I paid for those in my Internet bills in 1999 !!!
I have used 8.8.8.8 for years. Nice to know others do as well.
4.2.2.1-6 — Level 3’s public DNS
141.1.1.1, very old Cable&Wireless NS. has been inactive in the meantime, but i believe they realized it was a bad idea to reuse the ip as its widely known in the “oldstyle” EU Internet.
If you’re on linux, do “traceroute -m 100 216.81.59.173”
Not sure what the equivalent Windows/DOS command would be, though.
Hi, serious question here. Is it actually all right to ping the Telstra IP address to test our internet connection? My ISP is not Telstra. If I ping 139.130.4.5. , am I breaking any law? What are the consequences?
You don’t break any law by pinging a public server, basicly you are asking it if its up and running and testing how long time it takes for it to response, so you shood be ok.
So why does Telstra’s trace route go through Charter Communications?