What is the Best IP address to Ping to Test my Internet Connection ?

23rd July 2012 by

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 provides a secure and safe DNS service which I recommend that you check out for home and commercial use. 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.

DNSResolvers.com is another DNS servers 205.210.42.205 and 64.68.200.200 as a free service from EasyDNS.

Best IP Addresses to Ping
Host IP Address
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.

Filed Under: Basics, Blog Tagged With:
About Greg Ferro

Greg Ferro is a Network Engineer/Architect, mostly focussed on Data Centre, Security Infrastructure, and recently Virtualization. He has over 20 years in IT, in wide range of employers working as a freelance consultant including Finance, Service Providers and Online Companies. He is CCIE#6920 and has a few ideas about the world, but not enough to really count.

He is a host on the Packet Pushers Podcast, blogger at EtherealMind.com and on Twitter @etherealmind and Google Plus

You can contact Greg via the site contact page.

  • Ed

    127.0.0.1 is very reliable, as is ::1 for ipv6.

    • ItsSecret

      Its a joke..for those who dont know 127.0.0.1 = your own computer.

  • Me

    I still ping 4.2.2.2, I’m old school

  • Josh Tripodi

    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 :)

  • Will Dennis

    I have used “4.2.2.2″ for a long time now; it’s a Verizon DNS server in FL (USA) I believe.

  • http://twitter.com/wifiluke Luke Jenkins

    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.

  • Shane

    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.

  • jamie

    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

  • Greg Foletta

    Hey Greg, long time reader here from Australia, currently working for the carrier you mention. Stop stealing our cycles!

    • http://etherealmind.com Etherealmind

      Like hell. I paid for those in my Internet bills in 1999 !!!

  • itsjustrouting

    I have used 8.8.8.8 for years. Nice to know others do as well.

  • James Harr

    4.2.2.1-6 — Level 3′s public DNS

  • http://twitter.com/ukeer ukeer

    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.

  • Phillip Mikesell

    If you’re on linux, do “traceroute -m 100 216.81.59.173″

    Not sure what the equivalent Windows/DOS command would be, though.

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