Which basic network tool is used to test connectivity to other hosts?

Which basic network tool is used to test connectivity to other hosts?

• A. ping
• B. traceroute/tracert
• C. ipconfig
• D. ifconfig

Answer: (A)

Testing connectivity to another host is typically done with ping. Ping sends an ICMP Echo Request to the target and waits for an ICMP Echo Reply. If a reply arrives, the destination is reachable and ping also reports the round-trip time, giving a quick sense of latency. If there’s no reply, you can suspect a network issue, a firewall blocking ICMP, or that the host is down. You can ping by using either an IP address or a hostname, since hostnames are resolved to IPs before the test. Other tools exist, like traceroute/tracert, which show the path and each hop between you and the destination to diagnose where problems occur, but they’re not just a simple reachability check. Commands that display IP configuration, such as ipconfig or ifconfig, reveal how your device is configured but don’t test connectivity themselves. Remember, some networks block ICMP traffic, so a ping might fail even when the route is otherwise fine.

Testing connectivity to another host is typically done with ping. Ping sends an ICMP Echo Request to the target and waits for an ICMP Echo Reply. If a reply arrives, the destination is reachable and ping also reports the round-trip time, giving a quick sense of latency. If there’s no reply, you can suspect a network issue, a firewall blocking ICMP, or that the host is down. You can ping by using either an IP address or a hostname, since hostnames are resolved to IPs before the test.

Other tools exist, like traceroute/tracert, which show the path and each hop between you and the destination to diagnose where problems occur, but they’re not just a simple reachability check. Commands that display IP configuration, such as ipconfig or ifconfig, reveal how your device is configured but don’t test connectivity themselves. Remember, some networks block ICMP traffic, so a ping might fail even when the route is otherwise fine.