A program used to test reachability of destinations by sending them an ICMP echo request and waiting for a reply. The term is used as a verb: "Ping host X to see if it is up!" See also: Internet Control Message Protocol. [Source: RFC1208
1) A program useful in testing and debugging local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) systems. It sends out an echo and expects a specified host to respond in a specified time frame. 2) A transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) utility that sends packets of information to a computer on a network. A PING can be used to determine whether a computer is connected to the Internet.
Utility for determining whether a specific IP address is accessible. It works by sending a self-returning packet to a host and times how long it takes to return. PING is used primarily to troubleshoot Internet connections.