What is Ping? How to check Ping on computer

The loading speed of a website or whether playing online games is smooth or not depends greatly on the Ping index. So what is Ping? What is ping ms? How to check Ping? Let's find out with TipsMake through the following article.

What is Ping?

Ping is short for Packet Internet Grouper , also known by another name Ping MS . This is a tool that measures the total time it takes for one device to send and receive data from another device. This measurement is called latency .

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So how much Ping is considered stable? Ping of 100 ms or less is a stable level, common for most broadband connections. Checking the Ping index also helps confirm technical errors in the process of sending data packets, if any. 

The way Ping works is quite simple, the Ping command on the host device will send signals through intermediate stations and then to the device to be tested. In case a data packet is received, the device will respond, and Ping will display the time of receipt and return of results.

If interrupted, the user will receive an error message. Thanks to that, Ping can also estimate the rate of possible lost data packets as well as the delay time between two machines. 

Meaning of Ping

The Ping command helps users measure web browsing speed, which means the time between clicking on a website and when that website starts to load. This amount of time waiting for the website to start loading is also called latency . Therefore, Ping test also helps users know whether the quality of network service is good or not.

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Ping is a familiar concept to those who often play online games. Normally, today's online games will display this information on a corner of the screen, close to the settings to show the player's current network status.

The higher this number is, even up to hundreds of ms (milliseconds), the more the game will lag or be interrupted because the network quality at that time is not good. This is also the main reason why game play is temporarily interrupted, not due to computer configuration or other reasons.

How does ping work?

The way Ping works is extremely strict in each order to ensure accuracy for users. However, understood in the simplest way, there are three main steps as follows:

1. Computer or device A sends a signal/packet to the IP address of computer or device B.
2. Does device B receive that signal/packet?
3. If received successfully, it will respond to device A, at which point the Ping command will display successfully and vice versa. 

Instructions for checking Ping on computer

How to check Ping speed on a computer is not difficult, users can easily check it themselves. Below are the simplest Ping testing steps for Windows and MacOS operating systems.

For Windows

How to check Ping speed for Windows operating system is as follows: 

1. Step 1: Open the Run window by pressing the Windows + R  key combination.
2. Step 2: In the search box, type the keyword CMD and press OK.
3. Step 3: When the CMD window appears, type in the command line to check Ping the IP address of the network operator you are using and press Enter.

Note: The specific addresses of the network operators are as follows: 

1. Viettel network IP: 203.113.131.1.

1. VNPT network IP: 203.162.4.190.

1. FPT network IP: 210.245.31.130.

1. Step 4: Ping speed will display details.

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For MacOS

How to check the Ping index of MacOS operating system has many differences compared to Windows operating system, you follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Click on the magnifying glass icon then type Spotlight to open Spotlight.
2. Step 2: Enter network utility in the Spotlight search box in the middle of the screen
3. Step 3: Click on Ping at the top of the screen
4. Step 4: Enter the address you want to check and press Ping .
5. Step 5: Check the Ping results displayed on the screen.

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Meaning of the parameters returned when checking Ping

Ping results will return 3 parameters with the following meanings:

1. When results are returned with low ms and stable fluctuation frequency, the user's network quality is very good.
2. If the ms index is high, it means the network quality is low, of course it will cause users to experience lag and use the network more slowly.
3. Finally, when displaying request time out, it means that the user's network connection is interrupted or disconnected. 

Instructions on how to adjust Ping

According to many network operators as well as technical staff, Internet connection will have problems when the Ping index is too high and this can only be fixed in two ways as follows:

1. Upgrading computers and laptops: Gaming devices will ensure the network card and mainboard operate better. Therefore, if possible, users can upgrade their devices to these lines.
2. Install applications - Ping reduction software: a simpler and less expensive way is that users can install some Ping reduction software to improve Internet connection. Some quite famous software today are: Haste, WTFast, cFosSpeed,. 

Frequently asked questions about Ping?

Regarding the Ping command, users often have some concerns as follows:

What does ping mean when playing games?

In games, ping represents the network latency between the player's computer and other clients (peers) or the game's server. The higher the Ping index, the lower the user's gaming experience and vice versa.
In the game, a low Ping level will be calculated as less than 20ms. From 50ms to 100ms is about good to average, this is also a common indicator. A ping of 150ms or more is considered a high ping and any player does not expect to see this number displayed on the screen.

What affects Ping speed?

In fact, Ping speed is governed by the following factors: 
- Quality of the network service provider.
– Internet connection speed.
– Firewall configuration.
- Bandwidth.
- Geographical location.

How does ping affect web browsers?

Just like with online games, the lower the Ping, the lower the network latency. This means that with good network speed, the faster the time users can access websites to read newspapers, watch movies, etc.
On the contrary, high Ping shows poor network speed, users will have to wait a long time to access the websites they want. Affects user experience.

Epilogue

Hopefully with the above article, you have learned what Ping is and what the Ping command is used for. Besides, you can also check Ping yourself easily. If you notice that your network often lags, check your Ping index so you can fix it promptly.

Kareem Winters

Update 03 October 2023