PathPing is a simple and effective in-built tool for Windows machines to troubleshoot network-related errors. It is a command that can be used via the command prompt and Powershell. PathPing command effectively provides all kinds of information regarding network latency and network loss at intermediate hops. These hops lie between the source and destination address. PathPing is a combination of both Ping and Tracert, as it features some functionality of both of these commands.
Now, how exactly does pingpath work? For starters, PathPing sends packets to every router at its destination. By doing so, it then calculates its results based on the packets returned from each hop. This way, it becomes far simpler to locate where the lost packets are occurring. Hence, you can discover the location of the problem. PathPing can identify if your packets can make it across the network and if they’re utilizing the preferred path.
Keep reading this article to learn in detail about PathPing.
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Contents
How Can You Use PathPing?
The PathPing command is restricted to Windows users only for usage. The command can be run in Powershell or from the command prompt. To open up your command prompt, commence as follows.
- Use the shortcut Windows Key+ R to open your device’s run window.
- Next, input ‘cmd’
- Finally, press ‘Enter,’ and a black terminal will appear. This is where you will execute the Pathping command.
At this stage, you can input ‘PathPing’ followed by the IP address or a hostname. As you can tell, it is very similar to a normal ping.
Once done, press ‘Enter.’ Depending on the number of hops between you and the destination, this process could take some time. The command will start by tracing the router. It will show you all nodes on the route. Just this information is beneficial in understanding where the issue lies. For example, the problem could lie within a firewall.
Once it finishes tracing, it will calculate the latency and packet loss for all hops on the route. This is a highly time-consuming process. Therefore, if you do not require this information, use the shortcut Ctrl + C to cancel it.
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How Can You Speed Up PathPing’ s Process?
Pathping works pretty slowly. You can use various parameters that come with it to speed up the process. These parameters are as follows:
- -n switch: By default, the PathPing command resolves the hostname of every hop it comes across. This can prove to be time-consuming. Using this, you may prevent PathPing from resolving all hostnames. This will then speed up the traceroute part.
- -q switch: The PathPing command, by default, sends out a hundred queries to each host. This parameter can help you bring that number down to your preferred choice. For example, the number of queries can be reduced to ten from the default 100. The statics that is computed after the trace will hence be sped up.
- -p switch: The purpose of this parameter is to reduce the wait time between all pings. PathPing, by default, waits 250 milliseconds between each ping. However, it reduces to 100 milliseconds as well. Therefore, ten pings can occur in a second instead of 4.
- -h switch: This parameter allows you to set the number of hops you wish to test. The default number of hops is 30. So depending on where you want to reach, this figure can be lowered. For example, if you want to test if you can reach your ISP, a total of 4-5 hops should suffice.
- -w switch: This is the final proper parameter the PathPing command offers. This aims to specify the number of seconds to wait for every reply. Therefore, if a hostname is unreachable, it can try again after some time. By default, the time limit is three seconds. By reducing it to 500 milliseconds, the process becomes much quicker than initially anticipated.
You can apply other options; however, these are the most common. By typing PathPing in the command prompt, you can check out the other options and their uses.
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FAQs
What is the MTU size of PathPing?
The maximum size permitted for much of the Internet is 1500 bytes, the default Ethernet II MTU size. Even though it is established that this figure works well in most situations, it may occasionally be changed to a higher or lower value.
How to test packet loss in PathPing?
In the Command Prompt, type PathPing and hit Enter. Type the hostname of the device you want to check. Await the test's conclusion. To measure the return time and packet loss at each hop along the way, PathPing will send a set of packets to the target device.
What outcomes does PathPing produce?
The path is there as the first result when you run PathPing. After that, a busy message appears for roughly 90 seconds (the duration of time depends on the number of hops). One can acquire data from the routers and their connections during this period. The test results appear after this time.
Why one uses the PathPing command?
The PathPing command is a commonly used instrument for resolving network problems. Typically, it locates the routers between the source and the destination first, and by sending echo requests, it determines the latency and packet loss between the source and each router along the way.
What happens if the ping is high?
A high ping results in a longer lag. However, it also suggests that your internet connection speed will likely slow. Remember that ping measures the time it takes for a device to fetch data from another server. Therefore, the ping will be lower the faster it is.
Conclusion
So if you’ve ever wondered what PathPing is, you’ve got your answer. Overall, it is a nifty in-built tool to test your network. Though it doesn’t get the best points in speed, it is still highly effective. Understanding this tool could also enable you to better your understanding of your router. Therefore, you should first use Pathping to troubleshoot your network-related errors rather than hire a technician immediately.
Read More: Home Network Monitoring (A Complete Guide)
You can always find me with a cup of coffee Googling anything and everything related to the networking. Refer to our detailed How-To Guides on wifi routers and never face any issue with router again!