Ping asks the simplest question in networking: 'Are you there?' Learn to read its answers—the milliseconds, the silences, the patterns that reveal whether your packets are reaching their destination.
The basic ping command reveals almost nothing. Learn the options that expose packet loss patterns, MTU problems, and routing issues hiding beneath successful replies.
Traceroute exploits a clever hack in the Internet Protocol to map the invisible path your packets travel—and pinpoint exactly where things break down.
A one-time traceroute is like checking your pulse once and declaring yourself healthy. MTR keeps watching until the network reveals where it actually hurts.
Netcat connects your terminal directly to the network—type commands, see responses. Learn to test ports, transfer files, debug protocols, and understand what's actually happening on the wire.
Telnet was abandoned for remote access because it's insecure. But that simplicity makes it perfect for one thing: testing whether a port is open and something is listening.
Was this page helpful?