Ping - extended feature

The extended ping feature in Cisco IOS is a powerful troubleshooting tool that allows users to perform advanced ping operations with more customizable options compared to the standard ping command. Extended ping provides the capability to specify different parameters like the source IPv4 or IPv6 address, the size of the packets, the number of pings, the timeout, and more.

How to Use Extended Ping

To initiate extended ping, use the following command in privileged EXEC mode (not user mode):

Router# ping

When you enter ping without any arguments, you will be prompted with a series of questions that allow you to set various parameters. Below is a typical extended ping prompt:

Protocol [ip]: 
Target IP address: 192.168.1.1
Repeat count [5]: 10
Datagram size [100]: 200
Timeout in seconds [2]: 1
Extended commands [n]: y
Source address or interface: 192.168.2.1
Type of service [0]:
Set DF bit in IP header? [no]:
Validate reply data? [no]:
Data pattern [0xABCD]:
Loose, Strict, Record, Timestamp, Verbose[none]:
Sweep range of sizes [n]:

Key Parameters

  • Protocol: Specify the protocol (e.g., IP).
  • Target IP address: IP address of the destination device.
  • Repeat count: Number of ping packets to send.
  • Datagram size: Size of each ping packet in bytes.
  • Timeout: Timeout in seconds for each reply.
  • Extended commands: Allows access to additional parameters like source address/interface.
  • Source address or interface: Define the source IP address or interface.
  • Type of service (ToS): Specify the ToS value in the packet.
  • Set DF bit: Whether to set the "Don't Fragment" bit.
  • Validate reply data: Check data integrity.
  • Loose, Strict, Record, Timestamp, Verbose: Specify options for route record, strict source routing, timestamping, or verbose output.
  • Sweep range of sizes: Enables packet size sweeping to test for MTU issues.

Example Use Case

Suppose you want to test connectivity from a specific source address, send 50 pings with 500-byte packets, and use a timeout of 3 seconds per ping. Here's how you would configure it:

Router# ping
Protocol [ip]: 
Target IP address: 10.1.1.2
Repeat count [5]: 50
Datagram size [100]: 500
Timeout in seconds [2]: 3
Extended commands [n]: y
Source address or interface: 10.2.2.1
Type of service [0]: 
Set DF bit in IP header? [no]: 
Validate reply data? [no]: 
Data pattern [0xABCD]: 
Loose, Strict, Record, Timestamp, Verbose[none]: 
Sweep range of sizes [n]:

Benefits of Extended Ping

  • Testing from a specific source: Useful for simulating traffic from different segments.
  • Determining path MTU: The ability to test varying packet sizes helps identify Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) issues.
  • Verifying ToS configurations: Test QoS configurations by setting different ToS values.
  • Checking connectivity from multiple devices: In scenarios with multiple links and devices, extended ping helps verify end-to-end communication.

Extended ping is an essential tool for network engineers when diagnosing issues in Cisco IOS environments, providing insights that go beyond basic connectivity testing.

Links:

https://networklessons.com/cisco/ccna-routing-switching-icnd1-100-105/ping-troubleshooting-on-cisco-ios

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