Introduction
You will discover how to use several resources to ping a specific port on Windows and Linux in this article.
One of the best ways to diagnose problems and determine whether a service is operational is to ping with port number.
To be more precise, the command checks to see if a host or even an IP address is approachable. Various operating systems support the network layer protocol known as Ping, also known as Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP).
In contrast, transport layer protocols like TCP and UDP get associated with port numbers. When an Internet or any other network message comes, port numbers make it easier to determine where it will get routed.
System Requirements
For this strategy, the following systems are needed:
- an OS such as Linux or Windows
- Using the command line
- a user account with the sudo/admin rights
Can you Ping a Specific Port on Linux?
As ICMP does not require specific port numbers and utilizes ICMP packets instead, a port cannot be ping-ed. To verify when a port is either open or closed, we can use ping, though, which serves a similar purpose.
ICMP is a protocol used by network devices to communicate errors and information about whether or not they have successfully communicated with an IP address. Because ICMP is not used for data transmission between systems, it distinguishes it from transport protocols.
The ability to simulate an effort to connect to a certain port and wait for a response from the target host is provided by some networking tools and utilities. The goal port is open when there’s a reply. If not, either the target port is getting closed, or perhaps the host cannot accept a connection since no service has been set to monitor for requests on that port.
How to Ping a Specific Port in Linux?
You can Ping on Specific Port with one of three techniques:
- Telnet
- Netcat (nc)
- Network Mapping (nmap)
Ping with Port number using Telnet
For interactive contact with the target host over a virtual terminal connection, the Telnet mechanism get utilized.
1. Launch a terminal window then type telnet to see if telnet is already installed.
2. Use the command listed below to install telnet if it isn’t already installed.
yum -y install telnet for Fedora/CentOS.
In Ubuntu, type sudo apt and install telnet.
3. Use the following command to ping specific port utilising telnet:
telnet <address> <port_number>
The host’s domain and IP address get specified in the syntax address>, and the port you would like to ping gets specified in the syntax port number>.
telnet google.com 443
The connection gets made through telnet if the port is open. If not, it declares a failure.
4. Use the ‘q’ command to end telnet by pressing ‘Ctrl + ]’
Ping to Specific Port Using Netcat
TCP and UDP are the two protocols that get used by Netcat (nc) to read and write from contacts. There are multiple distributed tasks that this command-line program can handle.
1. To verify that Netcat is set up:
- You should type netcat -h for Debian, Ubuntu, and Mint.
- Use the command “ncat -h” for Fedora, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and CentOS.
2. Use the command below in the terminal when Netcat is not already installed:
sudo apt install netcat
3. Type these commands into Netcat to ping with specific port:
nc -vz <address> <port number>
If a connection to the particular port was either successful or unsuccessful, it gets indicated in the response to the user. The port opens if the attempt is successful.
Ping Specific Port using Network Mapper (nmap)
A tool for networks called Nmap serves the purpose of network discovery and vulnerability analysis. The tool can also get used to find open ports and identify security problems.
It is key to remember that using Nmap improperly can have legal repercussions, such as overloading a network as well as disabling a system.
1. Run nmap -version inside the terminal to see if Nmap gets installed.
- The output tells the user what version of the software and platform gets used, whether Nmap gets installed, and additional information.
2. Type the command below if your machine doesn’t already have Nmap running:
For Linux distributions based on CentOS or RHEL: sudo yum install nmap
- sudo apt install nmap on a Linux system running Ubuntu or Debian.
3. To ping a particular port number after Nmap has got installed on the computer, utilize this command:
nmap -p <port_number> <address>
The output provides the user with data regarding the status, the type of service provided by the port, the latencies, and the remaining time till the task get finished.
4. Use nmap -p “number-range” “address” to ping with port number.
The range of ports you would like to ping, divided by a hyphen, would be the syntax of “number-range.”
- For instance: nmap -p 88-93 google.com
Also Read: How to Setup Cron Job in Linux
How to Ping a Specific Port in Windows?
Pinging a port with Windows can get done in one of two ways:
- Telnet
- PowerShell
Use Telnet to Ping a Port
Check to see if telnet is active before using it:
1. Access the Control Panel.
2. Choose Programs, followed by Programs and Features.
3. Click the On or Off Windows Functions option.
4. Click the box next to Telnet Client. Choose OK.
You now turned on the system’s Telnet Client.
You can get prepared to use telnet to ping a specific port only after the function gets finished.
Do the following actions:
1. Use the start menu to look up “cmd.” Choose the Command Prompt button.
2. Type the following in the command prompt window:
telnet <address> <port number>
The host’s domain and IP address get specified in the syntax address>, and the port number you would like to ping gets specified in the syntax port number>.
You can determine whether the port is accessible and open from the output.
Another option is to display a message about a connection failure.
Ping a Specific Port Using PowerShell
Windows by default include the text-based shell PowerShell.
By carrying out the subsequent actions, you can ping a port using PowerShell:
1. Look up “PowerShell” in the menu. To launch Windows PowerShell, click it.
2. Enter the following into the PowerShell command window.
Test-NetConnection <address> -p <port_number>
A successful TCP test results from an open port and a working connection. If not, a notice stating that the TCP connection ended in failure shows.
Also Read: Check Python Version in Linux, Mac, & Window
Summing Up
By using a variety of network utilities and instruments on Linux and Windows, you now understand how to ping a specific port number.
Remember that without the owner’s authorization, you shouldn’t perform TCP probing or scans on a machine. If you don’t, your activities can be seen as a breach of security assault.
