What utility is used to test the reachability of a host on an IP network?

The Ping command is a utility used to test the reachability of a host on an IP network. It operates by sending Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo request packets to the specified host and waiting for an echo reply. This process allows users to determine whether the target host is online and reachable over the network. Additionally, Ping provides information on the round-trip time for packets to reach the host and return, which can help assess network latency and connectivity.

While Traceroute can provide information about the path packets take to reach a destination and can help identify network issues, it does not directly test reachability in the same straightforward manner as Ping. Netstat is a network statistics tool used to display active connections and listening ports, but it is not designed for testing reachability. Telnet is primarily used for establishing a connection to remote systems, typically for command-line interface access, rather than testing if a host is reachable on the network.