# Ping a host

### Description

The `Ping a host` action can be used to ping a host using the ICMP protocol.

The result it true when the host is reachable, otherwise false.

### Options

| Option               | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Workflow action name | The name of the workflow action.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| Host name/IP         | The name or the IP address of the host to ping                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| Ping type            | <p>The type of ping to send to the specified hostname or IP address</p><ul><li>Classic ping: This calls the ping as a command line of the operating system. The result is true when no packets (defined in the "Nr. packets to send" option) are lost.</li><li>System ping: This option uses the Java implemented methods. The result is true when the host name can be resolved and the host is reachable within the given timeout period.</li><li>System ping then classic ping: try both options (first the system ping and when that fails, try the classic ping)</li></ul> |
| Timeout (ms)         | The timeout in ms when the system ping option is used.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| Nr. packets to send  | The number of packets to send (by default 2, only used by the Classic ping option).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |


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