Ping Probe Configuration in Proberix
This guide explains how to configure Ping probes in Proberix to monitor host availability using ICMP echo requests (Ping). This is one of the simplest and most effective methods to detect basic network connectivity issues and round-trip latency.
Required Configuration
Host/IP:
The target hostname or IP address to ping. This must be a publicly accessible endpoint, as Proberix agents cannot reach private networks.
Optional Configuration
Packet Size (bytes):
Specifies the size of the ICMP packet sent. Useful for testing how the network handles larger payloads, diagnosing MTU limits, or simulating heavier traffic.
TTL (Time To Live):
Sets the maximum number of network hops the packet can traverse. Useful for detecting how far into a route the packet travels before being dropped, or diagnosing routing issues.
Monitoring Process
When a Ping probe is executed, Proberix performs the following:
- Sends a single ICMP echo request to the specified host.
- Waits up to 5 seconds for a response.
- Parses the result:
- If a response is received, it records the round-trip time.
- If no response or an error is encountered, it records a failure.
Ping response bodies are retained for 7 days, while probe statistics such as response time are stored for 6 months and can be reviewed in your Proberix dashboard.
Possible Outcomes
"ok"— Host is reachable and responded within the timeout."unreachable"— Host did not respond (e.g., packet loss, firewall block)."error"— System error (e.g., malformed host, permission issues, ping binary unavailable).
Best Practices
- Use Ping probes to monitor low-level availability, especially for critical infrastructure like routers, gateways, or upstream services.
- Combine with TCP or HTTP probes to correlate transport-level and application-level availability.
- Avoid using overly large packet sizes or tight TTL values unless you are diagnosing specific network issues.
- Ensure that ICMP is not blocked by firewalls or network policies for the target host.
Advanced Considerations
Ping probes rely on system-level utilities and may be affected by environment constraints, such as restricted permissions or unavailable ping binaries. ICMP packets can also be deprioritized or blocked by some networks, which may cause false negatives. For more accurate results, use Ping probes in combination with other probe types to confirm the full health of your services.