Ping tools, also known as ping commands and ping utilities, are programs that use the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) to determine the availability and responsiveness of network nodes. The ping command is built into Windows, Linux, and macOS and is easy to use, but it is also available in the form of third-party tools that you can download.

Compared to the standard operating system ping commands, these tools typically provide a graphical interface and sometimes graphs to track ping test statistics over time.

There is no shortage of Ping tools for desktop computers. Here are some of the most popular free ping tools for troubleshooting network issues.

ManageEngine Tools includes a polished, free ping tool as part of a suite of network tools. You can ping a single host, add multiple hosts to the queue and run them all at once, and modify ping and web response times. There’s also a traceroute tool and an option to check the responsiveness of a website in semi-real time. The tool is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7, and some older versions of Windows.