How to Install ping Command on Ubuntu Linux

You install the ping command on Ubuntu Linux by installing the iputils-ping package.

The ping command is a vital network utility that checks connectivity between devices on an IP network. It works by sending ICMP echo request packets and waits for replies, helping you diagnose network problems.

While ping is usually built-in, minimal Ubuntu installations or Docker containers might lack it. If you encounter a “command not found” error when you try to use ping, this guide will show you how to install it.

You might also see a “Package ‘ping’ has no installation candidate” error if you attempt a standard apt install ping, as that’s not the correct package name.

Install ping command

Because the ping command can be missing in minimal Ubuntu installations or when using Ubuntu as a Docker container, here’s how to get it installed.

To install ping, you’ll need the package named iputils-ping. You’ll use the command `sudo apt update && sudo apt install iputils-ping` to install it.

sudo apt install iputils-ping

Once the package is installed, you can use the ping command to test network connectivity.

ping localhost

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• The ping command is a vital network utility for testing connectivity in Ubuntu Linux.
• 💿 Installing the iputils-ping package is necessary to use the ping command in minimal Ubuntu editions or Ubuntu running as a Docker.
• Verifying network connectivity using ping localhost can ensure that the installation was successful.