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Test-Connection.md

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external help file Locale Module Name ms.date online version schema title
Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.Management.dll-Help.xml
en-US
Microsoft.PowerShell.Management
07/31/2024
2.0.0
Test-Connection

Test-Connection

SYNOPSIS

Sends ICMP echo request packets, or pings, to one or more computers.

SYNTAX

Default (Default)

Test-Connection [-AsJob] [-DcomAuthentication <AuthenticationLevel>] [-WsmanAuthentication <String>]
 [-Protocol <String>] [-BufferSize <Int32>] [-ComputerName] <String[]> [-Count <Int32>]
 [-Impersonation <ImpersonationLevel>] [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [-TimeToLive <Int32>]
 [-Delay <Int32>] [<CommonParameters>]

Source

Test-Connection [-AsJob] [-DcomAuthentication <AuthenticationLevel>] [-WsmanAuthentication <String>]
 [-Protocol <String>] [-BufferSize <Int32>] [-ComputerName] <String[]> [-Count <Int32>]
 [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-Source] <String[]> [-Impersonation <ImpersonationLevel>]
 [-ThrottleLimit <Int32>] [-TimeToLive <Int32>] [-Delay <Int32>] [<CommonParameters>]

Quiet

Test-Connection [-DcomAuthentication <AuthenticationLevel>] [-WsmanAuthentication <String>]
 [-Protocol <String>] [-BufferSize <Int32>] [-ComputerName] <String[]> [-Count <Int32>]
 [-Impersonation <ImpersonationLevel>] [-TimeToLive <Int32>] [-Delay <Int32>] [-Quiet]
 [<CommonParameters>]

DESCRIPTION

The Test-Connection cmdlet sends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo request packets, or pings, to one or more remote computers and returns the echo response replies. You can use this cmdlet to determine whether a particular computer can be contacted across an IP network.

You can use the parameters of Test-Connection to specify both the sending and receiving computers, to run the command as a background job, to set a time-out and number of pings, and to configure the connection and authentication.

Unlike the familiar ping command, Test-Connection returns a Win32_PingStatus object that you can investigate in PowerShell. The Quiet parameter returns a Boolean value in a System.Boolean object for each tested connection. If multiple connections are tested, an array of Boolean values is returned.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Send echo requests to a remote computer

This example sends echo request packets from the local computer to the Server01 computer.

Test-Connection -ComputerName Server01
Source        Destination     IPV4Address     IPV6Address  Bytes    Time(ms)
------        -----------     -----------     -----------  -----    --------
ADMIN1        Server01         10.59.137.44                32       0
ADMIN1        Server01         10.59.137.44                32       0
ADMIN1        Server01         10.59.137.44                32       0
ADMIN1        Server01         10.59.137.44                32       1

Test-Connection uses the ComputerName parameter to specify the Server01 computer.

Example 2: Send echo requests to several computers

This example sends pings from the local computer to several remote computers.

Test-Connection -ComputerName Server01, Server02, Server12

Example 3: Send echo requests from several computers to a computer

This example sends pings from different source computers to a single remote computer, Server01.

Test-Connection -Source Server02, Server12, localhost -ComputerName Server01 -Credential Domain01\Admin01

Test-Connection uses the Credential parameter to specify the credentials of a user who has permission to send a ping request from the source computers. Use this command format to test the latency of connections from multiple points.

Example 4: Use parameters to customize the test command

This example uses the parameters of Test-Connection to customize the command. The local computer sends a ping test to a remote computer.

Test-Connection -ComputerName Server01 -Count 3 -Delay 2 -TTL 255 -BufferSize 256 -ThrottleLimit 32

Test-Connection uses the ComputerName parameter to specify Server01. The Count parameter specifies three pings are sent to the Server01 computer with a Delay of 2-second intervals.

You might use these options when the ping response is expected to take longer than usual, either because of an extended number of hops or a high-traffic network condition.

Example 5: Run a test as a background job

This example shows how to run a Test-Connection command as a PowerShell background job.

$job = Test-Connection -ComputerName (Get-Content Servers.txt) -AsJob
if ($job.JobStateInfo.State -ne "Running") {$Results = Receive-Job $job}

The Test-Connection command pings many computers in an enterprise. The value of the ComputerName parameter is a Get-Content command that reads a list of computer names from the Servers.txt file. The command uses the AsJob parameter to run the command as a background job and it saves the job in the $job variable.

The if command checks to see that the job isn't still running. If the job isn't running, Receive-Job gets the results and stores them in the $Results variable.

Example 6: Ping a remote computer with credentials

This command uses the Test-Connection cmdlet to ping a remote computer.

Test-Connection Server55 -Credential Domain55\User01 -Impersonation Identify

The command uses the Credential parameter to specify a user account that has permission to ping the remote computer and the Impersonation parameter to change the impersonation level to Identify.

Example 7: Create a session only if a connection test succeeds

This example creates a session on the Server01 computer only if at least one of the pings sent to the computer succeeds.

if (Test-Connection -ComputerName Server01 -Quiet) {New-PSSession Server01}

The if command uses the Test-Connection cmdlet to ping the Server01 computer. The command uses the Quiet parameter, which returns a Boolean value, instead of a Win32_PingStatus object. The value is $true if any of the four pings succeed and is, otherwise, $false.

If the Test-Connection command returns a value of $true, the command uses the New-PSSession cmdlet to create the PSSession.

PARAMETERS

-AsJob

Indicates that this cmdlet runs as a background job. When you specify the AsJob parameter, the command immediately returns an object that represents the background job. You can continue to work in the session while the job finishes. To get the job results, use the Receive-Job cmdlet.

For more information about PowerShell background jobs, see about_Jobs and about_Remote_Jobs.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: Default, Source
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-BufferSize

Specifies the size, in bytes, of the buffer sent with this command. The default value is 32.

Type: System.Int32
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: Size, Bytes, BS

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: 32
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-ComputerName

Specifies the computers to ping. Type the computer names or type IP addresses in IPv4 or IPv6 format. Wildcard characters are not permitted. This parameter is required.

This parameter doesn't rely on PowerShell remoting. You can use the ComputerName parameter even if your computer isn't configured to run remote commands.

Note

The ComputerName parameter is renamed to TargetName in PowerShell 6.0 and above.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: CN, IPAddress, __SERVER, Server, Destination

Required: True
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Count

Specifies the number of echo requests to send. The default value is 4.

Type: System.Int32
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: 4
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Credential

Specifies a user account that has permission to send a ping request from the source computer. Type a user name, such as User01 or Domain01\User01, or enter a PSCredential object, such as one from the Get-Credential cmdlet.

The Credential parameter is valid only when the Source parameter is used in the command. The credentials don't affect the destination computer.

Type: System.Management.Automation.PSCredential
Parameter Sets: Source
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: Current user
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-DcomAuthentication

Specifies the authentication level that this cmdlet uses with WMI. Test-Connection uses WMI. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Default. Windows Authentication
  • None. No COM authentication
  • Connect. Connect-level COM authentication
  • Call. Call-level COM authentication
  • Packet. Packet-level COM authentication
  • PacketIntegrity. Packet Integrity-level COM authentication
  • PacketPrivacy. Packet Privacy-level COM authentication
  • Unchanged. Same as the previous command

The default value is Packet that has an enumerated value of 4. For more information about the values of this parameter, see AuthenticationLevel enumeration.

Type: System.Management.AuthenticationLevel
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: Authentication
Accepted values: Default, None, Connect, Call, Packet, PacketIntegrity, PacketPrivacy, Unchanged

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: Packet (enumerated value of 4)
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Delay

Specifies the interval between pings, in seconds.

Type: System.Int32
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: 1 (second)
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Impersonation

Specifies the impersonation level to use when this cmdlet calls WMI. Test-Connection uses WMI.

The acceptable values for this parameter are as follows:

  • Default. Default impersonation.
  • Anonymous. Hides the identity of the caller.
  • Identify. Allows objects to query the credentials of the caller.
  • Impersonate. Allows objects to use the credentials of the caller.

The default value is Impersonate.

Type: System.Management.ImpersonationLevel
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Accepted values: Default, Anonymous, Identify, Impersonate, Delegate

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: Impersonate
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Protocol

Specifies a protocol. The acceptable values for this parameter are DCOM and WSMan.

Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Accepted values: DCOM, WSMan

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Quiet

The Quiet parameter returns a Boolean value in a System.Boolean object. Using this parameter suppresses all errors.

Each connection that's tested returns a Boolean value. If the ComputerName parameter specifies multiple computers, an array of Boolean values is returned.

If any ping succeeds, $true is returned.

If all pings fail, $false is returned.

Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: Quiet
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-Source

Specifies the names of the computers where the ping originates. Enter a comma-separated list of computer names. The default is the local computer.

Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: Source
Aliases: FCN, SRC

Required: True
Position: 1
Default value: Local computer
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-ThrottleLimit

Specifies the maximum number of concurrent connections that can be established to run this command. If you omit this parameter or enter a value of 0, the default value, 32, is used.

The throttle limit applies only to the current command, not to the session or to the computer.

Type: System.Int32
Parameter Sets: Default, Source
Aliases:

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: 32
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-TimeToLive

Specifies the maximum times a packet can be forwarded. For every hop in gateways, routers etc. the TimeToLive value is decreased by one. At zero the packet is discarded and an error is returned. In Windows, The default value is 128. The alias of the TimeToLive parameter is TTL.

Type: System.Int32
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases: TTL

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: 128 in Windows
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

-WsmanAuthentication

Specifies the mechanism that is used to authenticate the user credentials when this cmdlet uses the WSMan protocol. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • Basic
  • CredSSP
  • Default
  • Digest
  • Kerberos
  • Negotiate.

The default value is Default.

For more information about the values of this parameter, see AuthenticationMechanism Enumeration.

Caution: Credential Security Service Provider (CredSSP) authentication, in which the user credentials are passed to a remote computer to be authenticated, is designed for commands that require authentication on more than one resource, such as accessing a remote network share. This mechanism increases the security risk of the remote operation. If the remote computer is compromised, the credentials that are passed to it can be used to control the network session.

This parameter was introduced in Windows PowerShell 3.0.

Type: System.String
Parameter Sets: (All)
Aliases:
Accepted values: Default, Basic, Negotiate, CredSSP, Digest, Kerberos

Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: Default
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False

CommonParameters

This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutVariable, -OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.

INPUTS

None

You can't pipe objects to this cmdlet.

OUTPUTS

System.Management.ManagementObject#root\cimv2\Win32_PingStatus

By default, this cmdlet returns a Win32_PingStatus object for each ping reply.

System.Management.Automation.RemotingJob

This cmdlet returns a job object, if you specify the AsJob parameter.

System.Boolean

When you use the Quiet parameter, this returns a Boolean value. If the cmdlet tests multiple connections, it returns an array of Boolean values.

NOTES

This cmdlet uses the Win32_PingStatus class. A Get-WmiObject Win32_PingStatus command is equivalent to a Test-Connection command.

The Source parameter set was introduced in PowerShell 3.0.

RELATED LINKS

Add-Computer

Restart-Computer

Stop-Computer