Ping test: how quickly does a server answer?
We time how long a server takes to accept a connection, 4 times in a row. The classic ping uses a special kind of message (ICMP) that our PHP web server can't send, so we time a normal TCP connection instead.
Reading your ping result
Ping time, also called latency, is how long a server takes to answer. It's counted in milliseconds (ms). A millisecond is a thousandth of a second, so lower numbers mean a quicker answer.
- Each row is one try at opening a connection. Several tries stop one slow moment from giving you the wrong idea.
- "timeout" means no connection opened in time. The server may be down, the port may be wrong, or a firewall may be in the way.
- The average only counts the tries that worked.
- Distance plays a part: data takes longer to reach a server on the other side of the world. We measure from our server, not your computer, so the times you get at home can be higher or lower.
Checking a proxy? Enter the address and port your provider gave you. For a website, keep the port that's already filled in, which is the usual one for secure (https) sites. Private addresses, such as your home router's, can't be tested from here.
