What Port Does Ping Use?

If you’ve ever troubleshooted a slow internet connection, you’ve probably typed:

ping google.com

and watched those little reply times scroll by. It feels like a digital knock on someone’s door: “Hello? Are you there?”

But here’s the twist, unlike most network tools, ping doesn’t use any port at all.

Wait… No Port?

When we think of network communication, ports are everywhere.

• Websites? They use TCP port 80(HTTP) or 443 (HTTPS).
• SSH? That’s usually port 22.
• DNS lookups? UDP port 53.

But ping is different. It doesn’t ride on TCP or UDP, where ports live. Instead, it uses a separate protocol: ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol).

ICMP works one step lower in the networking stack — at the network layer (Layer 3) instead of the transport layer (Layer 4). And since ports only exist in Layer 4, ping never touches them.

How Ping Works

Think of it like this:

• Ping is a quick “knock” on a computer’s door. It doesn’t care which room (service) inside the house answers, it just wants to know if the house is still standing.
• Port testing, on the other hand, is like asking: “Is the kitchen open?” or “Can I use the study room?”

When you run:

ping 8.8.8.8

Your computer sends out an ICMP Echo Request (Type 8, Code 0). If the target is alive and reachable, it replies with an ICMP Echo Reply (Type 0, Code 0).

No port numbers, no TCP handshake, just a simple “alive or not” check.

Why People Think Ping Has a Port

This confusion usually comes from how people use the word “ping”. For example, you might hear:

“Try pinging port 443 to see if the web server’s up.”

But that’s not ICMP ping. What they mean is testing if a service on that port responds, usually with tools like nc or telnet.

So:

• Ping (ICMP) = “Can I reach this computer at all?”
• Port check (TCP/UDP) = “Is this specific service open and listening?”

Why People Think Ping Has a Port

Part of the confusion comes from language. People often say “ping a port”, but what they usually mean is test if a service is listening on that port.

For example:

nc -vz host 80

That’s not ICMP at all; it’s a TCP connection attempt. It works more like calling someone’s phone extension, whereas ping is just shouting across the hallway: “Hey, are you there?”

Ping vs Port Check: Side-by-Side

Aspect	Ping (ICMP)	Port Check (TCP/UDP)
OSI Layer	Layer 3 – Network	Layer 4 – Transport
Uses Ports	❌ No	✅ Yes
What It Tests	Host reachability	Specific service availability
Example	ping 8.8.8.8	nc -vz host 443
Everyday Analogy	Knocking on the door: “Anyone home?”	Asking: “Is the kitchen open?”

Why This Matters in Troubleshooting

Here’s a real-world example:

• You can ping a server, but your web app doesn’t load → The house is there, but the kitchen (port 443) is locked.
• You can’t ping a server, but your browser works fine → The house ignores knocks (ICMP blocked), but the kitchen is still serving meals.

Understanding this saves you from a lot of “Is the server down?” confusion.

A Quick Note on IPv6

With IPv6, ping still doesn’t use ports; it relies on ICMPv6. Echo Requests are Type 128, Echo Replies are Type 129.

One important twist: ICMPv6 isn’t just for ping. It’s also responsible for essential functions like Neighbor Discovery (IPv6’s version of ARP). If you block ICMPv6 entirely, you can break basic connectivity — even if your apps seem fine at first.

Conclusion

So, what port does ping use?

None. Zero. Nada.

Ping lives in its world with ICMP at the network layer. That’s why it feels different from tools that check ports.

• Use ping when you want to know if a machine is reachable.
• Use a port test when you want to know if a particular service is running.

Both are simple, but they answer different questions. Together, they’re some of the most useful tools in a network troubleshooter’s toolkit.

References:

What port does 'ping' work on?