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Old August 14th 18, 09:39 PM posted to microsoft.public.windowsxp.general
VanguardLH[_2_]
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Posts: 10,881
Default Retaining ping response

KenK wrote:

I'm looking to see if an email server exists.

I type in 'ping' and its name in the Run dialog. Three responses come up
very briefly, then the display disappears. How can I get it to remain on
the screen? I used to know how but have forgotten.

TIA to those with better memories, or at least younger memories.


DOS-mode programs do not supply their own window. They use the console
window (stdout) of the shell in which they run. If you run a DOS-mode
program by having the OS invoke a shell for it, the shell loads, the
program runs, and then the shell unloads which takes its console window
with it. If you want to continue viewing the output of the program, you
need to keep the shell open - so load the shell yourself. Run:

cmd.exe

Then enter the DOS-mode program you want to run, like ping.exe. If you
want to run programs that require administrator privileges, you need to
load the command shell with admin privs.

Note that not all servers will respond to ping. Many consider it a
waste of their resources to be spending time communicating with a client
that just wants to see if the server is both reachable and responsive.
The admin of the server or boundary host (to their server farm) may
disable ICMP 0 and 8 for echo and reply (ping) in their firewall. ICMP
packets can be variable in size, and ping has been abused in [D]DOS
([Distributed] Denial of Service) attacks to overload a server and to
create covert channels (ICMP tunnels) for communication.

Perhaps a better way to see if you can reach and connected to an e-mail
server is to start a session with it. Use telnet to connect to the
server. Even if it uses SSL/TSL, you can still check if a simple
non-encrypted session can be started. Run:

telnet hostname port

This is a DOS-mode program whose stdout is the shell's console window.
So load a shell and then run the command, so you can continue seeing the
output of the program.

You are looking for the server to connect and to respond with a status,
not to actually perform a mail session. hostname is whatever is the
hostname for the mail server; e.g., mail.domain.tld. port depends on
what type of mail server to which you are connecting. You didn't say if
you are trying to connect to a POP or IMAP server (for you to receive
e-mail) or to an SMTP server (for you to send e-mail). For ports, use
whatever port your e-mail provider says to use. Typically the port
numbers a POP = 110, POPS = 995, IMAP = 143, IMAPS = 993, SMTP = 587
or 25, and SMTPS = 465.

All ping will tell you is if you reached the server host, not if the
server software is running on that host. IMCP will return responses if
the networking is working on that host. It does not involve the server
programs. Many server programs can run on the same host hence the
differentiation by using different port numbers to distinguish which
listening process (server) to which you want to connect on the same
host. If you want to check you can reach the server host *and* that the
server program (POP, IMAP, SMTP) is actually running and responsive,
then telnet to the host to establish a session with the listener there.
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