Which type of device most commonly responds to ICMP ping requests in a typical network?

Which type of device most commonly responds to ICMP ping requests in a typical network?

• A. IBM mainframes
• B. Windows workstations
• C. Unix and Unix-like systems
• D. Network printers

Answer: (C)

ICMP ping works by sending an Echo Request and waiting for an Echo Reply. A device will respond only if ICMP Echo messages are allowed through, either by default settings or firewall rules. Unix and Unix-like systems typically permit ICMP Echo replies by default, so they reliably answer ping in most networks. Windows machines often block such requests via firewall settings, printers vary in their policy, and IBM mainframes are not common in everyday networks. Because of this, Unix and Unix-like systems are the most likely to respond to ping in a typical network.

ICMP ping works by sending an Echo Request and waiting for an Echo Reply. A device will respond only if ICMP Echo messages are allowed through, either by default settings or firewall rules. Unix and Unix-like systems typically permit ICMP Echo replies by default, so they reliably answer ping in most networks. Windows machines often block such requests via firewall settings, printers vary in their policy, and IBM mainframes are not common in everyday networks. Because of this, Unix and Unix-like systems are the most likely to respond to ping in a typical network.