What is the Traceroute command?

The Traceroute command (Tracert on Windows) is a small network diagnostic software that you have built-in on your device and servers for tracing the route, hop by hop to a target.
Many network administrators use the Traceroute command daily. It is a convenient tool that you can use under different operation systems – Windows (Tracert), macOS, Linux (Traceroute), and even on mobile (Android and iOS).
To access the traceroute, you will need to use the Terminal (Linux and macOS) or the Command Prompt (Windows).
You can use the Traceroute and see the full route that the packets take to their destination (domain or IP address). Apart from that, you will see the hostnames and IPs of the routers on the way and the latency, the time it takes for each device to receive and resend the data.
You can see which gateway is discarding your data, and later you can fix it.

How does it work?

When you run a traceroute, you send an IP packet containing the source and destination addresses and the time to live (TTL) for each hop. TTL in packets decreases with each hop. This is to avoid server looping issues. Furthermore, when the TTL is reached, the packet expires and is discarded. When this occurs, Traceroute returns to the sender ICMP Time Exceeded messages (RFC 792). Because small TTL settings cause packets to expire quickly, traceroute forces all routers in a packet’s path to produce the ICMP messages that identify the router.

To better visualize the traceroute’s working mechanism, you can look at the following chart.

Why use the Traceroute or the Tracert command?

The benefits of using the traceroute command or its alternative for Windows called tracert command are:

• Complete route list. You will see all the routers on the way, with their IP addresses and the time it took. You can better understand the network.
• Route timing. See how much time does it take to finish the query. Is it ok for you? What can you do to speed it up? You can have a starting point for improvements.
• It is built-in. You don’t need to install additional software, and its use is free.
• Check if you can reach a target. See if there is a connection between your device and the hostname or IP address you put in the command.
• See problematic slow router. You can see how much time it took in each hop. So you can see a spot that significantly slows your network. You can fix the problem or add more presence in the area.

When will you need it?

Here are several scenarios where using a traceroute to diagnose a problem you are having can be necessary.

• Sluggish site

Run a traceroute from your computer to your website if you find it is operating slowly. With it, you will check for networking issues between your location and the server.

• Customer timeouts for email

Run a traceroute to assess the quality of the connection to the mail server if you have problems with your mail connection. In addition, you can find your mail server IP by running the following command: “ping smtp.server.com”. It will return the IP address of the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server that you need for Traceroute purposes.

How to use the Traceroute command?

Use the Traceroute command by writing the command “traceroute + domain.com / IP address” or, in the Terminal on Linux and macOS or “tracert + domain.com / IP address” in the Command Prompt on Windows.

Traceroute (Linux and macOS)

traceroute domian.com or traceroute 12.23.34.45

Tracert (Windows)

tracert domian.com or tracert 12.23.34.45

On macOS, you can also use the Traceroute utility. Press the command button + space. Then write Network Utility. Inside it, navigate to Traceroute. Write the hostname or IP address and press enter. It will show you the result.

*You can change the domain.com with another domain you want to probe, and the same goes for the IP address.

Some differences between the Traceroute command, and the Tracert exist. Check the options below.

Traceroute command vs Tracert command

Apart from the small difference between typing traceroute and the Tracert, the fact that the first works on Linux and macOS, and the second on Windows, the other significant differences are the syntax and the options.

Syntax of the traceroute and Tracert commands

traceroute [options] host_Address [pathlength] (Linux)

traceroute [options] host [packetsize] (macOS)

tracert [-d] [-h maximum_hops] [-j host-list] [-w timeout] [-R] [-S srcaddr] [-4] [-6] target_name (Windows)

Example of Traceroute (Tracert on Windows)

The name of Traceroute on Windows is Tracert. It works very similar to the version on the other operating systems.

And this is how the Traceroute command looks on Linux and macOS:

Traceroute options for Linux

If you are a Linux user (Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Manjaro, Red Hat, Debian, etc.), you can specify your traceroute command with the following options:

rDNS explained in detail

Traceroute options for Windows

You can use the Tracert command with various options to perform more precise tests. The following options work on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and of course, Windows 10.

Traceroute options for macOS

While the Traceroute command on macOS is very similar to its Linux version, there are small differences in their options.

Save Traceroute results for later analysis

Traceroute outputs can be long and detailed, especially when diagnosing complex networks. Saving the results for future analysis helps document network issues, allowing users to track changes, compare routes, or share the data with colleagues or support teams.

To save traceroute results to a file, simply redirect the output into a text file using the following syntax:

For Linux/macOS:

traceroute example.com > traceroute_results.txt

For Windows:

tracert example.com > tracert_results.txt

This command captures the entire output of the traceroute (or tracert) command and saves it in a file called traceroute_results.txt in the current directory. You can then review or share this file at any time, making it easier to troubleshoot ongoing network issues without needing to rerun the command.

The TTL and Traceroute

Each packet that you send contains a TTL (time to live). It is not a time but a limit of hops it can do before getting the result.

Usual limit is 30, but it can be more like 64 for example. This limit stops your data after a certain amount of hops so it won’t go forever. The IP packet will follow until it gets “time exceeded” or “port unreachable” when it gets to the host.

Starting at 30, on the next hop, it will drop to 29 and so on. If it can’t find the domain or IP that you wanted it will display a message where did it fail, so you will know where the problem is.

Distinction between Ping and Traceroute

Both Ping and Traceroute are tools for analyzing networks. However, the Traceroute is a little more advanced. For example, ping will check the connectivity between two hosts but does not reveal the route between them. On the opposite, the Traceroute shows every stop between the source and the final destination. This can be helpful when connectivity is patchy, such as when only 50% of ping attempts between two places are thriving.

So, to sum up, the Traceroute command can be used to identify connectivity issues, while ping is a quick approach to determine whether a host is reachable over a network. Both of these commands are beneficial to be aware of because knowing how they operate and what their output denotes can be very valuable when analyzing network connectivity issues.

Traceroute’s Restrictions

• It establishes the route at the interface level rather than at the router level.
• The Traceroute may not respond after crossing the maximum number of hops if there are firewalls between the source and destination routers that prevent the probe packets from being sent. Furthermore, despite the hops IP address, the router will display * (asterisk) if no response is received. Therefore, using a traceroute under these circumstances is not suggested.
• Based on the IP headers, load balancing routers can route the traffic via a number of different paths. Therefore, if we execute a traceroute in this case, it will give us an incorrect path between the origin and the goal. Accordingly, it is not advisable to employ traceroutes in this circumstance either.

Are there alternatives to the traceroute command?

Yes, there are various alternatives to the traceroute commands like MTR command, Dig command, Open Visual Traceroute, Nmap.

MTR command (Linux and macOS)

mtr domain.com

The MTR command is an improved traceroute command that can give more statistics and data for lost packets (percentage).

Dig command (Linux and macOS)

dig +trace domain.com

If you already use the Dig command, you can use it for tracing the route too.

Open Visual Traceroute (Linux, macOS, and Windows)

This one is for people who want a visual interface. It is heavier, but it can show you, in a graphical way, the route of the queries and also get Gantt graphs.

Nmap (Linux, macOS, Windows, BSD, and more)

nmap –traceroute domain.com

The results are very similar to the traceroute command.

Conclusion

By using the newly collected data, you can see if there is any problem on the route (not responsive server or very slow one) and later focus your attention to fix it. If you want to see few more tools you can check one of our previous article Тools – DNS trace, Ping, Traceroute, Nslookup, Reverse lookup.

The post Traceroute command and its options appeared first on ClouDNS Blog.

A Brief History of Hubs and Switches in Networking

In the early 1980s, hubs were introduced as basic devices for connecting multiple computers in a local area network (LAN). Operating at the physical layer (Layer 1) of the OSI model, hubs broadcasted data to all connected devices simultaneously, which was sufficient for small, low-traffic networks of the time. However, this method led to data collisions and inefficient use of bandwidth as networks grew.

By the mid-1990s, switches began to emerge as a more advanced alternative. Operating at the data link layer (Layer 2), switches could direct data packets specifically to the intended recipient device using MAC addresses. This innovation reduced collisions and allowed for more efficient use of network resources, leading to their increased adoption.

Now, let’s dive into the main differences between hubs and switches, and explore which one is better suited for your specific networking needs.

Hub

A hub, as the name suggests, is a connection point for various computers. It creates a network based on Ethernet. There are variations based on USB and Firewire too.

This device does not manage the traffic intelligently. It broadcast the data to all of the connected computers.  Because of the way it works, more bandwidth is used and occasionally packet collisions occur.

Advantages of using a Hub

Low Cost

Budget-Friendly: Hubs are generally more budget-friendly than switches. This can be advantageous for temporary setups or when networking needs are minimal, making them an economical choice for small or short-term projects.
Reduced Total Cost of Ownership: Lower initial cost means that the total cost of ownership (TCO) is generally less for hubs, assuming the lack of features is not a hindrance to the network’s purpose.

Ease of Setup

Plug-and-Play: Hubs usually require minimal setup. In most cases, you simply plug your devices into the hub, and you’re good to go.
No Configuration Needed: Unlike switches, hubs do not require any configuration, making them easier to deploy for those who may not be technologically savvy.

Disadvantages of using a Hub

No Traffic Management

Bandwidth Sharing: All devices connected to the hub have to share the bandwidth, which can be problematic when you have multiple devices transmitting data simultaneously. This is particularly limiting for applications that require high data throughput.
Collisions: The lack of traffic management means that data collisions are more likely to occur, making hubs less reliable for transmitting data effectively.

Limited Security

Data Vulnerability: Because all data packets are broadcasted to every port, it’s easier for malicious actors to sniff data. This is particularly problematic if sensitive information is being transmitted.
No Access Control: Hubs do not have features to restrict access to connected devices. This makes network management and security more challenging.

Reduced Performance

Limited Scalability: Due to inefficiency in handling network traffic, hubs are not suitable for networks that may need to scale. As more devices are added, performance degrades significantly.
Latency: Because each packet is sent to all ports, it takes more time for the correct packet to reach its destination, leading to latency issues.

Switch

The switch is a smart network device. In contrast to the hub, it reviews the packets of data and directs them just to the right one. It does that by remembering the MAC addresses of the connected gadgets. The switch can support different common network types like 802.11, Ethernet, Fibre and more. It is newer in comparison with the hub, and it is more common in the modern offices.

Advantages of using a Switch

Efficient Traffic Management

Dedicated Bandwidth: Unlike hubs, switches provide dedicated bandwidth to each connected device, allowing for smoother data transmission.
Smart Data Packet Handling: Switches can understand the data packets they receive and send them only to intended devices, reducing the likelihood of data collision.

Enhanced Security

Secure Data Transmission: By sending packets only to intended recipients, switches make it more difficult for unauthorized users to intercept data.
Access Control: Managed switches allow network administrators to set up Access Control Lists (ACLs), providing an extra layer of security.

Better Performance

High Throughput: With better traffic management, switches can handle a larger amount of data traffic without sacrificing speed.
Scalability: Switches are more suited for growing networks, providing stable performance even as more devices are added.

Disadvantages of using a Switch

Cost

Higher Initial Cost: The upfront cost of a switch is generally higher than that of a hub.
Total Cost of Ownership: The advanced features may require ongoing maintenance, increasing the total cost over time.

Complexity

Configuration Required: Switches usually need to be configured, which might require specialized knowledge or expertise.
Compatibility Issues: Advanced features like VLANs or Quality of Service (QoS) settings can sometimes cause compatibility issues with older hardware or software.

Hub vs. switch

Now, let’s get more concrete. With this table of comparison, you will know why people prefer the switch.

What should you use?

Small Home Networks:

If you have a small home network with limited data transfer requirements, a hub could suffice. However, modern-day routers often come with built-in switch ports, providing even small home networks with the advantages of switches without requiring a separate device.

Business Networks:

For business settings, a switch is almost always the better choice. The increased performance and security features are typically necessary for a business network to run efficiently.

Specialized Needs:

If you need to monitor all the data traffic for purposes like data sniffing or analysis, a hub could be beneficial because it sends packets to all ports. But such tasks are better suited for managed switches with port-mirroring features.

Suggested page: Monitoring service: What is it and do I need it?

Conclusion

And now, the final answer of  “Hub vs. switch”.

Depends a lot on your budget. If you are searching for the cheapest option out there, or maybe you have an old big hub lying somewhere you could still use it. It can be a solution for a small network of computers that are not connected to the Internet.

In any other case, chose a switch. It is smarter, more secure and it can manage a larger group of connected devices.

The post Hub vs. switch. What should you use for your network? appeared first on ClouDNS Blog.

Router

A router is one of the network devices that handles network traffic. It does it by forwarding data packets between different computer networks. When the router receives the data packets, it will check it, and it will compare it with its routing table. Then it will decide to send it to the next network toward the destination of the packets or not. Most of you are probably familiar with the routers. You probably have one at home, which manages packets from the home computer to the internet.

Functionalities of routers 

• IP address management: Routers assign IP addresses to devices within a network and provide network address translation (NAT) functionality to map multiple private IP addresses to a single public IP address.
• Traffic management: Routers implement Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms to prioritize and manage network traffic based on predefined rules.
• Network segmentation: Routers allow for the creation of separate network segments, known as subnets, to enhance security and optimize network performance.

Firewall

Firewall, as the name suggests, is a barrier. Its purpose is to protect the devices behind it by filtering the data from coming to them and going from them and protecting from harmful communications like spam or viruses. It can be hardware, with router capability or just software, like the one Windows has.

Key features of firewalls

• Packet filtering: Firewalls examine packets based on predefined rules, such as source/destination IP addresses, ports, and protocols, to determine whether they should be allowed or blocked.
• Stateful inspection: Firewalls maintain state information about established connections, allowing them to make intelligent decisions regarding packet filtering and preventing unauthorized access.
• Application-level filtering: Some firewalls can perform deep packet inspection to analyze the content of packets at the application layer (Layer 7), enabling them to detect and block specific application-layer threats.

Importance of Firewall Monitoring

Firewall monitoring is a critical aspect of network security management. It involves continuous monitoring, analysis, and maintenance of firewall rules and logs to ensure optimal firewall performance and detect potential security incidents. Effective Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol provides the following 4 benefits:

1. Threat detection and prevention: By monitoring firewall logs and analyzing network traffic patterns, administrators can identify suspicious activities, such as unauthorized access attempts, malware infections, or data exfiltration, and take proactive measures to mitigate them.
2. Policy compliance: Firewall monitoring helps ensure that security policies and rules are consistently enforced, reducing the risk of policy violations and non-compliance with industry regulations.
3. Performance optimization: Regular monitoring enables administrators to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks, fine-tune firewall configurations, and optimize network traffic flow, thus enhancing overall network performance.
4. Incident response: In the event of a security incident, firewall logs provide crucial information for forensic analysis and incident response. Monitoring allows for the timely detection and response to security breaches, minimizing potential damage.

Router vs firewall

To easily understand the router vs firewall topic, see this table:

Hardware firewall vs software firewall

Now to a bit of a different subject, hardware firewall vs software firewall. Both protect you from malicious traffic, but they have some differences.

The hardware firewall can be a stand-alone device or a part of a router. Such a router is a simple and effective protection solution for your network. It reviews the headers of the data packets and decides if it can be trusted. If it thinks the packet is safe, it will forward it, if no, it will drop it.

A software firewall is a program that you can install on your computer. It can be a part of an antivirus suite or separate. It will protect from uncontrolled access to your computer. Depending on the software, it can keep you safe from Trojans and worms too. The difference with the hardware one, this one will protect just the device that has the firewall installed. If you need a firewall on all of your devices, you would need to install it on all of them. Another disadvantage of it is that it will run in the background, which will take some system resources and may lead to slowdowns.

How do DHCP, routers, and firewalls work together?

DHCP, which stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is responsible for assigning IP addresses to devices within a network. It acts as a mediator between routers and firewalls, ensuring that devices can communicate with each other and stay secure.

Routers are like traffic directors. They help direct data packets between different networks, ensuring they reach their intended destinations. Some routers also have built-in DHCP server functionality, allowing them to assign IP addresses to devices in the network.

Firewalls, on the other hand, are like security guards. They monitor and control the flow of network traffic to protect against unauthorized access and potential threats. While firewalls primarily focus on security, they can interact with DHCP in a couple of ways.

Firstly, firewalls can act as DHCP relays. If devices and DHCP servers are on different network segments, the firewall helps relay the DHCP messages between them, ensuring that devices can still get their assigned IP addresses.

Secondly, firewalls can inspect DHCP traffic and apply rules to allow or block it. This filtering capability helps prevent unauthorized DHCP servers or DHCP attacks from compromising the network’s security.

Lastly, firewalls can use DHCP lease information to enforce security policies. By looking at the DHCP lease table, they can identify devices based on their assigned IP addresses and apply specific security rules or identify potential unauthorized devices on the network.

In simpler terms, DHCP ensures devices have IP addresses to communicate, routers direct the traffic, and firewalls protect the network by working alongside DHCP to manage IP addresses and filter network traffic.

Switches vs routers vs firewalls: How do they fit together?

In a typical network setup, devices such as computers and printers connect to a switch. The switch facilitates internal communication within the local network by forwarding data packets based on MAC addresses.

The switch then connects to a router. The router manages traffic between different networks by using IP addresses to route data packets. It ensures that data from your local network reaches its destination on other networks, such as the internet.

Finally, the router connects to a firewall. The firewall acts as a barrier, inspecting and filtering traffic to protect your network from unauthorized access and cyber threats. By examining data packets based on security rules, the firewall ensures that only safe and authorized traffic enters or leaves the network.

Example Setup:

Devices -> Switch -> Router -> Firewall -> Internet

This configuration ensures that devices can communicate within the local network, that traffic is efficiently managed and routed to appropriate destinations, and that the network is protected from external threats. This collaborative setup of switches, routers, and firewalls provides a robust, efficient, and secure network infrastructure.

Conclusion

Routers and firewalls play vital roles in securing networks and protecting sensitive information. While routers focus on efficiently forwarding data packets between networks, firewalls provide an additional layer of security by monitoring and controlling network traffic based on predefined rules. Both are essential components of a robust network security architecture.

The post Router vs firewall, can you guess which is better? appeared first on ClouDNS Blog.

Ping is a very universal command between all the operating systems. You can use it to test if you can reach your target and how much time it will take to do it. Ping sends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packets to the destination. Then it waits for the echo reply. It can show statistic for this request, errors and packet loss.

When you use this command, you will send few echo requests, usually 4. Then you will receive a result for each of them, that indicates if they were successful, how much data was received, the time it took for the response and TTL (Time to live).

Brief History

The Ping command is a foundational tool in computer networking, tracing its origins back to the earliest days of the Internet. Developed by Mike Muuss in 1983, Ping emerged as a simple yet powerful utility for testing the reachability of a host on an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

Muuss, a respected computer scientist, created the tool while working at the Ballistic Research Laboratory. The name “Ping” itself reflects the sonar concept from submarines, where a pulse is sent to measure the distance to an object. Similarly, the Ping command dispatches small packets of data to a target device, awaiting their return to measure the round-trip time. 

Initially implemented for Unix-based systems, Ping swiftly gained widespread adoption due to its effectiveness in troubleshooting network connectivity issues. Over time, it has evolved alongside networking technologies, remaining a staple tool for network administrators, system engineers, and enthusiasts alike. Its versatility extends beyond connectivity testing, serving as a vital diagnostic tool for assessing network performance and identifying potential bottlenecks.

How does it work?

Imagine the Ping command as an echo locater. When you use it on your computer, it sends a specific small packet with the ICMP ECHO_REQUEST to its destination (it could be a server, another computer on the network or a router). The recipient must bounce back the message, and send ECHO_REPLY as an answer. 

Your computer will always have 127.0.0.1 IP address. If you try to ping it, you will always get fast result. The command will verify that the TCP/IP on your device is working fine. 

You can use ping localhost and get the same result since it is the same.

What is Localhost (IP 127.0.0.1)?

If you get 4x Request timed out, then it is not working ok.  

How to use Ping command?

You have the ping utility on whatever operating system you have. 

On Windows, open the Command Prompt and on macOS and different Linux distros, open the Terminal. 

There are small differences in the syntax of the ping command on the OSes. You can see them down below. 

You can ping: 

• A domain name and see how much time it will take to respond.
• An IP address. It will also show response time, but it will the important part is that it will show that the device is well-connected. 

We will try to use it with www.google.com. Write the following: 

ping www.google.com

The first part that you will see, who are you pinging, its IP address, and the packet’s size – 32 bytes. 

After that, you will get 4 results. Ping sends 4 echo messages unless you specify a different number. Those 4 answers will have response times in ms – milliseconds and TTL value showing the time to live of the packet. 

You will also get a few stats – completion rate that shows how many packets managed to arrive and a minimum, maximum, and average time. 

Ping switches and variables 

There are a lot of small differences when you use ping on Windows and Linux or macOS. For example, the option in Windows is “–n” and in Linux and macOS is “–c”. The best thing you can do is to check the syntax first. You can see all the available variables, switches, and options with a short command. 

Ping command syntax for Windows 

To get to the list of all possible options for the ping command on Windows, you can write in the Command Prompt:

ping -?

It will give you a result with a full list of options that can make your troubleshooting easier.

Ping command syntax for Linux and macOS 

To get to the ping syntax on Linux or a computer with macOS, you need to type this in the Terminal: 

ping –h

Troubleshooting

• Ping an IP address to see if the device is well connected. If it fails, then the device is not connected at this moment or not reachable over the network we are checking.
• Another scenario is that it is successful but the response times are very long. It means that you or the other side might have problems with the connection.
• You can test different parts of the network to check which are working fine and which are not.
• If you want to check if you are connected to the Internet, you can check one of Google’s IPs, “ping 172.217.6.164”. Why Google you ask? It is just effortless to remember. And do you remember Google been offline? Not really.
• You can use it as a constant checker. Put it with an option to “run until stopped,” and as long as everything is okay, it will continue, but if something fails you will see it immediately.
• If you can’t reach the name, but you can reach the IP address, this shows a problem with the hostname resolution. Probably the DNS servers are not pointed correctly, or they are not accessible.

Monitoring

Ping command appears to be a great tool for monitoring the network availability of different devices. If the command runs as a scheduled task, it can offer simple polling of any network computer or machine. The great thing about it is that it is not necessary to install any additional software or open additional ports.

ICMP Ping monitoring is easy to accomplish due to the ‘run until stopped’ option, which allows the most basic of any up/down monitor. So, whenever the pings start failing, that means there are some difficulties reaching the system.

The ping time, measured in milliseconds (ms), is preferred to be as lower as possible. That is going to indicate the good quality of the ping. In addition, it can deliver signals about the health of your network and its performance speed. Ping monitoring sends an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo request. That means when the monitored device receives the request, it replies immediately with the echo reply packets.

Monitoring service by ClouDNS

Security

Sometimes, a cybercriminal is enough to know that a precise system exists and is connected to the global network to initiate a malicious attack. Thankfully, performing a detailed analysis of the Ping command replies could be extremely helpful. You could perhaps find valuable details, like which operating system (OS) the target is running, where the device is located, and so on.

There are different hacking tools that allow taking advantage of “walking the range.” They use the Ping command for each IP address on a targeted network in order to obtain a list of systems that are reachable and will reply. For that reason, a lot of firewalls are configured in a way that stops Ping requests coming from untrusted networks.

More examples of Ping command (Windows, Linux and macOS)

Here we have a few more use cases of ping command for Windows, Linux and macOS users:

*You can change the IP addresses of the examples or the hostnames and use them with yours. Also feel free to modify the command for your needs.  

Interval – ping –i 5 8.8.8.8 (Linux)

This will make it wait 5 seconds before sending the following packet. 

Custom number of pings – ping –n 8 google.com (Windows) ; ping google.com –c 8 (Linux and macOS)

You can decide how many echo messages to send. 

Check version – ping –V (Linux)

You will see the version of the ping you have. 

Flood – ping –f 127.0.0.1 (Linux)

This will flood the network with many pings. 

Only Statistic – ping google.com –q (Linux and macOS)

It will show you just the statistic, not each individual ping time. 

Change packet size – ping –s 100 google.com (Linux)

It will change the size of the packets. The original is 32 bytes (Windows) and 56 (Linux and macOS), and in this example we have set it to 100. 

Timeout – ping –w 20 google.com (Linux)

If you use this example, the ping will exit in 20 seconds. It will terminate regardless of the number of packets send or received. 

Constant ping – ping –t google.com (Windows) ; ping google.com (Linux and macOS)

It will run without stopping. Endless loop. On Linux and macOS, it runs forever by default. You can stop it with Ctrl+C.

Extra tip

Did you know that you can use the ping command online, straight from your browser? This can come in handy if you only have a mobile phone around. 

Just google it, and you will see more than a few sites. If you decide to use it in this way, please make sure that the site you visit is safe, and it is not going to harm your device or personal data in any way. 

Conclusion:

The ping is not the most sophisticated tool, but it is incredibly handy thanks to the fact it works on any device. Using it, you can quickly diagnose different part of the network and find the problem. You can also check our previous article and find more useful tools in our article Тools – DNS trace, Ping, Traceroute, Nslookup, Reverse lookup.

The post What is Ping command and how to use it? appeared first on ClouDNS Blog.

Before the Internet and the DNS

Let’s get back to the time when the Internet didn’t exist. Yes, there was such a time, even if you don’t remember it. The Cold War was on, the USA was investing a lot in defense and technology. In 1958, under the president Eisenhower, ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) started. It was a big step for the American science and a response to the Soviet achievements (Sputnik 1, 1957).

In the 60s ARPA was getting stronger and bigger. It got more hardware, including the Q-32 computer. The idea of computer networking was starting to catch on.
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) was working close with ARPA, and there was some serious progress about creating a network. The idea of packet switching was presented, and there was a project to connect the Q-32 to the TX-2 computer (MIT’s computer) under the management of Larry Roberts. Later in 1966, the same guy published a paper on ARPANET – a packet switching network that uses TCP/IP protocol. It was like the Internet, but not scalable. It took some more years before it gets a reality.

During the 70s there was a fast growth in the numbers of computers in the world. There were different networks appearing and even some international projects too. There was a lot of development, and many different protocols and programs were created. The first commercial e-mail programs came in 1976.

A year later, the first 3-network system was introduced. Packet radio, ARPANET, and SATNET were working together!

The technological progress was going so fast, but people were starting to have a severe problem with bookkeeping. There was no one united network, but rather a system of networks. The need for a global solution was strong and here comes the DNS!

The DNS history start

Initially, the process of assigning addresses was manual. Computers and their associated hostnames and addresses were added to the HOSTS.TXT file by contacting the SRI Network Information Center (NIC) via telephone during business hours. As the network grew, Feinler introduced the WHOIS directory on a NIC server, allowing retrieval of information about resources and contacts.

The task of simplifying the networking was given to Paul Mockapetris. He and his team had the mission to create a friendlier for use network, where people wouldn’t need to remember the IP address of every computer. Before, there was a centralized HOSTS.TXT text that was mapping the current sites. But, thanks to the growing number of sites, the file was getting bigger too, and there was a strong need for a decentralized model.

Paul Mockapetris: “It was created to let people use names for anything. But we had to figure out how to organize the distribution of domain names and how to ensure the system could accommodate diversity without unnecessary restriction.”

The DNS was created in 1983 and became one of the original Internet Standards in 1986 (After the creation of the Internet Engineering Task Force IETF). In 1984, UC Berkeley students developed the first Unix name server implementation known as BIND (Berkeley Internet Name Domain). Over the years, various developers and organizations, including the Internet Systems Consortium (ISC), contributed to the maintenance and development of BIND. In November 1987, RFC 1034 and RFC 1035 replaced the original DNS specifications from 1983. They describe the whole protocol functionality and include data types that it can carry.

RFC 1034 and RFC 1035: Defining the DNS Protocol

The RFC 1034 and RFC 1035 hold immense significance in the world of DNS as they define the very foundations of the DNS protocol. RFC 1034, published in 1983 and titled “Domain Names – Concepts and Facilities,” provides a comprehensive overview of the DNS architecture and its key components. It lays out the fundamental concepts and operations of DNS, introducing terms such as domain names, name servers, and resource records. By establishing a standardized framework, RFC 1034 enables interoperability and consistency across the DNS infrastructure. It serves as a vital reference for implementing DNS systems and understanding the core principles that govern name resolution on the Internet.

Complementing RFC 1034, RFC 1035, published in 1986 and titled “Domain Names – Implementation and Specification,” delves deeper into the technical aspects of the DNS protocol. It provides detailed specifications for message formats, data types, and the structure of DNS packets. RFC 1035 outlines the specific operations and algorithms used in resolving domain names to IP addresses and vice versa. It also introduces caching mechanisms that improve DNS performance by reducing the need for repeated queries. These two documents together form the backbone of the DNS protocol, ensuring consistent behavior and facilitating seamless communication between DNS resolvers, name servers, and clients.

The significance of RFC 1034 and RFC 1035 extends beyond their technical specifications. They represent a collaborative effort of experts and enthusiasts who shaped the early Internet and established the groundwork for modern-day networking. These documents continue to serve as a vital resource for developers, network administrators, and researchers, ensuring the integrity and interoperability of the DNS ecosystem. 

DNS Nowadays

The DNS has seen various upgrades during its life. The first major one was the introduction of the NOTIFY mechanisms and Incremental Zone Transfer IXFR. Now the servers were able to update dynamically. With the NOTIFY, the master server can “say” to the slave servers that it has an update that it must share. Before, the slaves needed to check periodically. And the second IXFR, now those slaves servers, didn’t need to update the whole zone file, they could update just the changes.

Today, DNS operates on a hierarchical and decentralized structure. The DNS system consists of multiple interconnected servers that collectively store and manage DNS records. These servers are categorized into different types, including root servers, top-level domain (TLD) servers, and authoritative name servers. When a user enters a domain name in their web browser, their device initiates a DNS lookup process to find the corresponding IP address.

DNS has evolved over the years to meet the growing Internet demands. It has incorporated various enhancements, including security features like DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions), to protect against DNS poison attacks. Additionally, DNS-based technologies like DNS Load Balancing and Content Delivery Networks have been developed to optimize website performance and ensure high availability.

The Future of DNS: Trends and Innovations to Watch Out For

As technology advances, prioritizing website speed and security stands out as the cornerstones of optimal DNS performance. As a result, companies are investing heavily in newer technologies to enhance user experience and ensure reliability.

The movements to switch to DNS over HTTPS are gaining momentum as it provides added protections to mitigate the threat of cybercrimes and preserves user privacy. Another emerging trend is DNS over TLS as companies seek to build trust and improve security. By adding an extra layer of protection, DoH and DoT make it more difficult for malicious actors to intercept or manipulate DNS queries, ensuring a safer and more reliable browsing experience for users. Additionally, DNS-based service discovery is also one to look out for, allowing IT teams to use DNS or DNS-related protocols to perform automated mapping or workloads.

Ultimately, the future of DNS depends on the ability of organizations to adopt these emerging trends and invest in the right DNS technologies to maximize user experience and data security.

Conclusion

The Domain Name System (DNS) has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a centralized text file, HOSTS.TXT, mapping out the ever-increasing number of sites on the web. Thanks to the advancements of Larry Roberts and Paul Mockapetris, the DNS was created to simplify the networking experience. Since then, we’ve seen various upgrades, such as the NOTIFY mechanisms and DNSSEC, to improve both performance and security. As the world of technology continues to evolve, the future of the DNS should remain at the forefront of our minds.

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