Use arping to check whether an IPv4 neighbour answers an ARP request on a specific network interface. First identify the interface with ip -brief address, then run arping -I eth0 192.168.1.20, replacing the example interface and address with your own. Unlike ping, arping tests ARP rather than ICMP echo.
Probe a local IPv4 system with arping
-
List the interfaces and their addresses:
ip -brief address -
Choose the interface connected to the target’s local network, then send ARP requests to the target IPv4 address:
arping -I eth0 192.168.1.20 -
Read the output to see whether an ARP reply arrived. The iputils arping(8) manual describes the command as pinging a destination on a device interface using ARP packets.
Replace both examples with values from your network. Selecting the interface explicitly is especially useful when a machine has several network devices or the route to the destination is ambiguous. arping supports IPv4 only.
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Choose how arping sends and stops probes
| Option | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
-I <interface> |
Selects the outgoing network device. | Specify the intended interface, particularly on multi-interface systems. |
-c <count> |
Limits the number of ARP request packets. With -w, the manual describes waiting for a number of replies or until the deadline. |
Bound the number of requests. |
-w <seconds> |
Sets a deadline. The documented exit status is 0 when replies are received and 1 when none are received, subject to the documented interaction with -c. |
Stop waiting after a set time or use the exit status in a script. |
-f |
Stops after the first reply. | Use when one response is enough. |
-s <source-address> |
Sets the source IP address placed in ARP packets. Without it, source selection depends on the mode and routing-table calculation. | Use only when you need to control the probe’s source address. |
-b |
Sends only MAC-level broadcast packets. By default, the tool can switch to unicast after receiving a reply. | Keep requests broadcast rather than allowing that switch. |
-q |
Suppresses output. | Use where quiet output is appropriate, such as a script. |
-V |
Prints the program version. | Check which version is installed. |
For the precise behavior of option combinations on your system, consult its installed manual; the iputils arping(8) documentation describes these options and exit statuses.
Interpret replies and no-reply results carefully
An ARP reply means a response was received for the probe in the current network setup. No reply does not identify the cause: the target may be unavailable, the selected interface or address may be wrong, or network configuration may affect the exchange. Check the interface’s addressing and local network context before concluding that the host is down.
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Use duplicate address detection only for that purpose
The -D option enables duplicate address detection (DAD). The manual says it returns status 0 when DAD succeeds, meaning no replies were received. This indicates that no duplicate response was observed during that probe; it is not proof that a target is reachable.
Unsolicited ARP modes are not ordinary probes
-U sends unsolicited ARP to update neighbours’ caches and expects no replies; -A uses ARP replies for the analogous mode. These are specialized cache-update modes, not substitutes for a normal request to check a neighbour. The manual cautions that arping should not be set-uid root because it allows users to modify neighbour ARP caches.
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Use ping when you need an ICMP or IPv6 test
| Tool | Protocol tested | Address families | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|---|
arping |
ARP | IPv4 only | Did an ARP reply arrive from the IPv4 neighbour in this network setup? |
ping |
ICMP ECHO_REQUEST and ECHO_REPLY | IPv4 and IPv6 | Did an ICMP echo response arrive? |
Choose ping when you are checking for an ICMP echo response or testing IPv6. The iputils ping(8) manual documents ICMP echo requests and support for IPv4 and IPv6; the arping manual points IPv6 users to ndisc6.
Permissions and installed version
The iputils arping(8) manual states that arping requires the CAP_NET_RAW capability. If execution fails with a permissions error, check the privileges available to your account and consult your distribution’s guidance rather than making the binary set-uid root.
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Option details and packaging can vary across distributions. The Ubuntu resolute arping(8) manpage displays package version 3:20250605-1ubuntu1; that is version information for the package shown there, not a universal arping version. Check the manual and package version for the distribution you use.
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