How to Ping External IP from Java Android

Question

I am developing a Ping application for Android 2.2.

I try my code and it works, but only in local IPs, that's my problem I want to do ping to external servers too.

Here is my code:

  private OnClickListener milistener = new OnClickListener() {
    public void onClick(View v) {
        TextView info = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.info);
        EditText edit = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.edit);
        Editable host = edit.getText();
        InetAddress in;
        in = null;
        // Definimos la ip de la cual haremos el ping
        try {
            in = InetAddress.getByName(host.toString());
        } catch (UnknownHostException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        // Definimos un tiempo en el cual ha de responder
        try {
            if (in.isReachable(5000)) {
                info.setText("Responde OK");
            } else {
                info.setText("No responde: Time out");
            }
        } catch (IOException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            info.setText(e.toString());
        }
    }
};

Ping 127.0.0.1 -> OK
Ping 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS) -> Time Out

I put the following line at Manifest XML too:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"></uses-permission>

Can anyone suggest me where I'm doing wrong?

Answer 1

this worked for me, no root,Android 6.0, Android Studio, Acatel U3:

    private boolean Ping(String IP){
    System.out.println("executeCommand");
    Runtime runtime = Runtime.getRuntime();
    try
    {
        Process  mIpAddrProcess = runtime.exec("/system/bin/ping -c 1 " + IP);
        int mExitValue = mIpAddrProcess.waitFor();
        System.out.println(" mExitValue "+mExitValue);
        if(mExitValue==0){
            return true;
        }else{
            return false;
        }
    }
    catch (InterruptedException ignore)
    {
        ignore.printStackTrace();
        System.out.println(" Exception:"+ignore);
    }
    catch (IOException e)
    {
        e.printStackTrace();
        System.out.println(" Exception:"+e);
    }
    return false;
}

Answer 2

In my case ping works from device but not from the emulator. I found this documentation: http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/devices/emulator.html#emulatornetworking

On the topic of "Local Networking Limitations" it says:

"Depending on the environment, the emulator may not be able to support other protocols (such as ICMP, used for "ping") might not be supported. Currently, the emulator does not support IGMP or multicast."

Further information: http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/browse_thread/thread/8657506be6819297

this is a known limitation of the QEMU user-mode network stack. Quoting from the original doc: Note that ping is not supported reliably to the internet as it would require root privileges. It means you can only ping the local router (10.0.2.2).

Answer 3

This is a simple ping I use in one of the projects:

public static class Ping {
    public String net = "NO_CONNECTION";
    public String host = "";
    public String ip = "";
    public int dns = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
    public int cnt = Integer.MAX_VALUE;
}

public static Ping ping(URL url, Context ctx) {
    Ping r = new Ping();
    if (isNetworkConnected(ctx)) {
        r.net = getNetworkType(ctx);
        try {
            String hostAddress;
            long start = System.currentTimeMillis();
            hostAddress = InetAddress.getByName(url.getHost()).getHostAddress();
            long dnsResolved = System.currentTimeMillis();
            Socket socket = new Socket(hostAddress, url.getPort());
            socket.close();
            long probeFinish = System.currentTimeMillis();
            r.dns = (int) (dnsResolved - start);
            r.cnt = (int) (probeFinish - dnsResolved);
            r.host = url.getHost();
            r.ip = hostAddress;
        }
        catch (Exception ex) {
            Timber.e("Unable to ping");
        }
    }
    return r;
}

public static boolean isNetworkConnected(Context context) {
    ConnectivityManager cm =
            (ConnectivityManager) context.getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
    NetworkInfo activeNetwork = cm.getActiveNetworkInfo();
    return activeNetwork != null && activeNetwork.isConnectedOrConnecting();
}

@Nullable
public static String getNetworkType(Context context) {
    ConnectivityManager cm =
            (ConnectivityManager) context.getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
    NetworkInfo activeNetwork = cm.getActiveNetworkInfo();
    if (activeNetwork != null) {
        return activeNetwork.getTypeName();
    }
    return null;
}

Usage: ping(new URL("https://www.google.com:443/"), this);

Result: {"cnt":100,"dns":109,"host":"www.google.com","ip":"212.188.10.114","net":"WIFI"}

Answer 4

Use this Code: this method works on 4.3+ and also for below versions too.

   try {

         Process process = null;

        if(Build.VERSION.SDK_INT <= 16) {
            // shiny APIS 
               process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(
                    "/system/bin/ping -w 1 -c 1 " + url);


        } 
        else 
        {

                   process = new ProcessBuilder()
                 .command("/system/bin/ping", url)
                 .redirectErrorStream(true)
                 .start();

            }



        BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(
                process.getInputStream()));

        StringBuffer output = new StringBuffer();
        String temp;

        while ( (temp = reader.readLine()) != null)//.read(buffer)) > 0)
        {
            output.append(temp);
            count++;
        }

        reader.close();


        if(count > 0)
            str = output.toString();

        process.destroy();
     } catch (IOException e) {
         e.printStackTrace();
    }

    Log.i("PING Count", ""+count);
    Log.i("PING String", str);

Answer 5

Maybe ICMP packets are blocked by your (mobile) provider. If this code doesn't work on the emulator try to sniff via wireshark or any other sniffer and have a look whats up on the wire when you fire the isReachable() method.

You may also find some info in your device log.

Answer 6

I tried following code, which works for me.

private boolean executeCommand(){
        System.out.println("executeCommand");
        Runtime runtime = Runtime.getRuntime();
        try
        {
            Process  mIpAddrProcess = runtime.exec("/system/bin/ping -c 1 8.8.8.8");
            int mExitValue = mIpAddrProcess.waitFor();
            System.out.println(" mExitValue "+mExitValue);
            if(mExitValue==0){
                return true;
            }else{
                return false;
            }
        }
        catch (InterruptedException ignore)
        {
            ignore.printStackTrace();
            System.out.println(" Exception:"+ignore);
        } 
        catch (IOException e) 
        {
            e.printStackTrace();
            System.out.println(" Exception:"+e);
        }
        return false;
    }