What Is UDP? #
UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a connectionless transport layer protocol. Unlike TCP, it doesn’t guarantee delivery, ordering, or error correction. Instead, it provides a lightweight way to send data with minimal overhead.
Because of this, UDP is widely used in real-time applications such as:
- Voice over IP (VoIP)
- Online gaming
- Video streaming
- DNS queries
Its low latency makes it ideal where speed matters more than reliability.
When Do You Need UDP Ping? #
A UDP Ping test checks whether a host or service can receive and respond to UDP packets. It’s useful for troubleshooting and performance testing in cases such as:
- Online gaming issues: Frequent lag or disconnections can be analyzed using UDP Ping to measure packet loss and latency.
- VoIP or video calls: Since VoIP relies on UDP, testing UDP paths helps verify audio/video quality.
- DNS servers: DNS traffic commonly uses UDP port 53. A UDP Ping can confirm if the server is reachable and responding properly.
In short: whenever you need to test UDP connectivity, latency, or packet loss, UDP Ping is the right tool.
How to Perform UDP Ping in Linux #
Linux doesn’t have a built-in ping equivalent for UDP, but you can use tools like nping (from Nmap) or hping3.
1. Using nping
#
The nping command allows you to send custom packets, including UDP.
Example:
nping --udp -p 53 <target-ip>
--udp→ Use UDP packets-p 53→ Send to port 53 (DNS)<target-ip>→ Replace with the server’s IP address
If the server replies, you’ll see response times and packet statistics. This indicates that UDP communication is working.
2. Using hping3
#
Another option is hping3, which provides more flexibility for packet crafting.
Example UDP Ping:
hping3 --udp -p 53 -c 5 <target-ip>
- Sends 5 UDP packets to port 53
- Shows packet loss and round-trip times
This is particularly useful if you want finer control over packet size, frequency, or spoofing options.
Notes and Tips #
-
You may need to install these tools first:
sudo apt install nmap hping3 # Ubuntu/Debian sudo yum install nmap hping3 # CentOS/RHEL -
Not all servers respond to UDP probes (they may silently drop packets).
-
For DNS servers, UDP Ping works best against port 53.
-
For VoIP applications, test against SIP or RTP ports.
✅ Conclusion #
While the traditional ping command only works with ICMP packets, Linux admins can use nping and hping3 to perform UDP Ping tests.
This helps with:
- Network troubleshooting
- Latency measurement
- Verifying UDP-based applications (DNS, VoIP, games, etc.)
UDP Ping is an essential tool in your Linux network troubleshooting toolkit.