ping(8) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
On Solnix, ping is the illumos /usr/sbin/ping. Plain `ping host` sends probes only until one answer arrives, prints "host is alive" and exits. The Linux and BSD pages describe continuous pinging. Statistics mode needs `-s`, which on Solnix is a mode switch rather than a packet size.
The manual pages
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos ping at /usr/sbin/ping. No other variants are shipped. The bundle shows only the start of the Solnix OPTIONS section, so options past -i are not covered here.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| all four | default behaviour | Solnix `ping host` prints "host is alive" and exits, or prints "no answer from host" after a timeout (default 20 seconds). FreeBSD and NetBSD ping until interrupted, one line per reply. OpenBSD documents an interrupt-time summary. Source: Solnix ping(8) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD ping(8) -c; NetBSD ping(8) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD ping(8) DESCRIPTION |
| all four | -s meaning and packet size | On Solnix, -s turns on statistics mode (one line per reply, summary at the end). Packet size is the positional data_size after the host (default 56). On Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD, -s packetsize sets the data size.Source: Solnix ping(8) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD ping(8) -s; OpenBSD ping(8) -s; NetBSD ping(8) -s; Linux ping(8) SYNOPSIS |
| all four | packet count | Solnix has no -c count. In statistics mode the count is the positional npackets after data_size, and Solnix -c sets the IPv6 traffic class. The other four systems use -c count to stop after count packets.Source: Solnix ping(8) SYNOPSIS, -c; Linux ping(8) -c; FreeBSD ping(8) -c; OpenBSD ping(8) -c; NetBSD ping(8) -c |
| all four | -I and -i swapped | Solnix -I sets the interval between probes (minimum 0.01 s) and -i sets the outgoing interface address. The other four use -i for the interval, and -I for an interface or source address.Source: Solnix ping(8) -I, -i; Linux ping(8) -i, -I; FreeBSD ping(8) -i, -I; OpenBSD ping(8) -i, -I; NetBSD ping(8) -i, -I |
| Linux, OpenBSD, NetBSD | timeout and deadline | Solnix takes a timeout as an optional second argument (`ping host [timeout]`), default 20 seconds. Linux and NetBSD use -w deadline. OpenBSD -w maxwait is the wait after the last request, default 10. The Solnix synopsis has no -w.Source: Solnix ping(8) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; Linux ping(8) SYNOPSIS (-w deadline); NetBSD ping(8) -w; OpenBSD ping(8) -w |
| Linux, FreeBSD | -A meaning | Solnix -A addr_family takes inet or inet6 to choose IPv4 or IPv6. Linux -A is adaptive ping. FreeBSD -A rings a bell when a reply is missing. Linux and FreeBSD select the family with -4 and -6, which Solnix does not list.Source: Solnix ping(8) -A; Linux ping(8) -A, -4, -6; FreeBSD ping(8) -A, -4, -6 |
| Linux | -D meaning | Solnix -D forbids fragmentation of probes. Linux -D prints a timestamp before each line. FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD -D also concern fragmentation, so only Linux differs.Source: Solnix ping(8) -D; Linux ping(8) -D; FreeBSD ping(8) -D; OpenBSD ping(8) -D; NetBSD ping(8) -D |
| all four | -a meaning | Solnix -a probes all IPv4 and IPv6 addresses of the destination. Linux, FreeBSD and NetBSD use -a for an audible beep or bell. OpenBSD uses -E and -e for beeps and has no -a.Source: Solnix ping(8) -a; Linux ping(8) -a; FreeBSD ping(8) -a; NetBSD ping(8) -a; OpenBSD ping(8) -E, -e |
| all four | type of service / traffic class | Solnix sets IPv4 TOS with -P tos (0 to 255) and IPv6 traffic class with -c. Linux uses -Q tos, FreeBSD -z tos, NetBSD -t tos (hex), OpenBSD -T toskeyword. FreeBSD -P is IPsec policy, NetBSD -P is random data.Source: Solnix ping(8) -P, -c; Linux ping(8) SYNOPSIS (-Q tos); FreeBSD ping(8) -z, -P; NetBSD ping(8) -t, -P; OpenBSD ping(8) -T |
| Linux | -F flow label | Solnix -F takes a flow label as an integer from 0 to 1048575, IPv6 only. Linux -F takes a 20-bit flow label in hex, and 0 asks the kernel for a random one.Source: Solnix ping(8) -F; Linux ping(8) -F |
| Linux | -b meaning | Solnix -b bypasses the global IPsec policy for this connection and needs superuser or the sys_net_config privilege. Linux -b allows pinging a broadcast address.Source: Solnix ping(8) -b; Linux ping(8) -b |
| all four | missing flood and quiet flags | The Solnix synopsis has no -f (flood), -q (quiet) or -o (exit after one reply). Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD list -f and -q. FreeBSD and NetBSD list -o. Solnix `ping host` already exits after one reply.Source: Solnix ping(8) SYNOPSIS; Linux/FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD ping(8) SYNOPSIS, -f, -q; FreeBSD ping(8) -o; NetBSD ping(8) -o |
Everyday tasks
| Task | Solnix | Linux | FreeBSD | OpenBSD | NetBSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| send a fixed number of probes | ping -s host 56 5 | ping -c 5 host | ping -c 5 host | ping -c 5 host | ping -c 5 host |
| set the interval between probes | ping -s -I interval host | ping -i interval host | ping -i wait host | ping -i interval host | ping -i interval host |
| give up after a number of seconds | ping host timeout | ping -w deadline host | — | ping -w maxwait host | ping -w deadline host |
| set the IPv4 type of service | ping -P tos host | ping -Q tos host | ping -z tos host | ping -T toskeyword host | ping -t tos host |
Standards
- POSIX: ping is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not share ping flags between Solnix and the other systems.
-s,-c,-i,-I,-A,-a,-Dand-Peach mean something different on Solnix. Branch per OS, or use only `ping host` with a plain text check. - Solnix ping(8) as shown in the bundle documents no exit status. Test the "host is alive" output on Solnix, and the documented exit status on OpenBSD (0 if at least one reply arrives).
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.