Cross-Platform Network Commands: A Practical Tutorial
Core CLI tools to diagnose connectivity, DNS, routing, and paths across Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Understanding Network Commands
The following outlines some Essential Network Commands used between Windows, Linux, as well as macOS.
Network commands via the Command-Line Interface (CLI) allow you to effectively diagnose, troubleshoot, and manage network connections by offering detailed insights and real-time control over network environments.
1. Ping
Testing connectivity and measuring latency:
Windows:
ping example.com
ping -t example.com
ping -n 10 example.com
ping -l 1500 example.com
ping example.com
This sends four ICMP echo request packets to example.com
to test if the host is reachable and how long it takes for each response.
Use Case:
Quick connectivity test.
ping -t example.com
This sends continuous pings to example.com until manually stopped with ctrl + c
It's useful for monitoring real-time connectivity or detecting intermittent packet loss.
Use Case:
Ongoing monitoring for uptime and stability.
ping -n 10 example.com
Sends exactly 10 ping requests to example.com, instead of the default 4.
The -n switch allows you to specify the number of echo requests to send.
Use Case:
More thorough connectivity testing without going infinite.
ping -l 1500 example.com
Sends a ping to example.com with a custom packet size of 1500 bytes (instead of the default 32 bytes).
The -l option allows you to stress test the MTU and check for fragmentation.
Use Case:
MTU path discovery or testing network handling of large packets.
Linux:
ping example.com
ping -c 4 example.com
ping -i 0.5 example.com
ping -s 10 example.com
ping example.com
Sends continuous ICMP echo requests to example.com
Until manually stopped (usually with ctrl + c)
This is the default behavior on most Linux systems:
Use Case:
Live monitoring of reachability and response times.
ping -c 4 example.com
Sends exactly 4 ping requests to example.com and then stops automatically.
The -c flag stands for "count".
Use Case:
Simple, quick connectivity test — very similar to Windows default ping behavior.
ping -i 0.5 example.com
Sends pings to example.com at 0.5-second intervals between each request.
The -i flag sets the interval in seconds.
Use Case:
Faster-than-default pinging for fine-grained timing analysis or when observing short-lived connectivity changes.
ping -s 10 example.com
Sends pings with a custom ICMP payload size of 10 bytes, not counting the 8-byte ICMP header.
Total size sent = 18 bytes.
Use Case:
Useful for testing small packet delivery or for troubleshooting fragmentation or MTU-related issues.
2. Displaying Network Configuration
Quickly retrieving network interface configurations and IP details
to address network connectivity and configuration issues promptly:
Windows:
ipconfig /all
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /all
Displays detailed network configuration for all network adapters on the system.
Including IP addresses, MAC addresses, DNS servers, DHCP lease info, and more.
Use Case:
Great for network troubleshooting, verifying DNS settings, checking DHCP status, or seeing physical (MAC) addresses.
ipconfig /flushdns
Clears the local DNS resolver cache, forcing the system to re-fetch DNS records the next time a domain is queried.
Use Case:
Used to fix DNS resolution issues, especially when a site has changed IP addresses or DNS has become stale or corrupted.
ipconfig /release
Releases the current IP address lease from the DHCP server for all adapters (or a specific one if specified).
Use Case:
Typically used to force-disconnect from a network or to troubleshoot DHCP assignment problems.
ipconfig /renew
Then requests a new IP address from the DHCP server for all adapters (or a specific one if specified).
Use Case:
Helps reconnect to a network, especially after a release or when troubleshooting automatic IP assignment issues.
Linux:
ifconfig
ip a
sudo dhclient -r
sudo dhclient
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager
Displays the IP address, MAC address, and interface status for all active network interfaces. It's the legacy tool for interface configuration and inspection.
Use Case:
Quick way to check current IPs, interface names (like eth0, wlan0), or bring interfaces up/down (e.g., ifconfig eth0 down)
Displays all IP address information for each network interface, including IPv4/IPv6, loopback, and virtual interfaces. This command is part of the more modern iproute2 suite.
Use Case:
Preferred over ifconfig in modern systems for a more comprehensive and scriptable view of network config.
sudo dhclient -r
Sends a DHCP release request to the server and removes the current IP lease from the system.
Use Case:
Useful for disconnecting from the network or clearing stale DHCP settings before getting a new lease.
sudo dhclient
Requests a new IP address from the DHCP server for a network interface. If no interface is specified, it attempts on all interfaces.
Use Case:
Similar to ipconfig /renew — used when you need to reacquire an IP address or force DHCP negotiation.
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager
Fully restarts the NetworkManager service, which manages network interfaces, DHCP leases, and DNS on many Linux distributions.
Use Case:
Used when facing network misbehavior or configuration changes that didn't apply.
It resets network connectivity without rebooting.
Scenarios for use:
- IP acquisition issues
- Outdated DNS cache
3. ARP Table Inspection
Inspecting ARP tables to correlate IP addresses with MAC addresses:
arp -a
Benefits:
- Identify devices
- Troubleshoot connectivity
- Detect unauthorized devices
4. Domain Name Resolution (DNS Lookup)
Resolving domain names to IP addresses for verifying DNS records:
Windows:
nslookup example.com
nslookup -type=mx example.com
nslookup -type=ns example.com
nslookup example.com
The nslookup command in Windows queries the nameserver for the IP address of the given host or vice versa in performing a reverse DNS lookup.
Launches an interactive DNS lookup tool that allows you to manually query DNS records.
Running it by itself drops you into a prompt where you can type in domains and get their associated IP addresses.
Use Case:
Useful for troubleshooting DNS resolution and verifying that a domain points to the correct IP address.
Reverse DNS (PTR) lookup example:
nslookup -type=mx example.com
This command queries the Mail Exchange (MX) record for example.com, showing which mail servers are responsible for handling email for the domain.
Use Case:
Helpful for email delivery diagnostics, checking mail server priorities, or verifying email infrastructure.
nslookup -type=ns example.com
Retrieves the Name Server (NS) records for example.com, identifying which DNS servers are authorized for the domain.
Use Case:
Used to validate domain delegation, ensure DNS servers are responding, or troubleshoot DNS propagation issues.
Linux:
host example.com
host -t MX example.com
host -t NS example.com
dig example.com
dig MX example.com
dig NS example.com
host example.com
The host command is a simple DNS lookup utility that returns DNS records for the given domain.
host example.comreturns the A record, showing the IPv4 address of the domain.host -t mx example.comqueries the MX records, listing mail servers responsible for handling email for the domain.host -t ns example.comdisplays the NS records, identifying the authoritative name servers for the domain.
Use Case:
Ideal for quick DNS lookups when you want a fast, human-readable response without the detailed output of dig. Perfect for verifying basic DNS, mail routing, and domain delegation settings.
dig example.com
Performs a DNS query for example.com, returning A records (IPv4 addresses) by default, including a detailed breakdown of the query and response.
Use Case:
Preferred tool for troubleshooting DNS issues, seeing exact response times, and analyzing query behavior.
dig MX example.com
Queries the Mail Exchange (MX) records for example.com and shows priority & hostnames.
Use Case:
Used to inspect email routing setup, diagnose mail delivery problems, or verify MX changes after DNS edits.
dig NS example.com
Retrieves the Name Server (NS) records for example.com, showing the authoritative DNS servers responsible for handling domain resolution.
Use Case:
Helpful for checking domain delegation, identifying authoritative zones, and troubleshooting DNS propagation.
Troubleshooting scenarios:
- DNS misconfiguration
- Email delivery issues
5. Network Statistics and Active Connections
Monitoring current connections and ports:
Windows:
netstat -a
netstat -an
netstat -b
The netstat command displays network connections, listening ports, and routing tables.
netstat -ashows all active TCP/UDP connections and listening ports, resolving hostnames and service names.netstat -andisplays the same data but in numeric form, skipping DNS/service name resolution for faster, raw output.netstat -bshows which executable is associated with each connection or listening port (e.g.,chrome.exeorsvchost.exe).
Use Case:
Great for identifying open ports, active connections, unauthorized programs, or malicious activity tied to running processes.
netstat -a
netstat -an
netstat -b
Linux:
netstat -an
ss -tuln
These commands show active and listening network sockets on a Linux system.
Use Case:
Perfect for port auditing, service monitoring, or detecting unauthorized listeners.
netstat -an
ss -tuln
Applicable scenarios:
- Unauthorized connections
- Port conflicts
- General curiosity of what established connections are on a given system
6. Trace Routing
Systematically analyzing the route network packets take:
Windows:
tracert google.com
Sends ICMP echo requests to trace the network path packets take from your machine to a destination.
It shows each hop along the way, along with the response time for each.
Use Case:
Helps identify where delays or failures occur between your system and a remote host. Useful for diagnosing routing or latency issues.
Linux:
traceroute example.com
Similar to tracert but uses UDP packets by default instead of ICMP.
It traces the route from the local system to a destination IP or domain, showing each router (hop) along the way.
Use Case:
Used to track the path of packets, and can help detect routing loops, packet loss points, or performance bottlenecks across networks.
Linux (using MTR):
mtr example.com
Combines the functionality of both ping and traceroute into a real-time, continuously updating tool.
It shows the live performance of each hop, including packet loss and latency statistics.
Use Case: Excellent for ongoing network diagnostics, spotting intermittent issues, or visualizing route health over time.
mtr (My Traceroute) in Linux is the network diagnostic tool that combines the functionalities of traceroute and ping.
Scenarios for use:
- Slow connectivity
- Network outages
- General curiosity of overall traffic flow
7. Pathping
Comprehensive analysis of latency and packet loss:
Windows:
pathping example.com
The pathping command in Windows is a network diagnostic tool that combines the functionality of traceroute and ping.
Providing detailed information about network performance to be able to identify any potential issues along the path of a network route.
8. Routing
Route (View routing tables):
Windows:
route print
Displays the entire routing table used by Windows to determine how packets are forwarded across the network.
Use Case:
Essential for diagnosing routing issues, checking the default gateway, verifying network paths, or auditing static routes.
Linux:
route -n
ip route
These commands show the Linux kernel routing table, helping determine how outbound traffic is routed.
Use Case:
Used for gateway verification, troubleshooting unreachable networks, or understanding packet flow based on routing properly.
9. Hostname (View or change hostname)
Displays the name of the current system (host) on the network.
This name identifies the machine in a LAN or DNS environment and is often used for network management and domain joining.
Use Case:
Useful for verifying system identity, and remote session awareness.
Windows:
hostname
Linux:
hostname
sudo hostnamectl set-hostname new-hostname
The sudo hostnamectl set-hostname new-hostname command permanently changes the system’s hostname on a modern Linux system using systemd.
Use Case:
Commonly used during initial server setup, renaming machines, or customizing hosts in a lab or production environment. After running this command, the new hostname will take effect immediately.
Mastering these network commands significantly empowers you to diagnose, troubleshoot, and optimize network environments. This guide provided practical usage and scenarios for each command, delivering crucial insights into network performance and maintenance.