One gentle ping
One echo request per check, sent to a validated public IPv4 or IPv6 address. No flood mode, port range or application login.
HomeICMP ping monitoring
A LITTLE PING. A CLEARER PICTURE.
Still out there?Your owl will ask.
Sometimes the first question is simple: can this host answer? ICMP monitoring sends a small echo request and keeps watch for a reply, with the same calm alerts as the rest of your nest.
Start free. No card required.
Give silence a little context
Choose a timeout and confirmation threshold, so one missed reply need not become an incident.
Keep your familiar watch
Use existing permissions, maintenance windows and notification preferences alongside your other monitors.
A MOMENT FROM EVERYDAY MONITORING
A quiet host deserves a closer look.
A public server stops responding after a network change. Its ICMP monitor misses the expected reply. Once your confirmation threshold is reached, UptimeOwl starts the usual incident and alert flow, giving your team a clear place to begin.
Some healthy hosts block ping. A missing echo reply is evidence of ICMP reachability trouble, not proof that every service on that host is down.
SMALL SIGNALS, EVERYDAY WORK
What could your owl listen for?
Watch a public host
Keep an authorized public IPv4 or IPv6 server on watch when it is configured to answer ICMP.
Notice a changed route
Add a reachability signal after network or firewall changes, alongside application checks.
Build a fuller picture
Pair ping with HTTP or TCP checks. Each lookout answers a different question.
FROM FIRST STEP TO STEADY WATCH
Find your footing in three steps.
Choose ICMP ping
Open Endpoint monitors, add a monitor and choose ICMP ping.
Choose the host
Enter icmp:// followed by a public hostname or IP address. Bracket IPv6 literals and select the address family; no port is needed.
Settle into your watch
Choose a timeout and confirmation rules, then follow incidents through your existing channels.
ROOM FOR YOUR WATCH
Included from your first Free nest.
Free: 3 monitors, checks from 5 minutes · Starter: 10 monitors, checks from 3 minutes · Team: 30 monitors, checks from 1 minute · Business: 100 monitors, checks from 30 seconds. Enterprise allowances are arranged with Blastup.
Slack, Teams and mobile push on every plan. Monitor email alerts on paid plans.
A few things you might be wondering.
Is ICMP monitoring included in Free?
Yes. It counts toward your monitor allowance and follows your plan’s minimum interval. Monitor email alerts require a paid plan.
Does a reply prove my application is healthy?
No. It only means the selected address answered an ICMP echo request. Use application-specific checks for responses and transactions.
Can a healthy server fail this check?
Yes. A host, firewall or provider may block or rate-limit ICMP even while its applications work.
Can I monitor an IPv6 host?
Yes. Choose IPv6 only to check a validated public IPv6 address without IPv4 fallback. Automatic keeps IPv4 for hostnames; bracketed IPv6 literals use IPv6. The monitoring worker needs working IPv6 connectivity.
What happens if the probe itself cannot ping?
UptimeOwl preserves the last confirmed status instead of inventing a downtime or recovery event. The monitoring evidence becomes delayed until checks can resume.
A HELPING WING
Ready for the practical details?
Browse more monitors & detections guides in the help center.