Networking is necessary for DevOps engineers, system administrators, or anyone who manages IT infrastructure. Knowing networking commands allows you to troubleshoot problems, monitor connections, and improve performance. π οΈ Let's look at some of the most useful commands. π
π Why Are Networking Commands Important?
β Check connectivity between devices π
β Trace the path of data packets π‘
β Monitor network traffic & diagnose issues π
β Query DNS records & resolve domain names π
β Interact with APIs & test web requests π
π Networking Commands Cheat Sheet
π₯οΈ Command | π― Purpose | π Real-Life Example | π‘ Benefits |
ping | Check network connectivity | ping google.com to see if Google is reachable | Quick connectivity check & latency measurement |
traceroute (Linux/macOS) / tracert (Windows) | Trace the route of packets to a destination | traceroute google.com | Identifies network bottlenecks & hops |
netstat | View active connections & network stats | netstat -an to list all open ports | Monitors network activity & detects suspicious connections |
curl | Send HTTP requests & retrieve web content | curl https://example.com to fetch a webpage | API testing, downloading files, and automation |
dig | Query DNS records | dig google.com to get IP & DNS info | Troubleshoots domain resolution issues |
nslookup | Resolve domain names to IP addresses | nslookup example.com | Checks DNS configurations & troubleshooting |
π Best Practices for Using Networking Commands
πΉ Use ping
for quick troubleshooting β If a website isnβt loading, check if itβs reachable first. π
πΉ Use traceroute
to find network delays β Identify where network slowdowns are happening. π‘
πΉ Monitor connections with netstat
β Monitor unusual or unexpected open ports. π
πΉ Leverage curl
for API testing (You need to setup it up in Windows) β Test REST APIs and check web server responses. βοΈ
πΉ Verify DNS records with dig
& nslookup
β Troubleshoot and resolve domain issues and check misconfigured DNS. π