Which command is commonly used to check connectivity between hosts on a network?

The command used to check connectivity between hosts on a network is "ping." This command operates by sending Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request messages to the target host and listens for Echo Reply messages. This process helps determine whether the target host is reachable across the network and measures the round-trip time for messages sent from the originating host to the destination.

Ping is particularly useful for quickly diagnosing network issues, as it can confirm if a remote host is active and responsive. It is a fundamental tool in network troubleshooting and monitoring, making it an essential command for systems administrators and network engineers.

In contrast, telnet is primarily used for establishing a command-line interface to remote systems, mainly for text-based communications; traceroute is designed to trace the path that packets take from the source to the destination, showing the route through intermediate devices; and the ss command is utilized for examining socket statistics on a local machine. While each of these commands has its own specific uses in networking, ping remains the standard for testing basic connectivity.