README

fping 3 README
--------------

This is a BETA build, please use at your own risk. Implements initial support for json datatype output.

Known problem: running fping on a down host without -j 1 returns malformed json.

fping is a program to send ICMP echo probes to network hosts, similar to ping,
but much better performing when pinging multiple hosts. fping has a long long
story: Roland Schemers did publish a first version of it in 1992 and it has
established itself since then as a standard tool.

Maintainer of this fork:
    Paul S. <contact+github(at)winterei(dot)se>

Website:
   http://fping.org/

Mailing-list:
   https://groups.google.com/group/fping-users


Installation
------------
If you want to install fping from source, proceed as follows:

1. Run ./configure with the correct arguments
   (see: ./configure --help)

2. Run make; make install

3. Make fping either setuid, or, if under Linux:

   sudo setcap cap_net_raw+ep fping

4. Have a look at the fping(8) manual for usage help
   (fping -h will also give a minimal help output)


IPv6 support
------------
You can can compile fping with support for IPv6 addresses. A separate binary
is used for that, called fping6. To build it, use ./configure --enable-ipv6
(possibly combined with --enable-ipv4 to also build fping for IPv4). E.g.:

  # ./configure --prefix=/usr/local --enable-ipv4 --enable-ipv6
  # make
  # make install
  # sudo setcap cap_net_raw+ep /usr/local/bin/fping*


Credits
-------
Original author:  Roland Schemers (schemers@stanford.edu)
Previous maintainer:  RL "Bob" Morgan (morgan@stanford.edu)
Initial IPv6 Support: Jeroen Massar (jeroen@unfix.org / jeroen@ipng.nl)
Other contributors: see ChangeLog