---
name: "icmpinfo"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "netstd"
version: "3.07-7slink.3"
release: "Debian 2.1 (Slink)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/icmpinfo"
---

# icmpinfo(1)

interpret ICMP messages

## NAME

icmpinfo - interpret ICMP messages

## SYNOPSIS

**icmpinfo** \[-v\[v\[v\]\]\] \[-n\] \[-p\] \[-s\] \[-l\] \[-k\]

## DESCRIPTION

**Icmpinfo** is a tool for looking at the ICMP messages received on the running host. It can be used to detect and record 'bombs' as well as various network problems.

The output format is as follows (all on one line):

  MMM DD HH:MM:SS ICMP\_type\[sub-type\]\
\
 	\< sender\_ip \[sender\_name\] \> unreach\_ip \[unreach\_name\]\
\
 	sp=source\_port dp=dest\_port seq=sequence sz=packet\_size

In normal operation, **icmpinfo** will only report on "weird" packets, mainly icmp\_unreachable.

## OPTIONS

- *-v*

  Give information about all icmp packets, excepts pings.

- *-vv*

  Give about pings too (i.e. icmp\_echo\_reply).

- *-vvv*

  Include an ascii/hex dump of each packet

- *-n*

  Avoid name queries - just give IP addresses. (use this option when running unattended on name server hosts (to avoid possible looping))

- *-p*

  Avoid port number to service name decoding.

- *-s*

  Show the interface ip that received the packet. Usefull only if your host has several network interfaces. In this case an '- my\_ip \[my\_name\]' is added between the sender and unreach ip and name fields.

- *-l*

  Forks and use the [syslog(3)](/syslog/3.md) facility to record events (recomended use). (root only option).

- *-k*

  Kills the background process started with the *-l* option.

## WARNINGS

The packet decoding is planned for ICMP Unreachable outputs and might not be significant for all other Icmp types. Output can be shorter when implied by the packet size or the icmp type.

## AUTHOR

Laurent Demailly \<dl@hplyot.obspm.fr\>. Free software.