---
name: "ipsec_ikeping"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "openswan"
version: "1:2.6.37-3+deb7u1"
release: "Debian 7 (Wheezy)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ipsec_ikeping"
---

# ipsec\_ikeping(8)

send/receive ISAKMP/IKE echo requests/replies

## NAME

ipsec\_ikeping - send/receive ISAKMP/IKE echo requests/replies

## SYNOPSIS

**ipsec** *ikeping* \[--listen\] \[--verbose\] \[--wait *time*\] \[--exchangenum *num*\] \[--ikeport *localport*\] \[--ikeaddress *address*\] \[--inet\] \[--inet6\] *destaddr* \[*/dstport*...\]

## DESCRIPTION

*Ikeping* sends and receives ISAKMP/IKE echo request and echo reply packets. These packets are intended for diagnostics purposes, in a manner similar to [**ping**(8)](/ping/8.md) does for ICMP echo request/reply packets.

At the time of this writing, the ISAKMP echo request/reply exchange is still an internet-draft (draft-richardson-ipsec-ikeping-00), and is therefore completely non-standard. The Openswan IKE daemon pluto does implement this draft, so ikeping can be used to test connectivity to an openswan ipsec server.

*Ikeping* will bind to the local address given by **--ikeaddress** and the port number given by **--ikeport** defaulting to the wildcard address and the ISAKMP port 500. An ISAKMP exchange of type 244 (a private use number) is sent to each of the address/ports listed on the command line. The exchange number may be overridden by the **--exchangenum** option.

*Ikeping* then listens for replies, printing them as they are received. Replies are of exchange type 245 or the specified exchange number plus 1. *Ikeping* will keep listening until it either receives as many echo responses as it sent, or until the timeout period (5 seconds) has been reached. Receipt of a packet will reset the timer. The **--wait** option can be used to specify a different timeout period.

If the **--listen** option is given, then *ikeping* will not send any packets. Instead, it will listen for them and reply to each request received.

If the **--natt** option is given, then *ikeping* will set the socket to permit UDP encapsulated ESP packets. This is only useful in listen mode.

## FILES

no external files

## SEE ALSO

[**ping**(8)](/ping/8.md), [**ipsec\_pluto**(8)](/ipsec_pluto/8.md)

## HISTORY

Written for the Linux FreeS/WAN project \<**http://www.freeswan.org**\> by Michael Richardson.