Read the entire file readme-en.txt. For example, by the command tar xjOf fynpinger-0-0-0.tar.bz2 fynpinger/readme-en.txt | less.
Unpack the files fynpinger.perl and fynpinger.conf to any directory permitted to you for reading and writing; or unpack everything by the command tar xjpf fynpinger-0-0-0.tar.bz2. If needed, edit the file fynpinger.conf. Run the file fynpinger.perl in a terminal; for example: ./fynpinger.perl max=8 blocklist=+bad.com (it is just an example).
Command line and the configuration file can contain the following parameters, in any order. None of them is mandatory.
| name of parameter | values (default) | description |
|---|---|---|
| blocklist | The addresses not to test; comma separated. Address only (IPv4, IPv6, FQDN). If the node where the testing happens is on the list, add it to the value of that parameter: it will else seem to be the quickest. | |
| hostnames | all, nocf, none (nocf) | Use or not the sign addresses (not only IP addresses; those from the list and indicated by the user): all; all except those applying Cloudflare (nocf); none. |
| ip | v4, v6, both (both) | IP versions (IPv4, IPv6, both), nodes with which the user searches. |
| lng | en, eo, ru | Language of outputted messages; supported are English (en), Esperanto (eo) and Russian (ru). If an unsupported language is indicated, English is used. If not indicated, the system language is used; and if it is not amongst the supported ones, then English. |
| max | 1 – ∞ (12) | Maximally allowed ping (in seconds). |
| morehosts | Additional addresses (not from the list); comma separated. Address (IPv4, IPv6 in square brackets, FQDN) with protocol and port number. | |
| offline | none, hour, day, all (none) | Test or not the network nodes, marked as inaccessible (offline): none; offline for hours (hour); offline for hours and days (day); all. |
| proto | tls, tcp, both (tls) | Protocol(s), nodes with which the user searches. |
| to | screen, file, both (screen) | Where to output a result of work of the programme: to screen, to file, to both. |
In the configuration file, empty lines and lines starting with the # sign are ignored (thus it is possible to enter a comment, and also turn a line off). Parameters on command line surpass parameters in the configuration file. If it is indicated lng=auto on command line, system language is used (and if it is not supported, then English).
On command line, if value of the parameter blocklist or morehosts starts with a plus, value from command line is added to the value from the configuration file; if any of those two parameters in command line has the value no, its value from the configuration file is ignored.
The programme outputs two lists: ‘Not replied’ and ‘Quick nodes’. The second one is more needed, but the first one is needed, too: the nodes on that list can be accessible, but set to not reply to ping; you can explore them with traceroute (tracepath) and whois.