Okuzeka
Networking & Telecommunications vocabulary · Protocols and Services

ICMP

Meaning in networking & telecommunications, with examples

abbreviationAdvanced term

In networking & telecommunications, ICMP means: Short for Internet Control Message Protocol: a protocol that network devices use to send error and status messages, such as 'destination unreachable'; ping and traceroute rely on it.

In Turkish: İnternet Kontrol Mesajı Protokolü, ICMP

How it is used

Spelled out letter by letter. Firewalls often block ICMP for security reasons, which makes ping fail even when a host is working. Blocking all ICMP can also break functions such as path MTU discovery, so most teams allow the important message types.

Example sentences

  1. The server is up, but it doesn't answer ping because ICMP is blocked on its firewall.

  2. The router sent back an ICMP 'destination unreachable' message.

Common collocations

  • ICMP echo request
  • block ICMP
  • ICMP message
  • ICMP unreachable
  • pingTo send a small test message to another device and wait for a reply, in order to check whether it can be reached and how long the round trip takes.
  • tracerouteA diagnostic tool that lists every router a packet passes through on its way to a destination, with the delay to each one, so you can see where traffic slows down or stops.
  • protocolA set of agreed rules that defines how devices format, send, receive and check data, so that equipment from different vendors can talk to each other.
  • firewallA hardware device or software that checks network traffic against a set of rules and allows or blocks it, protecting a network from unwanted access.
  • hopOne step in the path of a packet, from one router to the next; the number of hops shows how many routers a packet passes through to reach its destination.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Protocols and Services

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: