Pinger

Pinger is a Java-based software application you can use to monitor multiple hosts in the local network, automatically ping them at a specific time interval to test the connectivity strength between the computers, as well as to examine statistics.

Simple GUI for monitoring multiple hosts

The interface is user-friendly, made from a single window with a simple design and layout. It's possible to add as many hosts as you want to the monitor list by specifying their IP address and display name. Their properties can be later edited, while any entries can be removed from watchlist if you change your mind.

Set the ping frequency and packet size

Before start sending the ping signal continuously, you can establish the frequency (5, 15, 30 or 60 minutes) along with the size of packets to send (256, 512, 1024 or 2024 bytes). Pinging can be stopped anytime with one click. However, there is no option implemented for auto-stopping it after a specific time.

Examine and save statistics

After switching to statistics viewing mode, you can find out if the packets were successfully sent or not, indicated by the color (green or red). This information can be saved to an Excel spreadsheet with the .xls format by pointing out the destination folder and filename. The app gets minimized to the systray on close.

No setup required, besides Java

The entire program's wrapped in an executable .jar file that can be saved anywhere on the computer or copied to a USB flash drive to seamlessly run Pinger on any machine.Just keep in mind that Java must be installed, otherwise it won't launch. On the other hand, it doesn't create files on the HDD without asking for your permission, nor does it add new entries to your system registry.

Evaluation and conclusion

The interface looks rudimentary and possibility confusing to inexperienced users. We must also keep in mind that it hasn't received updates for a long time. Nevertheless, Pinger has straightforward options for pinging multiple machines at a time, as well as for analyzing and saving stats. Plus, it's free for non-commercial use.