# Install iputils with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman, zypper, winget Set of small useful utilities for Linux networking. Version 20250605 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:iputils ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install iputils ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add iputils ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: iputils from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install iputils-arping ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: iputils-arping from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install iputils ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: iputils from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#iputils ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: iputils from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S iputils ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: iputils from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install iputils ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: iputils from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id WhoElse.Ping -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: WhoElse.Ping from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:iputils - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 20250605 - **Source summary:** Set of small useful utilities for Linux networking - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later AND BSD-3-Clause - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - clockdiff (cli) - ping (cli) - tracepath (cli) - clockdiff (alias) - ping (alias) - tracepath (alias) ## Dependencies - libxslt ## Build dependencies - meson - ninja ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 20250605 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/iputils/iputils - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage iputils is a compact Linux networking utility suite built around everyday diagnostic tools such as ping, arping, tracepath, and clockdiff. It packages the command-line instruments administrators reach for before heavier packet capture or routing-analysis tools. ### Project history The iputils README traces the project to Alexey Kuznetsov's 1999 releases, with a first downloadable release dated 1999-04-16 and later maintenance by Hideaki Yoshifuji from 2006 through 2015. The repository keeps that history visible in a dedicated History section rather than treating the tools as anonymous base-system commands. The suite has been pruned over time. The README records removed tools such as ninfod, rarpd, rdisc, tftpd, and traceroute6, with replacements noted where appropriate. That pruning left the package focused on the small Linux network diagnostics that still fit its purpose. ### Adoption history iputils is widely packaged because ping and its sibling tools are expected on Linux systems, rescue environments, containers, CI images, and network troubleshooting hosts. The Homebrew formula and the distribution package names in the source facts reflect how the same upstream is split differently by downstream package managers. The package also carries portability expectations across Linux libc implementations. Its README explicitly lists glibc, uClibc-ng, and musl support, which matters for Alpine, embedded systems, and container-focused distributions. ### How it is used Users invoke iputils tools for reachability checks, round-trip timing, path MTU discovery, simple route-path inspection, ARP probing, and clock-difference checks. The package deliberately stays close to the network stack and avoids becoming a broad monitoring framework. Development guidance in the README asks bug reporters to document kernel and distribution details and suggests network namespaces for tests, which reflects the package's tight coupling to Linux kernel behavior. ### Why package nerds care iputils is package-nerd important because it turns 'ping' from a generic command expectation into a concrete upstream with release history, removed-program policy, libc support, and distribution-specific splits. It is also a reminder that base utilities are not static: even tiny networking commands accumulate kernel compatibility, privilege-model, translation, and test-environment concerns. ### Timeline - 1999: Alexey Kuznetsov's iputils release line begins. - 1999: First downloadable release listed as iputils-ss990417. - 2006: Hideaki Yoshifuji's release line begins. - 2015: Yoshifuji release line reaches s20151218. - 2021: Several obsolete tools are listed with their last release before removal. ### Related projects - iputils overlaps historically with Linux iproute tooling, traceroute, mtr, tftp-hpa, dnsmasq, libc implementations, and the Linux kernel networking test surface. ### Sources - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** iputils - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Requirements:** linux - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - iputils-arping - 3:20240905-3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: iputils-arping from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Tool to send ICMP echo requests to an ARP address | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - Debian apt - iputils-clockdiff - 3:20240905-3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: iputils-clockdiff from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Measure the time difference between networked computers | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - Debian apt - iputils-ping - 3:20240905-3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: iputils-ping from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Tools to test the reachability of network hosts | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - Debian apt - iputils-tracepath - 3:20240905-3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: iputils-tracepath from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Tools to trace the network path to a remote host | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - Nix - iputils: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: iputils from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - Ubuntu apt - iputils-arping - 3:20240117-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: iputils-arping from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Tool to send ICMP echo requests to an ARP address | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - Ubuntu apt - iputils-clockdiff - 3:20240117-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: iputils-clockdiff from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Measure the time difference between networked computers | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - Ubuntu apt - iputils-ping - 3:20240117-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: iputils-ping from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Tools to test the reachability of network hosts | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - Ubuntu apt - iputils-tracepath - 3:20240117-1build1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: iputils-tracepath from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Tools to trace the network path to a remote host | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - apk - iputils - 20250605-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: iputils from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | IP Configuration Utilities | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - apk - iputils-arping - 20250605-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: iputils-arping from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | IP Configuration Utilities (arping utility) | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - apk - iputils-clockdiff - 20250605-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: iputils-clockdiff from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | IP Configuration Utilities (clockdiff utility) | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - apk - iputils-doc - 20250605-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: iputils-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | IP Configuration Utilities (documentation) | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - apk - iputils-ping - 20250605-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: iputils-ping from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | IP Configuration Utilities (ping utility) | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - apk - iputils-tracepath - 20250605-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: iputils-tracepath from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | IP Configuration Utilities (tracepath utility) | https://github.com/iputils/iputils/ - dnf - iputils - 20250605-2.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: iputils from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Network monitoring tools including ping | https://github.com/iputils/iputils ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [libxslt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libxslt/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [meson](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/meson/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [ninja](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ninja/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [dstp](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dstp/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, networking. - [nali](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nali/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, networking. - [dhcping](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dhcping/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, networking. - [dnstracer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dnstracer/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, networking. - [fping](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fping/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, networking, ping. - [mtr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mtr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, networking, ping. - [scamper](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/scamper/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, networking. - [tcping](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tcping/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, networking, ping. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/iputils.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/iputils.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph