Ping does not use ports.
As the provided reference clarifies, a ping test utilizes the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP). ICMP operates directly on top of the Internet Protocol (IP) at the network layer (Layer 3) and does not use Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP), which are transport layer (Layer 4) protocols that rely on port numbers.
- ICMP "sits on top of" the IP address, eliminating the need for port assignment.
- Ping is an ICMP echo request and echo reply.
- Therefore, ping operates at Layer 3, not Layer 4.
Therefore, the concept of a "ping port" is incorrect. Ports are associated with TCP and UDP, while ping uses ICMP.
