Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tiamat!jim
From: jim@tiamat.fsc.com (Jim O'Connor)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: quick check for available host
Message-ID: <771@tiamat.fsc.com>
Date: 27 Sep 90 22:36:00 GMT
Organization: Ahlstrom Filtration - Chattanooga,TN
Lines: 24

What is a quick way for a shell script to find out if a networked
host is currently available?

For instance, I'd like to do something like

if host_present hostname
then
	# run network commands
else
	# take other action
fi

Using just about rsh (or rcmd, or remsh, depending on your flavor)
command will work, but it takes rsh (mine anyway) over a minute to
time out, and I'd like to use something that works a little quicker.

I have a socket library, so if you just have programming tips, send them
along and I'll try to write a program that does just what I want.

Thanks,
--jim
------------- 
James B. O'Connor			jim@tiamat.fsc.com
Ahlstrom Filtration, Inc.		615/821-4022 x. 651