arping

TLDR

Ping host using ARP

$ sudo arping [192.168.1.1]

Ping with specific interface

$ sudo arping -I [eth0] [192.168.1.1]

Send count requests

$ sudo arping -c [5] [192.168.1.1]

Detect duplicate IP addresses

$ sudo arping -D [192.168.1.1]

Find MAC address of IP

$ sudo arping -c 1 [192.168.1.1]

SYNOPSIS

arping [-c count] [-I interface] [-D] destination

arping sends ARP requests to a target host and displays responses. Unlike ICMP ping, ARP operates at layer 2 and cannot be blocked by IP firewalls.
The tool is useful for verifying layer 2 connectivity, finding MAC addresses, and detecting duplicate IP addresses on a network.

PARAMETERS

-c count

Stop after count replies

-I interface

Network interface

-D

Duplicate address detection mode

-A

ARP answer mode (gratuitous ARP)

-U

Unsolicited ARP mode

-b

Keep broadcasting

-q

Quiet mode

-s source

Source IP address

-w timeout

Timeout in seconds

-f

Quit after first reply

CAVEATS

Requires root/sudo for raw socket access. Only works on local network segment. Cannot ping across routers.

HISTORY

arping has existed in various forms since the early 2000s. There are two common implementations: one by Thomas Habets and one in iputils.