Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ucbvax!CLASH.CISCO.COM!cire
From: cire@CLASH.CISCO.COM
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: ICMP's & IP src addrs
Message-ID: <8809190856.AA13182@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 19 Sep 88 06:42:52 GMT
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 31

>> Subject: Re: ICMP's & IP src addrs 
>> Date: Thu, 15 Sep 88 09:04:17 -0400
>> From: tmallory@PARK-STREET.BBN.COM
>> 
>> Flame:  An ICMP echo to a broadcast address should get no response!  What an
>> incredibly obnoxious thing to do!
>> 
>> Opinion: If a reply is sent, then the best response is to insert the IP
>> address of the interface over which the packet was received in the source
>> address field of the reply.
>> 
>> Tracy Mallory
>> BBNCC


Actually, I've found use for sending out broadcast pings.  It can be
very usefull when you are at a node in an internet that for one
reason or another seems to not hear anymore.  Say you are the net
administrator and don't have a lot of time.  Can anyone hear?  Throw
out a broadcast ping and see what you get back.  The information can
be very useful in a gross sort of way.

-c
cire|eric

Eric B. Decker
cisco Systems
Menlo Park, California

email:	cire@cisco.com
uSnail: 1360 Willow Rd.,  Menlo Park, CA  94025
Phone : (415) 326-1941