import subprocess import string class Ping: def __init__(self, pingAddress): self.pingAddress = pingAddress def ping(self,numberTries): tried = 1 while numberTries >= tried: tried += 1 #the parameter c 1 means only one ping to be sent, parameter W 3 means how many seconds the time out should be, 3 seconds ping_cmd = subprocess.Popen(['ping', self.pingAddress, '-c', '1', '-W', '2'], stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT).communicate()[0] pingAlive = int(string.find(ping_cmd, '1 received')) unknownHost = int(string.find(ping_cmd, 'unknown host')) if pingAlive != -1: break if unknownHost != -1: return 2 #unknown host if pingAlive != -1: return 1 #ping works fine else: return 0 #no ping response