How to monitor a server with ping or a port

Not everything you run has a web page. A ping check tells you a server is reachable; a port check tells you a service such as a database, SMTP, IMAP or SSH is accepting connections.

Create the monitor

1. Open Uptime monitors and choose Create monitor.
2. Pick Ping (ICMP) to check a server, or Host / Port to check a service.
3. Enter the host name or IP address, and the port for a Host / Port check, such as 5432 for PostgreSQL or 587 for SMTP.
4. Tick the notification handlers to alert and choose the check interval.
5. Choose Create.

Good to know

• Some firewalls drop ping. If the server is up but the monitor says down, allow ICMP from the checking server or use a port check instead.
• A port check proves the port accepts connections, not that the service answers correctly. For that, monitor the server’s resources too with server monitoring.

Read more about uptime monitoring and tracking server status.