The ping command is a simple but powerful tool in managing a computer network. To find a computer's assigned name on a network using the ping command, you will need to know the computer's Internet protocol (IP) address. Each computer on a network has a different IP address. The ping command allows you to contact the IP address and get it to return the computer's workgroup name to you.
Things You'll Need
- Computer
- Network
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Finding the Computer Name
Step 1
Open a command prompt window. This is done by clicking the Start menu. Next, find the Accessories sub-menu. The command prompt application should now be on screen.
Step 2
If you have the computer's IP address at your disposal, you can skip ahead to Step 3. If you have nothing to go on, you can get a list of all active IP addresses on your network by using the netstat command. In your opened command prompt window, type netstat -n. A list of all IP's currently active on the network is returned.
Step 3
At this point, you have an IP address, either one you knew all along or one from your IP list you created in the first step. Now, type the next command: ping -a