What Target Test Does
Target Test checks connectivity to any hostname or IP address you specify. It is designed for diagnosing why a specific service — a VoIP server, cloud application, file share, or any other network resource — is unreachable or slow. Rather than testing general internet connectivity, Target Test focuses on the exact destination that matters to you.
How to Use It
- Open Target Test from the sidebar.
- Enter a hostname (e.g.,
voip.company.com) or IP address (e.g.,192.168.1.50). - Click Test — the app runs DNS resolution, ICMP ping, TCP connect, and HTTP(S) reachability checks in sequence.
What It Shows
Each test phase produces detailed results:
DNS Resolution
- IP address(es) returned for the hostname
- Resolution time in milliseconds
- Which DNS server answered the query
ICMP Ping
- Round-trip time for each ping
- Packet loss percentage over multiple pings
- Jitter (variation in round-trip time)
TCP Connect
- Port reachability (whether the port is open and accepting connections)
- Connection time in milliseconds
HTTP(S) Reachability
- HTTP status code returned
- Response time
- TLS certificate information (issuer, expiry, validity)
Use Cases
VoIP Quality
Test the SIP or VoIP server before and during a call quality complaint. High latency, jitter, or packet loss in the ICMP results directly explains choppy audio or dropped calls.
Cloud Service Access
Verify the network path to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, or other cloud endpoints. If DNS resolution is slow or TCP connect times are high, you have identified the bottleneck.
Internal Resources
Test reachability of file servers, printers, or other LAN devices. Target Test confirms whether the issue is network-level (device unreachable) or application-level (device reachable but service not responding).
Before/After Comparison
Run Target Test before a network change, then again after, to verify improvement. The detailed metrics give you concrete numbers to compare rather than relying on subjective reports.
Tips
- Run Target Test alongside Latency Monitor for continuous monitoring of the same host over time.
- Save results for documentation — the detailed output is useful in support tickets and network change reports.
- If DNS resolution fails but you can reach the IP directly, the issue is DNS-specific. Use DNS Compare to investigate further.
Still need help?
If you're still experiencing issues, contact us or email support@rockriverresearch.com.