# Install dhcping with Homebrew, apk, apt, MacPorts, Nix, pacman Perform a dhcp-request to check whether a dhcp-server is running. Version 1.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-17. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install dhcping. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:dhcping ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install dhcping ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install dhcping ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: net/dhcping/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add dhcping ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dhcping from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install dhcping ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: dhcping from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#dhcping ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dh/dhcping/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S dhcping ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: dhcping from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:dhcping - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Version:** 1.2 - **Source summary:** Perform a dhcp-request to check whether a dhcp-server is running - **Homepage:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-17T01:05:18-04:00 - **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00 ## Executables - dhcping (alias) ## Install behavior - Bottle: not available ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-08-03 - Package-manager version: 1.2 ## Project history and usage dhcping is a focused DHCP availability probe. It sends DHCPREQUEST or DHCPINFORM traffic to check whether a DHCP server responds, making it a small monitoring and diagnostics companion rather than a general DHCP client. ### Project history The official Mavetju tools page lists DHCPING 1.2 as a DHCP daemon ping program for checking whether a DHCP server is still running. Its change log records a 1.0 initial release, DHCPINFORM support in 1.1, and documentation/autoconfiguration/Solaris linking fixes in 1.2. ### Adoption history dhcping fits the long-lived Unix pattern of small health-check commands: it can be placed in monitoring scripts where a full DHCP client transaction or packet analyzer would be too heavy. The manual explicitly describes setup for a monitoring host against a DHCP server. ### How it is used The man page documents required client IP, server IP, and client hardware address arguments, a timeout, quiet and verbose modes, and DHCPREQUEST or DHCPINFORM operation. Because it binds to the bootpc port, the documentation notes that it must run with appropriate privileges. ### Why package nerds care Package nerds care about dhcping because it packages a single operational question as a command: is the DHCP server answering? That makes it useful in init scripts, monitoring checks, and network bring-up debugging without pulling in a larger tool. ### Timeline - 2002: Change log revision records dhcping releases through version 1.2. - 1.0: Initial release. - 1.1: DHCPINFORM option added. - 1.2: Documentation, autoconfiguration, and Solaris/SunOS linking fixes. ### Related projects - dhcpdump is the sibling diagnostic tool for decoding DHCP packets. - dhcpd and dhclient are the server/client tools dhcping is commonly used around. ### Sources - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - dhcping - 1.2-6: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: dhcping from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | DHCP Daemon Ping Program | https://www.mavetju.org/unix/general.php - Nix - dhcping: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dh/dhcping/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - dhcping - 1.2-6: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: dhcping from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | DHCP Daemon Ping Program | https://www.mavetju.org/unix/general.php - apk - dhcping - 1.2-r3: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dhcping from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | dhcp daemon ping program | http://www.mavetju.org/unix/general.php - apk - dhcping-doc - 1.2-r3: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dhcping-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | dhcp daemon ping program (documentation) | http://www.mavetju.org/unix/general.php - pacman - dhcping - 1.2-4: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: dhcping from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Small tool to let you perform a dhcp-request to find out if a dhcp-server is still running | https://www.mavetju.org/unix/general.php - MacPorts - dhcping: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: net/dhcping/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/dhcping.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/dhcping.yml) ## Sources - pkg.so package database - Geiger risk classifier - curated package history - pkgdb category and tag curation - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph