Show HN: Faster-than-light ping (April Fools')

53 pointsplingbang1y ago14 comments

A server that replies to your pings faster than ever! Now with IPv6 support. Give it a minute and the response time will go down tremendously:

    ping ftlping.net

On Windows, add an option not to stop after 4 pings:

    ping -t ftlping.net

Works best on MacOS and FreeBSD. Not impressive on Windows but you can see something interesting if you run a packet analyser.

Report issues here: https://github.com/plingbang/ftlping/issues The code may be published when my future self passes it to me.

14 comments

btdmaster1y ago

Overflow in busybox ping!

  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=0 ttl=52 time=172.825 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=1 ttl=52 time=182.433 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=2 ttl=52 time=221.810 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=3 ttl=52 time=96.547 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=4 ttl=52 time=89.722 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=5 ttl=52 time=77.812 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=6 ttl=52 time=68.624 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=7 ttl=52 time=57.501 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=8 ttl=52 time=48.275 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=9 ttl=52 time=37.498 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=10 ttl=52 time=22.236 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=11 ttl=52 time=23.625 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=12 ttl=52 time=9.215 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=13 ttl=52 time=4.496 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=14 ttl=52 time=5.311 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=15 ttl=52 time=3.678 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=16 ttl=52 time=3.261 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=17 ttl=52 time=4294933.513 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=18 ttl=52 time=4294938.415 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=19 ttl=52 time=3.640 ms

keepamovin1y ago

This is fun. It's literally like back in the past:

  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=40 ttl=50 time=18.069 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=41 ttl=50 time=-47.262 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=42 ttl=50 time=-62.118 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=43 ttl=50 time=-123.935 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=44 ttl=50 time=-130.247 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=45 ttl=50 time=-141.351 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=46 ttl=50 time=-98.121 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=47 ttl=50 time=-141.229 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=48 ttl=50 time=-170.218 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=49 ttl=50 time=-186.823 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=50 ttl=50 time=-176.823 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=51 ttl=50 time=-207.752 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=52 ttl=50 time=-223.770 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=53 ttl=50 time=-223.758 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=54 ttl=50 time=-149.182 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=55 ttl=50 time=-227.685 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=56 ttl=50 time=-263.873 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=57 ttl=50 time=-258.082 ms

lxgr1y ago

Amazing!

I can imagine how it works on the server side, but what's really fascinating is that my client (macOS) can handle negative response times at all.

Does anybody know how that's possible? Do ICMP sockets just queue incoming "responses" until there is a pending matching request?

Or does the ping command take complete ICMP "ownership" over... something? more than a socket? while it runs, and this is an implementation quirk of that userspace tool's synchronization/threading/event handling mechanisms?

1 more reply

w3ll_w3ll_w3ll1y ago

Ubuntu

  PING ftlping.net (82.165.188.205) 56(84) bytes of data.
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=1 ttl=49 time=131 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=2 ttl=49 time=121 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=3 ttl=49 time=110 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=4 ttl=49 time=88.0 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=5 ttl=49 time=105 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=6 ttl=49 time=80.5 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=7 ttl=49 time=69.9 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=8 ttl=49 time=58.6 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=9 ttl=49 time=55.8 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=10 ttl=49 time=40.1 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=11 ttl=49 time=30.7 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=12 ttl=49 time=20.6 ms
  ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-7859us), taking countermeasures
  ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-7746us), taking countermeasures
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=13 ttl=49 time=0.000 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=14 ttl=49 time=18.7 ms
  ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-8431us), taking countermeasures
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=15 ttl=49 time=0.000 ms
  ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-17099us), taking countermeasures
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=16 ttl=49 time=0.000 ms
  ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-27144us), taking countermeasures
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=17 ttl=49 time=0.000 ms

stanac1y ago

On windows after some time I am getting:

Request timed out.

And on linux:

ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-173217us), taking countermeasures 64 bytes from [redacted]: icmp_seq=31 ttl=55 time=0.000 ms

josephcsible1y ago

https://github.com/iputils/iputils/blob/294a65f00047f31685b7...

qwerty4561271y ago

Some years ago some papers were published claiming reliable quantum teleportation has finally been invented. This made me wonder if we are going to get microscopic pings over huge distances anytime soon.

avery171y ago

Quantum teleportation is not real. The speed of light continues to stand as the ultimate limit of speed, information and causality.

qwerty4561271y ago

Can you elaborate on this? As I understand quantum teleportation is not real teleportation as people popularly understand teleportation - no piece of matter is teleported, yet it is real in the way we need - information is teleported instantly. In case I'm wrong, kindly hint on what is actually meant under quantum teleportation when we encounter papers about it.

1 more reply

drpixie1y ago

Very nice. Takes a special mind to think about tweaking the contents of ping packets :)

Now, by rights, you've shown that I shouldn't trust anything I receive from anybody.

cchance1y ago

HAHA thats pretty cool even as just a concept to show how ping works and can be manipulated.

flysand71y ago

I'm getting a timeout :)

zild3d1y ago

"somebody's printing up packets!"

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

14 comments

btdmaster1y ago

Overflow in busybox ping!

  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=0 ttl=52 time=172.825 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=1 ttl=52 time=182.433 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=2 ttl=52 time=221.810 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=3 ttl=52 time=96.547 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=4 ttl=52 time=89.722 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=5 ttl=52 time=77.812 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=6 ttl=52 time=68.624 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=7 ttl=52 time=57.501 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=8 ttl=52 time=48.275 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=9 ttl=52 time=37.498 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=10 ttl=52 time=22.236 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=11 ttl=52 time=23.625 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=12 ttl=52 time=9.215 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=13 ttl=52 time=4.496 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=14 ttl=52 time=5.311 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=15 ttl=52 time=3.678 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=16 ttl=52 time=3.261 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=17 ttl=52 time=4294933.513 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=18 ttl=52 time=4294938.415 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: seq=19 ttl=52 time=3.640 ms

keepamovin1y ago

This is fun. It's literally like back in the past:

  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=40 ttl=50 time=18.069 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=41 ttl=50 time=-47.262 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=42 ttl=50 time=-62.118 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=43 ttl=50 time=-123.935 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=44 ttl=50 time=-130.247 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=45 ttl=50 time=-141.351 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=46 ttl=50 time=-98.121 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=47 ttl=50 time=-141.229 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=48 ttl=50 time=-170.218 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=49 ttl=50 time=-186.823 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=50 ttl=50 time=-176.823 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=51 ttl=50 time=-207.752 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=52 ttl=50 time=-223.770 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=53 ttl=50 time=-223.758 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=54 ttl=50 time=-149.182 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=55 ttl=50 time=-227.685 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=56 ttl=50 time=-263.873 ms
  64 bytes from 82.165.188.205: icmp_seq=57 ttl=50 time=-258.082 ms

lxgr1y ago

Amazing!

I can imagine how it works on the server side, but what's really fascinating is that my client (macOS) can handle negative response times at all.

Does anybody know how that's possible? Do ICMP sockets just queue incoming "responses" until there is a pending matching request?

1 more reply

w3ll_w3ll_w3ll1y ago

Ubuntu

  PING ftlping.net (82.165.188.205) 56(84) bytes of data.
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=1 ttl=49 time=131 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=2 ttl=49 time=121 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=3 ttl=49 time=110 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=4 ttl=49 time=88.0 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=5 ttl=49 time=105 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=6 ttl=49 time=80.5 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=7 ttl=49 time=69.9 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=8 ttl=49 time=58.6 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=9 ttl=49 time=55.8 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=10 ttl=49 time=40.1 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=11 ttl=49 time=30.7 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=12 ttl=49 time=20.6 ms
  ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-7859us), taking countermeasures
  ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-7746us), taking countermeasures
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=13 ttl=49 time=0.000 ms
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=14 ttl=49 time=18.7 ms
  ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-8431us), taking countermeasures
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=15 ttl=49 time=0.000 ms
  ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-17099us), taking countermeasures
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=16 ttl=49 time=0.000 ms
  ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-27144us), taking countermeasures
  64 bytes from rfc6921.net (82.165.188.205): icmp_seq=17 ttl=49 time=0.000 ms

stanac1y ago

On windows after some time I am getting:

Request timed out.

And on linux:

ping: Warning: time of day goes back (-173217us), taking countermeasures 64 bytes from [redacted]: icmp_seq=31 ttl=55 time=0.000 ms

josephcsible1y ago

https://github.com/iputils/iputils/blob/294a65f00047f31685b7...

qwerty4561271y ago

avery171y ago

Quantum teleportation is not real. The speed of light continues to stand as the ultimate limit of speed, information and causality.

qwerty4561271y ago

1 more reply

drpixie1y ago

Very nice. Takes a special mind to think about tweaking the contents of ping packets :)

Now, by rights, you've shown that I shouldn't trust anything I receive from anybody.

cchance1y ago

HAHA thats pretty cool even as just a concept to show how ping works and can be manipulated.

flysand71y ago

I'm getting a timeout :)

zild3d1y ago

"somebody's printing up packets!"

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse