Hi!

i'm using the source 'Send a message to a user in your network' from the 'basic source code'-section. this source is working- but if i try to send a message to a nonexisting address, the program (or windows) needs a very long time to realize this. in this time the program is blocked.
I need this program to send messages to a lot of PCs in our network at the same time. but if there are a few PCs which are not currently reachable, it will need up to 15 or 20 minutes, until the program has done all receivers- that's too long.
My question: How can i check if a network address is reachable at the moment? this solution should be very fast, so that the other receivers will be informed in a short time.

just an idea, okay?

its not THE solution, but maybe it could help..

why don't you try to develop a client program to accept the message, or accept another message apart from the one you want to send to the computers in the network?

the client program would have to send back a message to the pc you are using, telling you that the message has been received.

if this client program(which ought to be running in the background for security) does not respond in a certain amount of time of your choice, then that would mean that you have not reached that particular client, so probably, the client isn't online in the network.

...just an idea, not THE CODE solution.
hope it helps.

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Been busy trying to take a second degree <--it's not working out...

Not sure if it'd work, but I found the following that could be of use:

http://www.mvps.org/vbnet/index.html?code/internet/ping.htm



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Hi, thanks for your answers...

@vbgen:   thanks, but this is not what i want.
i'd like to create a replacement for the command 'net send...' with which i can send messages to a lot of users in different departments and at different locations - without having installed a client on every single pc. this would cause a lot of work in the future, to keep this clients all up to date (today about 50 computers!)

@JLRodgers: maybe this is the solution...i will try it, when i'm back in the office next year.  
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I wish you all (and any further reader of this) a merry christmas and a happy new year!
(maybe you have more luck with the weather and you will have white christmas?)

Ciao and bye bye from the rainy germany
Klaus

Hi JLRodgers!

This was not the direct solution of my problem, because this ping program uses only the IP-address, not host names.

But on the same site i found the way to translate hostnames to IP-addresses and so i can mix it and complete my program.

Thank you  

start > run > type command > type ping ip address and if you get packets back they're online

Hi ErrorNow,

thank you for your answer.

i already solved my problem with JLRodgers's solution.

i know that i can check the network status of the remote pc with the "ping" command- but i cannot use this within a program.