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ICMP Pong

Enjoy testing your connectivity.
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While currently testing the connectivity of various ports around my office, I have come up with an idea for a game, ICMP Pong.

Requirements.
6 Computers with working network connections
2 10/100 Hubs
2 Players with 2 very bored (and twisted) minds.

Working like Ping Pong, player 1 will 'serve' a ping request to one of player 2's machines
Player 2 then has until the 5th ping reply to have sent a 'return' ping to any of player 1's machines. On and on it goes, until someone is not quick enough to send the command within the 5 ping limit.

Techniques for players could involve the use of either looking at which leds on their hub were flashing, or packet sniffers to determine which computer was being interrogated (and therefore where to send the return volley from).

Beginners versions of the game could be set for 10 packet turns to give more of a chance. Packet lengths and repeat times could be altered to add a challenge to different player's games.

Judges could be incorporated to watch a packet sniffer (hence the use of hubs rather than switches) to determine if the message was released before the fifth reply.

Multiplayer game could have people sending messages to each other's machines either on a 6 person playing field, or in teams with each person controlling 3 of the team's 6 computers.

Probably best if only played on a secluded collision domain, so that network administrators wouldn't get narky and start ranting about DOS attacks.

As in Ping Pong (or table tennis), you have to win the serve before you can win a point. First to 21 wins.

reap, May 21 2003

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       Hehe, looking at the LEDs would be cheating. I think it would best be played with a cheapy switch that has no LEDs.
RoboBust, May 22 2003
  

       <off-topic>I originally read this as "ICBM Pong", which would be the true test of a missile shield system. Go on, George - I dares ya!</off-topic>
friendlyfire, May 22 2003
  

       I guess if you sucked at the game, you couldn't blame it on a laggy connection.   

       Or could you?
rapid transit, May 22 2003
  

       Hmmmm: trying to imagine how one would put top-spin on an IP packet.
krelnik, May 22 2003
  

       <off topic> I guess the powers that be make up all the rules. Here's a packet for you......This idea sucks eggs, TTL=64 From disgruntled packet.
hallogen, May 26 2003
  
      
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