If you are unable to ping 8.8.8.8 on your Ubuntu server, it could be due to several reasons, including network misconfiguration, firewall rules, or issues with your ISP.
Unable to Ping 8.8.8.8 on ubuntu server, Step-by-Step Guide
If your Ubuntu server is unable to ping 8.8.8.8 on ubuntu server, it usually indicates a network or firewall issue. Follow these steps to diagnose and fix the problem:
1 . Verify Active Interfaces
ip a OR ifconfig
Show your primary network interfaces (e.g., eth0, ens33, wlan0) has an IP address assigned.
Restart Network Service
For Ubuntu 20.04+ (using systemd-networkd or Netplan):
sudo systemctl restart systemd-networkd
sudo netplan apply
2 . Verify Default Gateway :
Check routing table:
ip route
Expected output should include:
default via 192.168.1.1 dev eth0
If missing, add a default route manually:
sudo ip route add default via 192.168.1.1 dev eth0
3 . Test Basic Connectivity :
Ping Local Gateway :
ping -c 4 192.168.1.1
If this fails, check if your router is up.
Show your network interface is correctly configured.
4 . Ping External IP :
ping -c 4 1.1.1.1
If this works but 8.8.8.8 fails, Google’s DNS might be blocked.
5 . Check Firewall (iptables & UFW)
Check iptables Rules
sudo iptables -L -v -n
If ICMP is blocked, allow it:
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p icmp –icmp-type echo-request -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A OUTPUT -p icmp –icmp-type echo-reply -j ACCEPT
Save the new rules:
sudo iptables-save | sudo tee /etc/iptables/rules.v4
Check UFW Rules
sudo ufw status
If active, allow ICMP:
sudo ufw allow out proto icmp
sudo ufw reload
6 . Verify DNS Configuration:
Check /etc/resolv.conf
cat /etc/resolv.conf
Show it contains:
nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 1.1.1.1
If missing, modify:
sudo nano /etc/systemd/resolved.conf
Set:
DNS=8.8.8.8 1.1.1.1
Restart service:
sudo systemctl restart systemd-resolved
7 . Verify Network Interface Status :
ip link show
If the primary interface is down, bring it up:
sudo ip link set eth0 up
Open Terminal and Ping to Google :
ping -c 4 8.8.8.8