| name | create-ping-monitor |
| description | Create a PING monitor that sends ICMP echo requests to a hostname or IP and alerts on packet loss / timeout. |
| tags | ["monitoring","ping","icmp","create","uptimerobot"] |
Create a PING monitor
Preflight — read first. If you cannot see any uptimerobot:* MCP tools in your tool list, invoke the uptimerobot:setup skill before doing anything else. Do not tell the user the MCP is misconfigured — setup's Step 0 detects the common case (server connected, tools loaded after session start) and resolves it without re-keying.
Use when the user wants basic network reachability for a host. PING does not care about HTTP status or content — it just checks whether the host responds to ICMP within the timeout.
Tool: create-monitor
Required params: friendlyName, type: "PING", url (hostname or IP, no scheme).
Minimal call
{
"friendlyName": "Office gateway",
"type": "PING",
"url": "gw.example.com"
}
IP addresses work too:
{
"friendlyName": "VPN endpoint",
"type": "PING",
"url": "203.0.113.42"
}
Common optional params
interval, timeout, responseTimeThreshold, assignedAlertContacts, tagNames, maintenanceWindowsIds — same as HTTP.
config.ipVersion — force IPv4 or IPv6. Defaults to auto.
Example with IPv6
{
"friendlyName": "Public DNS v6",
"type": "PING",
"url": "2001:4860:4860::8888",
"config": { "ipVersion": "IPv6" },
"interval": 120
}
Common mistakes
- Passing
https://host.example.com — PING requires a bare hostname or IP. Strip the scheme and path.
- Expecting content or status code checks — PING cannot do those. Use HTTP / KEYWORD / API instead.
- Hostname must resolve publicly. Internal-only hostnames will always be down; use a reachable public name or a public IP.
- Some networks block ICMP. If the host is actually up but ICMP is filtered, consider a
PORT monitor on a known open TCP port instead.
After creation
Call get-monitor-details to confirm.
Related
create-port-monitor — when ICMP is blocked but a TCP port is open.
create-http-monitor — when the user has an HTTP(S) URL, not a bare host.