We do not publish a normal delay figure for High Desert. A ping test sends a small message to an address and times the reply. Support staff use it because it separates the Wi-Fi, the router and the line. You do not need to understand the numbers; you only need to read them out. The menus below are generic, since no single Microsoft or Apple page covers this.
Steps
- Plug in a cable if you can
A wired test leaves Wi-Fi out. See connect a computer by Ethernet.
- Open the command window
On Windows, press the Windows key, type cmd and press Enter. On a Mac, open Terminal from Utilities.
- Find your router's address
See finding your router's address. It is the default gateway.
- Ping the router
Type ping, a space, the router's address, and press Enter. On a Mac add -c 5 after ping to stop after five. Windows stops after four.
- Ping a website
Type ping followed by a plain site name that you trust, such as a large news site. This tests the way out through the line.
- Write down what you see
Replies or timeouts, how many lost out of how many sent. The times in the replies are for you to read out, not for us to compare to a promise.
- Call 775-575-9593
Tell us the times of day it happens and which devices.
What do the results usually mean?
If the router replies and the website times out, the house is fine and the line to the internet is the problem. If even the router does not reply, the problem is inside the house: the cable, the Wi-Fi or the router. This is the same logic as the five checks.
Can some sites refuse a ping?
Yes. A site may be set to ignore pings and show timeouts even when it works. That is why you test a site that normally answers, and also test the router. A timeout from one site alone is not proof.
Is there a number I should be afraid of?
We make no claim about a normal delay time for a fixed wireless connection and publish no latency figure. Read us your numbers and let a person judge them against your account. For background, see what is latency and ping.
Do I need to go outside or touch the antenna for this?
Stay on the ground for all of this. The outdoor radio and its cable are not yours to handle, and a call to 775-575-9593 brings a technician if the problem is up there.
Sources
- learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/ping (Microsoft, ping command reference; generic, not read for this page)
- noip.com/support/knowledgebase/finding-your-default-gateway (No-IP, finding the default gateway, third-party, seen in a search summary 2026-10-15)