# Request: Ping ("ping") Connection keep-alive, "aliveness" and latency discovery. If a node receives a `ping` message, it replies as quickly as possible with a [`pong`](/protocol/network/messages/pong.md) message with the provided *nonce*. ## Message Format | Field | Length | Format | Description | |--|--|--|--| | nonce | 8 bytes | unsigned 64 bit integer[(LE)](/protocol/misc/endian/little.md) | An arbitrary value provided to connect the ping message with the `pong` reply. |