How to resolve 'Request timeout for icmp_seq' when ping localhost or ping 127.0.0.1

Feb 4, 2025

1. Purpose

In this post, I will demonstrate how to resolve the following exception when using the ping command on macOS.

➜  ~ ping localhost
PING localhost (127.0.0.1): 56 data bytes
Request timeout for icmp_seq 0
Request timeout for icmp_seq 1

➜  ~ ping 127.0.0.1
PING 127.0.0.1 (127.0.0.1): 56 data bytes
Request timeout for icmp_seq 0
Request timeout for icmp_seq 1

2. Environment

macOS

3. The Debug

3.1 Check your /etc/hosts

Make sure you have the following line in your /etc/hosts file:

127.0.0.1  localhost

3.2 Check the nslookup result

Run the following command to check the nslookup result:

$ nslookup localhost

4. The Solution

4.1 Check your proxy

If you are using a proxy on your machine, try disabling it to see if it resolves the issue.

4.2 Check your network firewall settings

Go to System Preferences → Security → Firewall.
Click Firewall Options.
Uncheck Block all incoming connections.
Ensure that Stealth Mode is turned off.

5. Summary

In this post, I demonstrated how to resolve the ping localhost or ping 127.0.0.1 timeout issue on macOS. The key steps involve checking your /etc/hosts file, ensuring that your proxy is not interfering, and verifying your firewall settings. By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the Request timeout for icmp_seq error.

Final Words + More Resources

My intention with this article was to help others who might be considering solving such a problem. So I hope that’s been the case here. If you still have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me by email: Email me

Here are also the most important links from this article along with some further resources that will help you in this scope:

👨‍💻 MacOS Firewall Settings

Oh, and if you found these resources useful, don’t forget to support me by starring the repo on GitHub!