test-connection got you down? ping just not cutting it for you? How about using the System.Net.NetworkInformation.Ping.send() method

veryfastping.ps1

# with reference to http://theadminguy.com/2009/04/30/portscan-with-powershell/
function fastping{
  [CmdletBinding()]
  param(
  [String]$computername = "127.0.0.1",
  [int]$delay = 100
  )

  $ping = new-object System.Net.NetworkInformation.Ping
  # see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.net.networkinformation.ipstatus%28v=vs.110%29.aspx
  try {
    if ($ping.send($computername,$delay).status -ne "Success") {
      return $false;
    }
    else {
      return $true;
    }
  } catch {
    return $false;
  }
}

Thanks a lot. This helped me when the Test-connection cmdlet could not be found on my system anymore (not sure how that happened). Thanks again