title: How to check if a computer is responding from C#
body: <p>What is the easiest way to check if a computer is alive and responding (say in ping/NetBios)?
  I'd like a deterministic method that I can time-limit.</p>
  
  <p>One solution is simple access the share (File.GetDirectories(@"\compname")) in a separate thread, and kill the thread if it takes too long.</p>