diff --git a/libexec/rc/rc.d/netwait b/libexec/rc/rc.d/netwait
--- a/libexec/rc/rc.d/netwait
+++ b/libexec/rc/rc.d/netwait
@@ -86,19 +86,28 @@
 
 			count=1
 			while [ ${count} -le ${netwait_timeout} ]; do
-				/sbin/ping -t 1 -c 1 -o ${ip} >/dev/null 2>&1
-				rc=$?
-
-				if [ $rc -eq 0 ]; then
-					# Restore default SIGINT handler
-					trap - SIGINT
-
-					echo ', got response.'
-					return
-				fi
-				count=$((count+1))
-			done
-			warn ', failed: No response from host.'
+    		if echo "$ip" | grep -E "^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$" >/dev/null; then
+        		# IPv4
+        		/sbin/ping -t 1 -c 1 -o "$ip" >/dev/null 2>&1
+    		elif echo "$ip" | grep -E "^[0-9a-fA-F:]+$" >/dev/null; then
+        		# IPv6
+        		/sbin/ping6 -c 1 "$ip" >/dev/null 2>&1
+    		else
+        		warn "Invalid IP address format."
+        		exit 1
+    		fi
+
+		    rc=$?
+    		if [ $rc -eq 0 ]; then
+				# Restore default SIGINT handler
+        		trap - SIGINT
+
+        		echo "Got response."
+        		exit 0
+    		fi
+    		count=$((count+1))
+		done
+		echo "No response after $netwait_timeout attempts."
 		done
 
 		# Restore default SIGINT handler