Traceroute

What is Traceroute?

Traceroute is a network diagnostic tool that traces the path packets take from a source to a destination. It shows each router (hop) along the route, along with the latency to each hop. Traceroute is useful for diagnosing network routing issues, identifying bottlenecks, and understanding network topology.

Our free Traceroute tool provides information about traceroute functionality. Note that browser JavaScript cannot perform traceroute due to security and protocol restrictions, so traceroute requires server-side tools or command-line utilities.

Why Use Traceroute?

Traceroute is useful for:

• Diagnosing network routing issues
• Identifying network bottlenecks
• Understanding network topology
• Troubleshooting connectivity problems
• Analyzing network paths

How Traceroute Works

Traceroute sends packets with increasing TTL (Time To Live) values. Each router decrements the TTL, and when it reaches 0, the router sends back an ICMP Time Exceeded message. This reveals each hop along the route.

FAQs

Why can't I trace route from the browser?

Browser JavaScript cannot perform traceroute due to security and protocol restrictions. Use command-line tools (traceroute, tracert) or server-side APIs.

How do I use traceroute?

Use command-line tools: traceroute example.com (Linux/Mac) or tracert example.com (Windows).

What do asterisks (*) mean in traceroute?

Asterisks indicate that a hop didn't respond within the timeout period, which could mean the router is blocking ICMP or there's a network issue.

What is the difference between traceroute and ping?

Ping measures latency to a destination, while traceroute shows the path and latency to each hop along the route.