Free Online Traceroute Tool
Free online traceroute - Trace the network path to any host or domain instantly
Host or Domain
Enter hostname or IP address (e.g., google.com, 8.8.8.8)
What is Traceroute?
Understanding the fundamentals and applications of network path analysis
Traceroute Workflow
The diagram below shows the complete workflow of the Traceroute tool, starting from sending the first packet with TTL=1, incrementally increasing TTL values until reaching the target host or the maximum hop limit.
Send Packets
Source host sends packets with TTL=1 to the target host, first router receives the packet and decrements TTL to 0
Receive Response
Router returns ICMP timeout message, source host records the router's IP address and response time
Increment & Repeat
Increment TTL value (TTL=2,3,4...), repeat the above process until reaching target host or maximum hops
Packet Transmission Path Diagram
Technical Principles
Traceroute is a network diagnostic tool used to trace the path that packets take from a source host to a destination host. It works by sending packets with incrementally increasing TTL (Time To Live) values and recording responses from intermediate routers, thereby mapping out the complete network path.
How it works:
- • Send packets with TTL=1 to the destination host
- • First router decrements TTL to 0, returns ICMP timeout message
- • Increment TTL value and repeat sending packets
- • Record IP address and response time of each hop
- • Continue until reaching destination or maximum hops
Application Scenarios
Traceroute plays a crucial role in network management, troubleshooting, and performance optimization, helping network engineers and system administrators quickly identify network issues.
Main uses:
- • Network troubleshooting and fault location
- • Network performance analysis and optimization
- • Route path verification and monitoring
- • Network latency analysis
- • Security auditing and network topology discovery
Key Metrics Interpretation
Hops
Number of routers the packet passes through, reflecting network path complexity
Round Trip Time (RTT)
Time for packets to travel round trip, used to evaluate network latency and performance
IP Address
Router IP address at each hop, identifying devices on the network path
Command Line Usage Guide
Learn how to use native traceroute commands on different operating systems
How to Use Traceroute on Different Operating Systems
Select your operating system to view the corresponding command examples
On Windows, open Command Prompt (cmd) and type 'tracert destination'. For example: tracert google.com. Windows uses the tracert command instead of traceroute.
💡 Usage Tips
- • Click the copy button to quickly copy the command to clipboard
- • Some systems may require administrator privileges to run traceroute commands
- • You can add parameters to customize tracing behavior, such as setting maximum hops or timeout
- • If the command doesn't exist, you may need to install the corresponding network tools package first
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions and answers about traceroute
What is Traceroute?
Traceroute is a network diagnostic tool that shows the path packets take from your computer to a destination server. It helps you understand network connectivity issues, latency sources, and routing paths.
Why do some hops show * * *?
* * * indicates that the router didn't respond to ICMP requests. This could be because the router is configured not to respond to ping requests, or a firewall is blocking ICMP traffic. This is normal and doesn't indicate a connection failure.
How to use Traceroute on Windows?
On Windows, open Command Prompt (cmd) and type 'tracert destination'. For example: tracert google.com. Windows uses the tracert command instead of traceroute.
How to use Traceroute on Linux?
In Linux terminal, use the 'traceroute destination' command. For example: traceroute google.com. Most Linux distributions have traceroute installed by default.
How to use Traceroute on Mac?
On Mac, open Terminal application and type 'traceroute destination'. For example: traceroute google.com. Mac OS includes the traceroute tool by default.
What is Round Trip Time (RTT)?
Round Trip Time is the time it takes for a packet to travel from source to destination and back, measured in milliseconds (ms). RTT helps identify network latency and performance issues.
Why do different hops have different latencies?
Different hop latencies are normal and depend on geographical distance, router performance, network load, and connection types. Generally, greater distances result in higher latency.
What's the difference between Traceroute and Ping?
Ping tests connectivity and latency to a target host, while Traceroute shows the complete path packets take to reach the target. Traceroute provides more detailed network path information.
What is the hop limit?
The hop limit is the maximum number of routers Traceroute will attempt to reach the target. The default is usually 30 hops. If the target isn't reached before the limit, tracing stops.
How to interpret Traceroute results?
Each line shows one hop, containing hop number, IP address, hostname (if available), and three round-trip time measurements. Unusually high latencies or timeouts may indicate network issues.