Traceroute
Trace the network path to a target host, showing all intermediate hops
Traceroute maps the path that network packets take from your computer to a destination server, revealing the intermediate routers and connection latency at each hop.
How It Works
Traceroute Visualization
Time-To-Live (TTL) Manipulation
The tool sends packets with gradually increasing TTL values. When a packet's TTL expires, the router sends back an ICMP "Time Exceeded" message, revealing its location.
Protocol Differences
Windows: Uses ICMP Echo packets (tracert)
Linux/macOS: Typically uses UDP packets (traceroute)
Interpreting Results
- Each row represents a router or "hop" in the path
- * symbols indicate timeouts or routers that don't respond
- Response times show how long each hop took to respond (in milliseconds)
Traceroute helps identify network bottlenecks, routing issues, and where packets are being dropped. It's valuable for network troubleshooting, connectivity problems, and understanding network topology.
Only use this tool on systems you own or have explicit written permission to test. Unauthorized scanning or testing is illegal and may result in criminal charges.