What is Traceroute?
Traceroute is a network diagnostic tool that shows the path packets take from your computer to a destination. It reveals every router (hop) between you and the target, along with response times at each point.
How to Read Traceroute Results
- Hop Number: Sequential number of each router in the path
- IP Address: The router's IP at that hop
- Hostname: Reverse DNS name (if available)
- Response Time: Round-trip time to that hop in milliseconds
- * * *: No response (router may block ICMP)
Common Traceroute Issues
- High Latency at One Hop: Possible congestion at that router Possible congestion at that router
- Increasing Latency: Normal as distance increases Normal as distance increases
- Timeout Stars: Some routers don't respond to traceroute packets Some routers don't respond to traceroute packets
- Looping: Routing misconfiguration Routing misconfiguration
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between ping and traceroute?
Ping tests connectivity to a single destination, while traceroute shows every intermediate hop along the path.
Why do some hops show * * *?
Many routers are configured to not respond to ICMP/UDP probes for security reasons. This doesn't necessarily indicate a problem.