WhatIsMyIP.io

Traceroute

Trace the network path to any destination and diagnose routing issues.

What is Traceroute?

Traceroute is a network diagnostic tool that shows the path packets take from your computer to a destination. It lists each "hop" (router) along the way and measures the time it takes to reach each one.

Common Uses

  • - Identify network bottlenecks
  • - Diagnose routing issues
  • - Find where packets are being dropped
  • - Understand network topology

Reading Results

  • - Each row is a router hop
  • - Times show round-trip latency
  • - * means no response (timeout)
  • - Increasing times are normal

Frequently Asked Questions

What is traceroute?

Traceroute is a network diagnostic tool that maps the path packets take from your computer to a destination. It shows each router (hop) along the way and measures the time to reach each one, helping identify where delays or failures occur.

What do the asterisks (* * *) mean?

Asterisks indicate that a router did not respond to the probe within the timeout period. This can happen when routers are configured to not respond to traceroute packets, or when there is packet loss. A few timeouts are normal and don't necessarily indicate a problem.

Why does latency increase at each hop?

Latency naturally increases with each hop because packets must travel further. However, sudden large jumps may indicate congestion, long-distance links (like undersea cables), or routing inefficiencies.

How is traceroute different from ping?

Ping only tests connectivity to the final destination and measures overall latency. Traceroute shows the entire path and latency at each hop, making it better for diagnosing where problems occur along the route.