Using The Traceroute Command

  • Applies To: All Services
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Time Needed: 5 minutes
  • Tools Needed: None
  • Reading Time: 0:04 min

When you connect to a site, your traffic does not go directly to the server you are attempt to connect to. Instead, it goes through multiple machines on the Internet known as routers.

These machines control how your traffic gets to your destination. If any one connection fails, you will not be able to connect to your destination.

There is a common utility known as traceroute that shows you the path your traffic takes when you attempt to connect to a site.

Windows

  1. Open on the Start menu
  2. Click on Run
  3. Type cmd and press the OK button
  4. Type tracert your-domain.com and hit the Enter key

To copy the output, right-click anywhere in the window and select Mark. You can press the Enter key to copy all of the output, or select the text you want to copy and right-click with your mouse to copy it. The just hold Ctrl + V to paste the output.

Mac

  1. Click on the Hard Drive
  2. Go to Applications
  3. Go to Utilities
  4. Go to Network Utility
  5. Click on Traceroute
  6. Type the domain or IP address in the appropriate input filed and press Trace

You can also do this from the Terminal prompt:

  1. Click on the Hard Drive
  2. Go to Applications
  3. Go to Utilities
  4. Click on Terminal
  5. Type traceroute your-domain.com and hit the Enter key

Linux

  1. Open a terminal window
  2. Type traceroute -I your-domain.com and press the Enter key

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