Online Traceroute Tool
Simulate a visual traceroute to understand how data packets travel across the internet.Updated 2026-03-16
📖 How Traceroute Works
Traceroute is a network diagnostic tool that maps the path packets take from your computer to a destination server.
TTL (Time to Live): Each packet has a TTL value. Each router decrements it by 1. When TTL reaches 0, the router sends back a "Time Exceeded" message, revealing its identity.
How traceroute uses TTL: It sends packets with incrementing TTL values (1, 2, 3...) to discover each router along the path.
🔧 Common Traceroute Options
| traceroute host | Basic traceroute (Unix/Mac) |
| tracert host | Windows traceroute command |
| traceroute -n host | Skip DNS resolution (faster) |
| traceroute -m 30 host | Set max hops to 30 |
How to Use the Traceroute Tool
- Enter a hostname or IP address in the input field above.
- Click "Trace Route" to simulate the network path.
- View the visual representation of each hop along the route.
This tool simulates traceroute behavior with educational visualizations. For actual traceroute results, use your terminal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is traceroute used for?
Traceroute helps diagnose network issues by showing the path packets take to reach a destination, identifying slow or failed hops.
Why do some hops show * * *?
Asterisks mean the router didn't respond. This is common—many routers are configured to drop ICMP packets for security.
What's the difference between traceroute and tracert?
They're the same tool. "traceroute" is used on Unix/Linux/Mac, while "tracert" is the Windows equivalent.
Is this a real traceroute?
This tool provides a simulated traceroute visualization for educational purposes. For real traceroute results, use the traceroute/tracert command in your terminal.