Traceroute

Traceroute

What is traceroute?

Traceroute is a simple yet clever command-line tool for tracing the path an IP packet takes across one or many networks. It was originally developed for UNIX-based platforms, but is now included in most operating systems, with the Windows implementation being known as “tracert”. The output of these commands is also frequently referred to as a traceroute. Ask for help with poor streaming video performance, for example, and your ISP might ask you for a traceroute

What is the purpose of traceroute?

Traceroute is used primarily for diagnostic purposes, but it can be a fun tool to learn about networking or simply to satisfy some nerdy curiosity. System administrators and network engineers can use traceroute to see how traffic flows within an organization, and identify any irregular or sub-optimal paths. Externally, traceroute can display the path of a packet as it traverses many different networks, and in some cases even reveal the different cities or geographic regions traffic flows through. Attackers could potentially use traceroute to map out a target’s network, which is why the types of packets used by traceroute are frequently blocked or filtered at the perimeter of corporate networks.