Traceroute sends packets with increasing TTL (Time to Live). Each intermediate router decrements TTL by 1 and sends back an ICMP message when it reaches zero.
This tool is essential for network diagnostics:
Asterisks (* * *) mean a node didn't respond to ICMP — this is normal for many corporate routers. High latency on the final hop with normal intermediate hops indicates an issue on the target server side.
Traceroute is a network diagnostic utility that tracks the path packets take from source to destination, showing each intermediate router and the latency at each hop.
Ping only checks host reachability and overall latency. Traceroute shows the full path and lets you pinpoint exactly which hop is causing the problem.
Three asterisks (* * *) mean a node did not respond within the timeout. Many routers block ICMP by default — this is not always a sign of a problem.
The online version runs from our server, showing the route from an external vantage point. This helps determine if a site is reachable from the internet, not just from your own network.