Tracert Command: Trace Network Route and Diagnose Path Issues | Guide

The tracert command (traceroute on Unix/Linux) traces the network path from your computer to a destination by sending packets with incrementing TTL (Time To Live) values and recording each router hop along the route. Use tracert hostname or tracert IP-address to view all intermediate routers, measure latency at each hop, and identify exactly where network failures or delays occur. Add -d to skip hostname resolution for faster results, -h maximum_hops to limit trace depth, and -w timeout to adjust wait time for slow connections.

Whether you're diagnosing why websites are unreachable, identifying network bottlenecks causing high latency, troubleshooting routing problems, or mapping network topology, tracert shows exactly where in the network path issues exist. Network administrators, IT support professionals, and system engineers rely on tracert to pinpoint routing failures beyond simple connectivity testing with ping.

This comprehensive guide covers tracert syntax, all major options (-d, -h, -w, -j), practical examples for route analysis and troubleshooting, interpreting tracert output including asterisks and timeouts, diagnosing routing issues, and frequently asked questions. By the end, you'll confidently use tracert to map network paths and isolate routing problems.

What Is Tracert?

Tracert (Trace Route) is a network diagnostic utility built into Windows that maps the path packets take through networks to reach a destination. It works by sending ICMP Echo Request packets with incrementing TTL values. Each router decrements TTL by 1; when TTL reaches 0, the router returns an ICMP "Time Exceeded" message revealing its IP address. By starting with TTL=1 (reveals first hop), then TTL=2 (second hop), continuing until destination is reached, tracert builds a complete hop-by-hop map of the network path.

Tracert runs in Command Prompt (CMD), PowerShell, and Windows Terminal on all Windows versions from Windows 95 through Windows 11 and Windows Server editions. The equivalent command on Unix/Linux/macOS is traceroute. While ping tells you if a destination is reachable, tracert tells you how packets get there and where problems occur along the path.

Syntax

tracert [-d] [-h maximum_hops] [-j host-list] [-w timeout]
        [-R] [-S srcaddr] [-4] [-6] target_name

Parameters and Options

Parameter	Purpose	Use Case
target_name	Hostname or IP address to trace	Required; specify destination
-d	Do not resolve addresses to hostnames	Faster traces, avoid DNS lookup delays
-h maximum_hops	Maximum number of hops to search (default 30)	Limit trace depth for distant targets
-j host-list	Loose source route along host-list (IPv4)	Force specific routing path
-w timeout	Wait timeout milliseconds for each reply (default 4000)	Adjust for slow networks
-R	Trace round-trip path (IPv6 only)	Test reverse route
-S srcaddr	Source address to use (IPv6 only)	Multi-homed systems
-4	Force using IPv4	Explicitly use IPv4
-6	Force using IPv6	Explicitly use IPv6

Parameters and Options Explained

Basic Tracert (Hostname or IP Address)

The simplest tracert usage traces the route to a destination, showing all intermediate hops with three latency measurements per hop.

Example:

tracert google.com

Output:

Tracing route to google.com [142.250.185.46]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  192.168.1.1
  2    12 ms    11 ms    13 ms  10.50.32.1
  3    15 ms    14 ms    16 ms  72.14.213.254
  4    16 ms    15 ms    17 ms  142.250.185.46

Trace complete.

Each line shows: hop number, three round-trip times, and router IP/hostname.

-d – Do Not Resolve Hostnames

Skips reverse DNS lookup for each hop, displaying only IP addresses. Makes trace significantly faster, especially when DNS servers are slow or routers don't have reverse DNS entries.

Example:

tracert -d google.com

Output shows only IPs:

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  192.168.1.1
  2    12 ms    11 ms    13 ms  10.50.32.1
  3    15 ms    14 ms    16 ms  72.14.213.254

-h maximum_hops – Limit Maximum Hops

Sets maximum number of hops to trace (default 30). Useful for very distant targets or when you know destination is nearby and want faster results.

Example:

tracert -h 15 remote-server.com

Stops after 15 hops even if destination not reached. Faster than waiting for full 30 hops to timeout.

-w timeout – Set Reply Timeout

Specifies wait time in milliseconds for each reply (default 4000ms / 4 seconds). Increase for high-latency connections (satellite, intercontinental); decrease for local network to speed up trace.

Example:

tracert -w 10000 satellite-server.com

Waits 10 seconds per hop instead of 4 seconds. Necessary for satellite links or very distant targets.

-j host-list – Loose Source Route

Forces packets to follow specific route through listed hosts. Rarely used; requires routers to support loose source routing (many disable for security).

Example:

tracert -j 192.168.1.1 10.0.0.1 destination.com

-4 and -6 – Force IP Version

Forces trace to use IPv4 or IPv6 specifically. Useful when destination has both A and AAAA DNS records and you want to test specific protocol.

Example:

tracert -4 google.com
tracert -6 google.com

Examples

This section covers practical tracert usage for network diagnostics and route analysis.

Example 1: Trace Route to Website

Scenario: Website is slow or unreachable; need to see network path and identify where delays occur.

Command:

tracert google.com

Explanation: Shows all routers between you and Google's server. Each hop displays three latency measurements. Look for high latency at specific hop to identify bottleneck location.

Example 2: Fast Trace Without DNS Lookups

Scenario: Need quick route trace without waiting for reverse DNS resolution.

Command:

tracert -d 8.8.8.8

Explanation: Skips hostname resolution, showing only IP addresses. Significantly faster, especially when DNS servers are slow or routers lack reverse DNS entries.

Example 3: Identify Where Connection Fails

Scenario: Cannot reach remote server; need to determine where in network path failure occurs.

Command:

tracert problematic-server.com

Explanation: Tracert will show hops until connection fails. Last successful hop before timeouts/asterisks indicates approximate failure location. Helps isolate whether problem is your ISP, destination network, or between.

Example 4: Compare Routes to Different Servers

Scenario: One server is fast, another is slow; want to see if they take different paths.

Commands:

tracert -d fast-server.com > fast-route.txt
tracert -d slow-server.com > slow-route.txt

Explanation: Saves each route to file for comparison. Compare ISPs, number of hops, and latency patterns. May reveal slow server routes through congested networks or takes longer path.

Example 5: Limit Trace to Local Network

Scenario: Only interested in path through local network; don't need full internet trace.

Command:

tracert -h 5 192.168.1.100

Explanation: Stops after 5 hops. Useful for troubleshooting local network routing or when you know target is nearby.

Example 6: Diagnose ISP Routing Issues

Scenario: High latency to certain destinations; want to see if problem is at ISP level.

Command:

tracert -d 8.8.8.8

Explanation: Trace to known-reliable external destination. Examine first few hops (your ISP's routers). High latency at ISP hops indicates ISP network issues. If ISP hops are fine but later hops are slow, problem is beyond ISP.

Example 7: Test IPv4 vs IPv6 Routing

Scenario: Have dual-stack network; want to compare IPv4 and IPv6 paths.

Commands:

tracert -4 google.com
tracert -6 google.com

Explanation: Forces trace over each protocol. Routes may differ significantly; IPv6 path might be suboptimal if IPv6 infrastructure is less mature in your region.

Example 8: Trace with Extended Timeout for Satellite Link

Scenario: Testing connection over high-latency satellite link where default 4-second timeout causes false timeouts.

Command:

tracert -w 15000 remote-server.com

Explanation: Waits 15 seconds per hop. Necessary for satellite connections (500-700ms typical latency) or very distant targets where default timeout expires before legitimate replies arrive.

Example 9: Save Trace Results for Analysis

Scenario: Need to document network path for troubleshooting or provide to support.

Command:

tracert google.com > C:\tracert-results.txt

Explanation: Redirects output to file. Include timestamp in filename: tracert google.com > C:\tracert-%date:~-4,4%%date:~-10,2%%date:~-7,2%.txt for dated logs.

Example 10: Trace to IP Address to Avoid DNS Issues

Scenario: Suspect DNS issues; want to trace without DNS being factor.

Command:

tracert 142.250.185.46

Explanation: Uses IP address directly, bypassing initial DNS resolution. If tracert by IP works but by hostname fails, confirms DNS is the issue rather than routing problem.

Common Use Cases

Tracert serves essential network diagnostics across diverse scenarios:

• Pinpoint Network Failure Location – When ping to destination fails, tracert shows exactly where packets stop. Last successful hop before timeouts indicates failure point. Helps determine if problem is local network, ISP, destination network, or intermediate backbone.

• Identify Network Bottlenecks – High latency at specific hop reveals bottleneck location. Sudden jump from 20ms to 200ms at hop 7 indicates congestion or routing issue at that router. Helps prioritize where to focus optimization efforts.

• Diagnose Routing Loops – If tracert shows same routers repeating or continuously increments hops without progress, indicates routing loop. Critical routing misconfiguration requiring immediate attention from network administrators.

• Compare Network Paths – Trace to multiple destinations to understand routing patterns. May reveal traffic to certain destinations routes through congested peering points while other destinations have optimal paths. Informs server location decisions.

• ISP Performance Analysis – Trace to external destinations to evaluate ISP routing quality. Consistent high latency at ISP hops indicates ISP network issues. Number of ISP hops before internet backbone indicates ISP network efficiency.

• VPN Routing Verification – After VPN connection, tracert shows if traffic actually routes through VPN or leaks to regular internet. First hop after gateway should be VPN server. Verifies split-tunnel vs full-tunnel VPN configuration.

• Geographic Path Mapping – Use WHOIS or IP geolocation on hop IPs to see physical path. May reveal traffic inefficiently routes to different country before returning. Helps understand network topology and potential optimization.

• Intermittent Connection Troubleshooting – Run tracert during connection problems vs stable periods. Compare results to identify if routing changes correlate with issues. Dynamic routing problems reveal themselves through path changes.

• CDN Performance Analysis – Trace to CDN-hosted content to verify routing to nearest edge server. Should reach CDN in few hops with low latency. High hop count or distant edge server indicates CDN misconfiguration or suboptimal routing.

• Firewall and Router Configuration Verification – After router or firewall changes, tracert verifies routing still works correctly. Confirms packets take expected path through new configuration and reach destinations.

• Network Documentation and Baselining – Periodically trace key destinations to document normal paths and latency. When problems occur, compare to baseline to identify changes. Essential for change management and troubleshooting.

• Multi-Homed System Path Selection – On systems with multiple network interfaces, tracert shows which interface and gateway traffic uses. Verifies routing table correctly prioritizes interfaces based on metrics.

Tips and Best Practices

Master these tracert techniques for effective route analysis and troubleshooting:

• Always Compare Tracert with Ping – Run ping first to establish basic connectivity and latency, then tracert to see path details. Ping succeeds but tracert shows asterisks? Some routers deprioritize or block ICMP time-exceeded messages. Ping fails and tracert shows where? Identifies failure location.

• Use -d for Faster, Cleaner Results – DNS resolution adds significant delay to each hop. tracert -d completes much faster and avoids delays when routers lack reverse DNS. You can always do manual WHOIS lookup on interesting IPs afterward.

• Understand Asterisks Don't Always Mean Failure – Asterisks (*) indicate hop didn't respond within timeout, but doesn't necessarily mean packets aren't passing through. Many routers deprioritize ICMP responses or firewall blocks them while still forwarding traffic. If trace eventually reaches destination, intermediate asterisks are usually harmless.

• Watch for Latency Patterns, Not Individual Measurements – Single high reading can be measurement artifact. Look for consistent patterns: if hop 3 shows 15ms and hop 4 shows 200ms, hop 4 is likely issue. But if hop 4 shows 200ms occasionally and hop 5 shows 20ms, probably just router was busy during measurement.

• Be Aware of Latency Never Decreases – Network latency is cumulative; later hops should never show lower latency than earlier hops (physics violation). If hop 5 shows 10ms and hop 4 showed 50ms, hop 5 measurement is anomaly or asymmetric routing exists. Real latency to hop 5 is at least 50ms.

• Recognize Router Deprioritization – Routers prioritize actual traffic over diagnostic packets. High latency at one hop but normal latency at subsequent hops indicates that router deprioritizes ICMP, not actual congestion. Look at latency trend across multiple hops, not single hop.

• Test Multiple Times for Accuracy – Routes can change due to load balancing or dynamic routing. Run tracert multiple times to see if path is consistent. Different paths or varying latency suggests dynamic routing or load balancing in action.

• Combine with Pathping for Statistical Data – Tracert gives snapshot; pathping sends multiple packets per hop over extended period, providing packet loss and average latency statistics. Use pathping when you need statistical significance (takes several minutes).

• Know Your ISP's Hop Count – Learn how many hops your ISP typically uses before reaching internet backbone. Helps quickly identify if issues are ISP-internal (first 3-5 hops typically) vs external. ISP issues require calling ISP; external issues require contacting destination's provider.

• Use Geolocation for Path Mapping – Run hop IPs through WHOIS or IP geolocation services to see physical path. May reveal inefficient routing (traffic to nearby city goes to different state first). Useful for understanding why latency is higher than expected.

• Understand Private IP Hops – Routers with private IPs (10.x.x.x, 192.168.x.x, 172.16-31.x.x) in trace are usually your local network or carrier-grade NAT (CGN). Multiple RFC 1918 hops at start is normal; deep in trace might indicate CGN or MPLS tunneling.

• Save Results for Comparison Over Time – Redirect to dated files: tracert destination > tracert-destination-%date%.txt. Compare traces during good vs poor performance periods to identify what changed. Essential for proving issues to ISP or hosting provider.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Tracert Shows Only Asterisks (*)

Problem: All hops show asterisks (*) instead of latency and IP addresses.

Cause: Firewall blocking ICMP, router configuration blocks tracert, or network connectivity completely broken.

Solution:

1. Verify basic connectivity with ping 8.8.8.8 (if ping fails, network is down)
2. Test if tracert works to nearby target like gateway: tracert 192.168.1.1
3. Try with -w flag to increase timeout: tracert -w 10000 target
4. Check if firewall (Windows Firewall, router) blocks ICMP
5. Some networks block tracert for security; asterisks don't always mean failure if destination eventually responds

Prevention: Understand some networks intentionally block ICMP time-exceeded messages; use alternative tools like TCP-based traceroute (tcptraceroute, MTR) if ICMP tracert blocked.

Asterisks at Some Hops But Trace Completes

Problem: Some intermediate hops show asterisks but trace reaches destination successfully.

Cause: Those routers are configured to not respond to ICMP time-exceeded messages (security policy or traffic deprioritization).

Solution:

1. This is normal behavior and doesn't indicate failure
2. Packets are successfully passing through; router just doesn't send time-exceeded responses
3. Final destination reachable means path is functional

Prevention: No prevention needed; this is intentional router configuration. Focus on whether destination is reachable, not whether every hop responds.

Tracert Ends Before Reaching Destination

Problem: Tracert stops at certain hop without reaching target, showing "Destination host unreachable" or just stopping.

Cause: Routing failure at that point—router doesn't know how to reach destination, firewall blocks, or destination is actually down.

Solution:

1. Note last successful hop; problem is at or beyond that point
2. If last hop is your ISP, contact ISP with tracert results
3. If deep in trace, issue is destination's network or intermediate backbone
4. Try ping to last successful hop to verify it's reachable: ping [last-hop-IP]
5. Check if destination IP is correct and server is actually running

Prevention: Document routing configuration; for internal networks, verify routing tables point to correct gateways.

Very High Latency at First Hop

Problem: First hop (your gateway) shows very high latency (>100ms on local network).

Cause: Local network congestion, Wi-Fi issues, failing network equipment, or router overwhelmed.

Solution:

1. Test wired vs Wi-Fi connection (Wi-Fi often higher latency)
2. Ping gateway directly: ping 192.168.1.1 to confirm latency
3. Check for bandwidth-intensive processes consuming network
4. Restart router if overloaded
5. Check for failing network cable, switch port, or network adapter

Prevention: Use quality network equipment; monitor local network utilization; prefer wired over Wi-Fi for latency-sensitive applications.

Latency Increases Then Decreases

Problem: Hop 5 shows 200ms, but hop 6 shows 50ms (seemingly violates physics).

Cause: Hop 5 router deprioritizes ICMP responses or asymmetric routing exists. Actual latency can't decrease.

Solution:

1. Understand displayed latency to hop 5 is measurement artifact, not real transit time
2. Actual latency to hop 6 is at least as much as hop 4 plus hop 5-to-6 transit
3. Focus on overall trend and destination latency, not single anomalous hops
4. Use pathping for more accurate per-hop statistics over time

Prevention: No prevention; this is normal measurement artifact from router ICMP deprioritization.

Tracert Takes Extremely Long Time

Problem: Tracert takes minutes to complete, timing out at many hops.

Cause: Default 4-second timeout per hop × 3 probes × 30 hops = over 6 minutes if all hops timeout.

Solution:

1. Use -d flag to skip DNS resolution: tracert -d target (much faster)
2. Reduce maximum hops if you know target is nearby: tracert -h 15 target
3. Reduce timeout for local network: tracert -w 1000 target (1 second)
4. If many hops timeout, may indicate network problem requiring investigation

Prevention: Always use -d for fast traces; limit max hops when appropriate; understand high timeout count indicates routing issues.

Related Commands

ping – Basic Connectivity Testing

While tracert shows complete path with per-hop latency, ping tests end-to-end connectivity and latency. Use ping first to verify destination is reachable, then tracert to see path details if issues exist.

Example: ping google.com succeeds with 150ms latency; tracert google.com reveals latency spike occurs at hop 12.

pathping – Statistical Path Analysis

Pathping combines tracert and ping, sending multiple packets to each hop over several minutes to provide statistically significant packet loss and latency data per hop. More accurate than tracert but much slower.

Example: Tracert shows intermittent high latency; pathping destination measures packet loss percentage at each hop over 5 minutes.

nslookup – DNS Resolution Testing

When tracert by hostname fails or shows unexpected destination IP, use nslookup to verify DNS resolution. Isolates DNS issues from routing issues.

Example: tracert website.com goes to wrong IP; nslookup website.com shows DNS returns incorrect address.

ipconfig – Network Configuration Verification

Before tracert, verify local network configuration with ipconfig. Incorrect gateway configuration causes tracert to fail immediately.

Example: Tracert fails at first hop; ipconfig shows gateway is 192.168.1.1, but that IP is unreachable.

route print – Routing Table Examination

When tracert shows unexpected paths or fails locally, examine routing table with route print or netstat -r. May reveal incorrect routing entries causing packets to go wrong direction.

Example: Tracert to 10.0.0.x network fails; route print shows no route to 10.0.0.0/8 network.

MTR (WinMTR) – Continuous Traceroute with Statistics

MTR (Matt's Traceroute, WinMTR on Windows) combines tracert and ping with continuous monitoring, showing real-time statistics for each hop. More powerful than tracert for ongoing network monitoring.

Example: Tracert shows path but need ongoing monitoring; WinMTR continuously updates latency and packet loss per hop.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does tracert command do?

Tracert traces the network path packets take from your computer to a destination by revealing all intermediate routers (hops). It sends packets with incrementing TTL values, causing each router to return its IP address. Shows hop-by-hop latency, identifies where delays or failures occur, and maps network topology.

How do I trace route in Windows?

Open Command Prompt and type tracert hostname or tracert IP-address. For example: tracert google.com or tracert 8.8.8.8. Add -d flag for faster results without DNS lookups: tracert -d google.com. Output shows each router hop with three latency measurements.

What do asterisks (*) mean in tracert?

Asterisks indicate that router hop didn't respond within timeout period (default 4 seconds). Common causes: router configured not to respond to ICMP, firewall blocks responses, or genuine timeout. Asterisks at some hops while trace completes successfully is normal—those routers simply don't respond to tracert but still forward packets.

How do I read tracert results?

Each line shows: hop number (distance from you), three latency measurements in milliseconds, and router IP/hostname. Look for sudden latency increases (bottlenecks), asterisks (unresponsive hops), and where trace ends (failure point). Lower latency is better; consistent latency across hops is ideal.

What is normal tracert hop count?

Typical hop counts: 8-15 hops for domestic websites, 15-25 for international sites. Local network: 1-3 hops. More hops doesn't necessarily mean worse—efficient routing matters more than hop count. Over 30 hops (default maximum) is unusual and may indicate routing issues.

Why does tracert take so long?

Default tracert sends 3 probes per hop with 4-second timeout, plus DNS resolution for each hop. For 30 hops with many timeouts, can take 6+ minutes. Speed up with -d flag (skip DNS): tracert -d target or reduce max hops: tracert -h 15 target.

What is difference between ping and tracert?

Ping tests if destination is reachable and measures end-to-end latency. Tracert shows complete path through all intermediate routers with per-hop latency. Use ping for quick connectivity test; use tracert when ping fails or has high latency to identify where problem occurs.

Can I trace route to my router?

Yes: tracert 192.168.1.1 (use your gateway IP). Should show single hop with <1ms latency on wired connection, 1-5ms on Wi-Fi. Useful for verifying local network connectivity before troubleshooting beyond gateway.

Why does latency increase then decrease in tracert?

Latency can't actually decrease (physics)—each hop adds transit time. Apparent decrease indicates earlier hop deprioritized ICMP response, showing artificially high latency for that hop only. Look at overall trend and destination latency, not individual anomalous hops.

What does "Destination host unreachable" mean?

Indicates router cannot forward packets toward destination—no routing path exists, destination network is down, or firewall blocks. Note which hop reports unreachable; problem is at or beyond that point. If your IP reports it, no gateway configured; if hop 5 reports it, routing fails beyond hop 5.

How do I save tracert results to file?

Use output redirection: tracert google.com > C:\tracert-results.txt creates new file. Use >> to append: tracert google.com >> C:\tracert-log.txt. Include timestamp in filename for dated records: tracert google.com > tracert-%date%.txt.

Why does tracert show private IP addresses?

Private IPs (10.x.x.x, 192.168.x.x, 172.16-31.x.x) in first few hops are your local network and ISP internal routing. Normal and expected. Deep in trace might indicate carrier-grade NAT (CGN) or MPLS tunneling. Public IPs indicate internet backbone routers.

Quick Reference Card

Command	Purpose	Use When
tracert google.com	Trace route to destination	Basic path analysis and troubleshooting
tracert -d 8.8.8.8	Fast trace (no DNS)	Speed up trace, avoid DNS delays
tracert -h 10 target	Limit to 10 hops	Local network or nearby target trace
tracert -w 10000 target	10-second timeout	High-latency connections (satellite)
tracert -4 google.com	Force IPv4	Test IPv4 path specifically
tracert -6 google.com	Force IPv6	Test IPv6 path specifically
tracert target > file.txt	Save results to file	Documentation, comparison over time
tracert 192.168.1.1	Trace to gateway	Verify local network connectivity
tracert -d target	Skip hostname resolution	Faster results, cleaner output

Try Tracert Yourself

Ready to master network path analysis? Practice these commands in our interactive Windows Command Simulator where you can safely experiment with tracert and see realistic routing output.

Explore our complete Windows Commands reference for detailed syntax and options for tracert and 200+ other commands. For related network diagnostics topics, check out our guides on ping, ipconfig, netstat, and nslookup.

Summary

The tracert command is an essential network diagnostic tool that reveals the complete path packets take through networks, providing visibility into routing that ping alone cannot offer. From basic route tracing with tracert hostname to fast diagnostics with tracert -d, limited-depth traces with tracert -h, and high-latency adjustments with tracert -w, this utility maps network topology and pinpoints exactly where failures or bottlenecks occur.

Key concepts covered include interpreting hop-by-hop latency measurements, understanding what asterisks mean (router doesn't respond but may still forward traffic), recognizing routing failures (where trace ends indicates problem location), and identifying bottlenecks (sudden latency increases). Mastery of these concepts enables systematic network troubleshooting far beyond basic connectivity testing.

Remember that tracert shows path at time of execution; routes can change due to dynamic routing or load balancing. Run multiple traces over time to understand typical paths and identify when routing changes correlate with problems. Combine tracert with complementary tools: ping for basic connectivity, pathping for statistical analysis, nslookup for DNS verification, and ipconfig for local configuration checks.

Common troubleshooting workflows use tracert after ping establishes there's a problem: ping fails or shows high latency → tracert reveals where → investigate that network segment (contact ISP if in their hops, destination provider if in their network, etc.). The ability to say "problem occurs at hop 7, IP 12.34.56.78" dramatically accelerates support interactions and problem resolution.

Practice tracert regularly to various destinations to build intuition for normal routing patterns, typical hop counts, and expected latency progressions. Learn your ISP's typical hop structure, recognize when paths change, and understand what constitutes efficient vs inefficient routing. This foundation enables confident network diagnostics and faster problem isolation throughout your IT career.