Command Reference
tracert
Gnojo Analysis
Understanding tracert
What This Command Does
Traceroute (tracert) is a command-line utility that displays the path (route) and measures transit delays of packets across an Internet Protocol (IP) network to a target host. It records the route through the network by measuring the time-in-flight for packets to reach each successive router (hop) along the path and reports the IP address or hostname of each hop.
When to Use It
Use tracert when troubleshooting networking issues and you need information that can help narrow down the cause.
What to Look For
Hop Number
Indicates the sequential position of the router in the path from source to destination. Each increment represents a new network device.
Round Trip Time (RTT)
Three measurements of the time, in milliseconds, it takes for a packet to travel from the source to a specific hop and back. High or inconsistent RTTs at a particular hop can indicate network congestion or a problematic device.
IP Address / Hostname
Identifies the network device (router) at a particular hop. The IP address is always shown, and the hostname is shown if resolution is successful (and not suppressed by the -d option).
-d (Don't resolve addresses)
An option that prevents tracert from attempting to resolve IP addresses to hostnames. This can significantly speed up the execution of the command by avoiding DNS lookups.
Permissions
Administrator access is not normally required for this command.
Risk and impact
Running `tracert` sends a series of ICMP echo request packets, which has minimal impact on network performance and is generally considered safe. It does not modify system configurations or pose security risks.
Summary
Traceroute (tracert) is a command-line utility that displays the path (route) and measures transit delays of packets across an Internet Protocol (IP) network to a target host. It records the route through the network by measuring the time-in-flight for packets to reach each successive router (hop) along the path and reports the IP address or hostname of each hop.
Syntax
tracert [-d] [-h maximum_hops] [-j host-list] [-w timeout] [-R] [-S srcaddr] [-4] [-6] target_nameExamples
tracert google.comPerforms a standard traceroute to the hostname 'google.com', resolving IP addresses to hostnames by default.
tracert -d 8.8.8.8Performs a traceroute to the IP address '8.8.8.8' without attempting to resolve IP addresses to hostnames. This can speed up the trace.
tracert -h 10 microsoft.comTraces the route to 'microsoft.com' but limits the maximum number of hops to 10. Useful for checking reachability within a specific network segment.
Permissions
Administrator required: No
The `tracert` command typically does not require elevated administrator privileges to run. Standard user permissions are sufficient to send ICMP packets and receive replies.
Risk and Impact
Risk level: Low
Changes the system: No
Running `tracert` sends a series of ICMP echo request packets, which has minimal impact on network performance and is generally considered safe. It does not modify system configurations or pose security risks.
Supported Platforms
Important Output Fields
Hop Number
Indicates the sequential position of the router in the path from source to destination. Each increment represents a new network device.
Round Trip Time (RTT)
Three measurements of the time, in milliseconds, it takes for a packet to travel from the source to a specific hop and back. High or inconsistent RTTs at a particular hop can indicate network congestion or a problematic device.
IP Address / Hostname
Identifies the network device (router) at a particular hop. The IP address is always shown, and the hostname is shown if resolution is successful (and not suppressed by the -d option).
-d (Don't resolve addresses)
An option that prevents tracert from attempting to resolve IP addresses to hostnames. This can significantly speed up the execution of the command by avoiding DNS lookups.
-w timeout
Sets the amount of time, in milliseconds, to wait for a reply from each hop. Increasing this value can help capture replies from slow or congested networks, reducing 'Request timed out' messages.
Common Errors
Request timed out.
This message indicates that a packet sent to a particular hop did not receive a reply within the specified timeout period. This can be caused by network congestion, a firewall blocking ICMP echo requests (which tracert uses), a router being down or misconfigured, or a route blackhole.
Unable to resolve target system name <hostname>
The specified hostname could not be translated into an IP address. This typically points to a DNS resolution issue, an incorrect hostname, or a problem with the local DNS server configuration.
Destination host unreachable.
This error means that the local system or a router on the path does not have a route to the target IP address. It often indicates a routing table issue or that the destination network is entirely inaccessible.
Related Commands
Continue troubleshooting with related diagnostic commands.
Official References
tracert | Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Learn · Official Documentation