Probe each hop between you and a destination to find where packets slow or stop. 16.11.2025 | reading time: 3 min Use `traceroute` to map the route packets take from your Linux host to a target and to expose where latency or packet loss occurs; this is the first step when a host is reachable intermittently or not at all. Quick Scenario A web API seems slow from one office; run a trace to inspect each hop and timing. Example run and output shown below: ``` $ traceroute -n api.example.net traceroute to 93.184.216.34 (93.184.216.34), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets 1 192.168.1.1 1.12 ms 1.04 ms 0.99 ms 2 10.0.0.1 5.21 ms 5.10 ms 5.09 ms 3 * * * 4 93.184.216.34 50.35 ms 50.12 ms 49.98 ms ``` Reading the Trace Interpret the columns: hop number, IP or hostname, then three probe times; repeated asterisks mean no reply for that probe which may indicate filtering or a silent hop; increasing RTTs at a hop suggest that link is introducing delay, while identical RTTs across many hops often mean the same device is responding on multiple TTL expirations. Advanced Tips Options matter and implementations vary: use `-n` to skip DNS and speed up results, increase max hops with `-m`, change probe type with `-I` for ICMP or `-T` for TCP where supported, and raise timeout with `-w`; remember some routers deprioritize or block traceroute probes so absence of replies is not always a routing fault. Complementary Tools Combine `traceroute` with `ping` for reachability checks, `mtr` for continuous, aggregated latency and loss, and `tcpdump` or `ss` to inspect traffic and firewall behavior; run traces from multiple locations to compare paths and confirm if the issue is local or upstream. Final Step Run targeted traces, document the hop where problems appear, and present that evidence to an upstream operator or firewall owner; then practice these techniques across labs and consider formalizing skills with certifications and focused exam prep like the intensive courses at bitsandbytes.academy. Join Bits & Bytes Academy First class LINUX exam preparation. network utilities troubleshooting
