traceroute
Print the route packets take to reach a network host, hop by hop.
Synopsis
traceroute [OPTION]... HOST
Examples
traceroute google.com
traceroute -n 8.8.8.8
traceroute -m 15 example.com
traceroute -I host.example.com
Common options
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| -n | Do not resolve IP addresses to hostnames |
| -m | Maximum number of hops (default 30) |
| -w | Wait time for response in seconds |
| -I | Use ICMP ECHO instead of UDP |
About traceroute
The `traceroute` command print the route packets take to reach a network host, hop by hop. Networking commands handle connectivity testing, DNS resolution, data transfer, remote access, firewall rules, and traffic analysis.
Linux is the dominant server operating system, and strong networking skills are essential for web hosting, container orchestration, security auditing, and infrastructure management. The command accepts 4 commonly used flags shown above, though the full set of options is available in the man page (`man traceroute`).
The 4 examples on this page cover typical real-world usage patterns that you can copy and adapt for your own workflows.
Related commands
More Network Commands
Other commands in the Network category