{"id":3258,"date":"2025-06-11T18:34:41","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T22:34:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/2014\/05\/29\/read-traceroute\/"},"modified":"2026-04-15T19:33:44","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T23:33:44","slug":"read-traceroute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/website\/read-traceroute\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Run and Read a Traceroute: Troubleshooting Website Connectivity"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" src=\"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/How-to-Read-a-Traceroute-1024x538.png\" alt=\"Learn How to Read a Traceroute\" class=\"wp-image-91204\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/How-to-Read-a-Traceroute-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/How-to-Read-a-Traceroute-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/How-to-Read-a-Traceroute-768x403.png 768w, https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/How-to-Read-a-Traceroute.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 1360px) 876px, (min-width: 960px) calc(61.58vw + 51px), calc(100vw - 80px)\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Traceroute<\/strong> (or <strong>tracert<\/strong> on Windows) is a essential network diagnostic tool that maps the exact path data packets take from your local computer to a destination server, such as your website hosted on an InMotion Hosting VPS or <a href=\"\/dedicated-servers\">dedicated server<\/a>. It measures the round-trip time (latency) at each intermediate router (\u201chop\u201d) along the route and helps identify where slowdowns, packet loss, or connectivity issues occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When your website loads slowly, times out, or becomes unreachable, support teams often request a <strong>ping<\/strong> and <strong>traceroute<\/strong> report. Understanding how to run and interpret these tools empowers you to quickly determine whether the problem lies with your local network\/ISP, an intermediate network, or the hosting server itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This thorough guide explains how traceroute works, provides platform-specific instructions, teaches accurate interpretation of results, covers common issues, and includes best practices for effective troubleshooting on InMotion Hosting servers as of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"work\">How Traceroute Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Traceroute operates by sending packets (typically ICMP on Windows or UDP on Linux\/macOS) with incrementally increasing <strong>Time To Live (TTL)<\/strong> values in the IP header.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The TTL starts at 1. The first router decrements it to 0, drops the packet, and returns an <strong>ICMP Time Exceeded<\/strong> message containing its IP address.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The process repeats with TTL=2, TTL=3, etc., until the packets reach the destination or hit the maximum hop limit (usually 30).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For each hop, traceroute sends <strong>three probes<\/strong> by default and records the <strong>round-trip time (RTT)<\/strong> in milliseconds for each response.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This creates a detailed \u201cmap\u201d of the network path, revealing latency at every step. Unlike a simple <strong>ping<\/strong> (which only tests the final destination), traceroute pinpoints the exact location of delays or failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Key limitations<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Results can vary over time due to dynamic routing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some routers\/firewalls block or deprioritize ICMP\/UDP responses for security, resulting in asterisks (<code>*<\/code>) that do not always indicate real problems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Traceroute measures diagnostic packet latency, which may differ slightly from actual web traffic (TCP) due to routing policies or processing priorities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When to Use Traceroute<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Run a traceroute when you experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Slow website loading<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Intermittent timeouts or 502\/504 errors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High latency compared to other sites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Connection problems that ping alone cannot diagnose<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Combine it with <strong>ping<\/strong> for a complete picture. InMotion Hosting provides a free Traceroute Parser tool to help analyze results automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><div class=\"yt-dFc0bUm_NEg\">\n\t<a class=\"play-video-dFc0bUm_NEg\" style=\"position: relative; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: center; cursor: pointer;\">\n\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi_webp\/dFc0bUm_NEg\/maxresdefault.webp\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" alt=\"How to Perform a Ping and Traceroute\" style=\"width: 100%; height: auto;\">\n\t\t<span class=\"fa fa-imh-play-circle imh-ds-icon play-circle\" style=\"position: absolute; display:block; font-size:150px; color: #c52228; opacity:0;\"><\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Don\u2019t have time to read our article? Watch the full walk-through video.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Run a Traceroute (and Ping)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Always run both <strong>ping<\/strong> and <strong>traceroute<\/strong> to the same target (e.g., your domain or server IP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"alert alert-success\">InMotion Hosting has a free tool that can automatically and consistently analyze the results of a traceroute test. If you run the traceroute test as described below, you can use <a href=\"\/support\/tools\/visual-domain-routing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">our traceroute parser tool here<\/a> to see if you may be experiencing a connectivity problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On Windows (tracert)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list article_list\">\n<li>Press <strong>Windows key + R<\/strong>, type cmd, and press Enter to open Command Prompt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run the ping test (let it complete 4\u20135 replies or press Ctrl+C to stop):<br><br><code>ping example.com<\/code><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run the traceroute:<br><br><code>tracert example.com<\/code><br><br>(Replace example.com with your actual domain or IP address.)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>To copy results: Right-click in the Command Prompt window, select <strong>Mark<\/strong>, highlight the text, and press Enter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">On macOS or Linux (traceroute)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list article_list\">\n<li>Open <strong>Terminal<\/strong> (Applications \u2192 Utilities \u2192 Terminal on macOS).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run the ping test (stop after 4\u20135 replies with Ctrl+C):<br><br><code>ping example.com<\/code><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run the traceroute:<br><br><code>traceroute example.com<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Useful options<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><code>traceroute -n example.com<\/code> \u2014 Disable DNS resolution for faster, cleaner output.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><code>traceroute -I example.com<\/code> \u2014 Use ICMP mode (sometimes bypasses blocks).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><code>mtr example.com<\/code> \u2014 Install <strong>mtr<\/strong> (My Traceroute) for a continuous, real-time version that combines traceroute and ping (highly recommended for ongoing issues).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advanced Alternative: MTR (My Traceroute)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>MTR runs traceroute repeatedly and displays live statistics including packet loss percentage, average latency, and standard deviation. It is superior for spotting intermittent problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Install on Linux\/Ubuntu:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono-NL.ttf\" style=\"font-size:clamp(16px, 1rem, 24px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono-NL,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(26px, 1.625rem, 39px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><pre class=\"shiki github-dark\" style=\"background-color: #24292e\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">sudo<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">apt<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">install<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">mtr<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>On AlmaLinux:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono-NL.ttf\" style=\"font-size:clamp(16px, 1rem, 24px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono-NL,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(26px, 1.625rem, 39px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><pre class=\"shiki github-dark\" style=\"background-color: #24292e\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">sudo<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">dnf<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">install<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">mtr<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Run:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono-NL.ttf\" style=\"font-size:clamp(16px, 1rem, 24px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono-NL,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(26px, 1.625rem, 39px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><pre class=\"shiki github-dark\" style=\"background-color: #24292e\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">mtr<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">example.com<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Press <strong>q<\/strong> to quit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Read and Interpret Traceroute Output<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is a sample Windows tracert output:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono-NL.ttf\" style=\"font-size:clamp(16px, 1rem, 24px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono-NL,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(26px, 1.625rem, 39px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><pre class=\"shiki github-dark\" style=\"background-color: #24292e\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">Tracing<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">route<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">to<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">example.com<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> [10.10.242.22]<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">over<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">a<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">maximum<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">of<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">30<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">hops:<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">1<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #F97583\">&lt;<\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">1<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #F97583\">&lt;<\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">1<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #F97583\">&lt;<\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">1<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">172.16<\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">.10.2<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">2<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">*<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">        <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">*<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">        <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">*<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">Request<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">timed<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">out.<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">3<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">2<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">2<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">2<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">vbchtmnas9k02-t0-4-0-1.coxfiber.net<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> [216.54.0.29]<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">4<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">12<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">13<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">3<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">68.10<\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">.8.229<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">5<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">7<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">7<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">7<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">chndbbr01-pos0202.rd.ph.cox.net<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> [68.1.0.242]<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">6<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">10<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">8<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">9<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ip10-167-150-2.at.at.cox.net<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> [70.167.150.2]<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">7<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">10<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">     <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">9<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">10<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">100<\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ge7-1.core1.nyc4.he.net<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> [184.105.223.166]<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">8<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">72<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">84<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">74<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">10<\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">gr10-3.core1.lax1.he.net<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> [72.52.92.226]<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">9<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">76<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">76<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">90<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">10<\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">g1-3.core1.lax2.he.net<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> [72.52.92.122]<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">10<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">81<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">74<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">74<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">205.134<\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">.225.38<\/span><\/span>\n<span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">11<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">72<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">71<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">72<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">www.inmotionhosting.com<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> [192.145.237.216]<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see, there are several rows divided into columns on the report. Each row represents a \u201chop\u201d along the route. Think of it as a check-in point where the signal gets its next set of directions. Each row is divided into five columns. A sample row is below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kevinbatdorf-code-block-pro\" data-code-block-pro-font-family=\"Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono-NL.ttf\" style=\"font-size:clamp(16px, 1rem, 24px);font-family:Code-Pro-JetBrains-Mono-NL,ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Monaco,Consolas,monospace;line-height:clamp(26px, 1.625rem, 39px);--cbp-tab-width:2;tab-size:var(--cbp-tab-width, 2)\"><pre class=\"shiki github-dark\" style=\"background-color: #24292e\" tabindex=\"0\"><code><span class=\"line\"><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #B392F0\">10<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">81<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">74<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">    <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">74<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">ms<\/span><span style=\"color: #E1E4E8\">  <\/span><span style=\"color: #79B8FF\">205.134<\/span><span style=\"color: #9ECBFF\">.225.38<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s break this particular hop down into its parts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table article_table is-style-stripes\"><table><tbody><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Hop #<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">RTT 1<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">RTT 2<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">RTT 3<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Name\/IP Address<\/th><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">10<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">81 ms<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">74 ms<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">74 ms<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">205.134.225.38<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Column<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Description<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Hop #<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Sequential number of the router in the path (1 = your local router\/gateway).<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>RTT 1 \/ RTT 2 \/ RTT 3<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Round-trip times (in milliseconds) for the three probe packets. Lower and more consistent values are better.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Hostname \/ IP<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Resolved hostname (if available) and\/or IP address of the router at that hop.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Interpretation Guidelines<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Low, consistent latency<\/strong> (under 50\u2013100 ms within the same country) is normal in early hops.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sudden large jumps<\/strong> in latency (e.g., from 20 ms to 200+ ms) that persist in subsequent hops indicate a bottleneck or congestion starting at that specific router.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Asterisks (<code>* * *<\/code>) or \u201cRequest timed out\u201d<\/strong>: The hop did not reply within the timeout period. Common reasons include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Firewalls or routers configured not to respond to traceroute probes (harmless in many cases).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High load on the router (ICMP responses are low priority).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Actual packet loss or routing blackholes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Timeouts at the beginning<\/strong>: Usually normal (local router or ISP gateway often blocks ICMP).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Timeouts at the end<\/strong>: May indicate the destination firewall blocks diagnostic packets, but normal web traffic (HTTP\/HTTPS) can still work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High latency across many hops<\/strong>: Could point to transoceanic routing, peering issues, or widespread congestion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Packet loss pattern<\/strong>: If loss appears at one hop and continues, the problem likely starts there.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rule of thumb for continental US routing<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Under 150 ms total is generally acceptable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consistent increases toward the destination suggest a problem near the target (possibly InMotion network or upstream provider).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Problems in the first 3\u20135 hops \u2192 Contact your ISP or check your local network.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Problems in the middle \u2192 Intermediate carrier\/peering issue (often temporary).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Problems near the final hops \u2192 Likely on the hosting provider side.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Traceroute Issues and What They Mean<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>High latency in the first few hops<\/strong>: Local Wi-Fi, router, or ISP problem. Try wired connection or restarting your router.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Many asterisks in the middle<\/strong>: Normal for some backbone routers; not always indicative of loss unless accompanied by latency spikes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Traceroute stops early with repeated timeouts<\/strong>: Destination may block probes, or there is a routing loop\/firewall. Test with different tools (MTR, TCP traceroute).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Different results from ping vs. traceroute<\/strong>: Traceroute uses different packet types; firewalls may treat them differently.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Varying paths on repeated runs<\/strong>: Internet uses dynamic routing; minor variations are normal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Extremely high RTT (500+ ms)<\/strong>: Possible satellite links, international routing, or severe congestion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best Practices and Tips for Effective Troubleshooting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Run tests from multiple locations (your home, mobile hotspot, another network) to isolate the issue.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use InMotion Hosting\u2019s <a href=\"\/support\/tools\/visual-domain-routing\/\">Traceroute Parser tool<\/a> after running your test.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/tools\/what-is-my-ip-address\/\">your current public IP address<\/a> when submitting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/amp\/submitting-and-checking-on-status-of-tickets\/\">results to support<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For ongoing issues, use <strong>MTR<\/strong> instead of one-off traceroute.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Test to both your domain and the raw server IP.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid running during peak hours only\u2014compare off-peak vs. peak results.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>On InMotion VPS\/dedicated servers, high latency near the final hops may relate to server load, PHP-FPM, or network configuration\u2014combine with server-side diagnostics (e.g., <code>htop<\/code>, logs).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If the traceroute shows clean low-latency paths all the way to InMotion\u2019s network but your site is still slow, the issue is likely application-related (e.g., database queries, unoptimized code, or PHP-FPM <code>max_children<\/code> limits) rather than network connectivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Next Steps with InMotion Hosting Support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When opening a support ticket:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Provide both <strong>ping<\/strong> and <strong>traceroute<\/strong> (or MTR) results.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Describe symptoms (slow loading, timeouts, specific error messages).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Note the time of day the issue occurs and whether it affects all visitors or only some locations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Properly interpreted traceroute results significantly speed up diagnosis. Most connectivity problems are resolved by identifying the problematic hop and coordinating between your ISP and hosting provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For InMotion Hosting customers, these tools work seamlessly with cPanel, AlmaLinux, or Ubuntu-based VPS environments. If you need help analyzing a specific traceroute output, paste it into a support ticket along with the details above. This approach helps isolate issues quickly and keeps your website performing optimally.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Traceroute (or tracert on Windows) is a essential network diagnostic tool that maps the exact path data packets take from your local computer to a destination server, such as your website hosted on an InMotion Hosting VPS or dedicated server. It measures the round-trip time (latency) at each intermediate router (&#8220;hop&#8221;) along the route and<a class=\"moretag\" href=\"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/website\/read-traceroute\/\"> Read More ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56983,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4288],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-website"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Run and Read a Traceroute | InMotion Hosting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In this article, we will explain how to run a ping and trace test on Windows and Mac, and how to make sense of the trace route 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