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Sep 09 2010

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	What is Tracert and how do I use it?

Solution The tracert command is used to visually see a network packet being sent and received and the amount of hops required for that packet to get to its destination. Ping is incorporated into the Windows operating systems.

tracert xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx or tracert y - Allows you to trace the packet route between two computer where the x's are where you would place the IP address of the computer you are attempting to connect to or where the y is the URL of the site. If a tracert timed out, this should relay back an unsuccessful message which could be an indication of cable issues, network card issues, hub issue, etc.

EXAMPLE

To tracert to a server click on your MS Window's "Start" button; then click on the "Run" option. Type in the word "command" in the pop up window for Windows 95, 98, ME or "cmd" for Windows NT, 2000, or XP. Select the OK button. A DOS window will open. Into this window, type "tracert", a space then your URL: ex. "tracert www.marvinsweb.net" or "tracert 204.13.175.204 (note: this DOS environment is case sensitive; make sure all text is lower case; don't use the quotes) Something similar to the following should appear:

Tracing route to marvinsweb.net [204.13.175.204]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 133 ms 101 ms 148 ms 210.213.128.1.pldt.net [210.213.128.1]
3 302 ms 137 ms 159 ms 210.1.65.49
4 240 ms 114 ms 76 ms 210.14.2.242
5 502 ms 220 ms 256 ms p4-1-3-0.r04.mlpsca01.us.bb.verio.net [129.250.10.89]
6 221 ms 221 ms 272 ms xe-2-1-0.r21.snjsca04.us.bb.verio.net [129.250.5.62]
7 220 ms 333 ms 297 ms xe-1-1.r03.snjsca04.us.bb.verio.net [129.250.2.209]
8 309 ms 317 ms 368 ms sp0-1-SNJSCA13.broadwing.com [206.223.116.72]
9 322 ms 331 ms 421 ms 216.140.0.133
10 345 ms 337 ms 347 ms so-7-0-0.c1.hywr.broadwing.net [216.140.0.69]
11 526 ms 535 ms 401 ms so-5-1-0.c1.ftwo.broadwing.net [216.140.17.97]
12 361 ms 375 ms 522 ms p4-0.c0.atln.broadwing.net [216.140.17.114]
13 475 ms 363 ms 463 ms p2-0-0.a1.atln.broadwing.net [216.140.12.42]
14 451 ms 321 ms 459 ms 65.90.64.98
15 359 ms 520 ms 314 ms 66.194.196.34
16 654 ms 447 ms 487 ms 204.13.171.141
17 335 ms 299 ms 311 ms marvinsweb.com [204.13.175.204]

Trace complete.

Let's break it down:

Lline 1:

Tracing route to www.marvinsweb.net [204.13.175.204]

The first line refers to the www.marvinsweb.netURL (Universal Resource Locator) and the respective IP address [204.13.175.204]. These two identifiers are one and the same. It's easier for humans to remember words than it is for them to remember numbers so URL's are used by humans to locate other human's servers while the numbers are used by computers to locate another computer. URL's were created as a matter of convenience for people. IP's were the original method for calling another computer.

Line 2:

over a maximum of 30 hops:

Think of hops, nodes, computers, servers and PCs as all being pretty much the same thing. This line is saying "If it takes more than 30 hops to get from this originating PC to the destination PC's address then stop trying". This number (30) is configurable by using the -h switch listed above (the syntax is, tracert -h # hostname.com [where # is the maximum number of hops for the trace to take]). You may wish to lower this number but if a trace takes more than thirty hops to anyplace in the world, there's something wrong.

Lines 3, 4, 5 and 6:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 133 ms 101 ms 148 ms 210.213.128.1.pldt.net [210.213.128.1]
3 302 ms 137 ms 159 ms 210.1.65.49
4 240 ms 114 ms 76 ms 210.14.2.242

The first three sets of numbers followed by "ms" is the amount of time in milliseconds that it took for a packet of information to get from the PC which initiated the trace to the receiving computer and sent back to the originator on three separate journeys.

The first line is my internal router which has a default IP of 192.168.1.1, the second, third and fourth being PLDT itself, my ISP. You can do IP lookup at www.dnsstuff.com to see for yourself.

Lines 7, 8 and 9:

5 502 ms 220 ms 256 ms p4-1-3-0.r04.mlpsca01.us.bb.verio.net [129.250.10.89]
6 221 ms 221 ms 272 ms xe-2-1-0.r21.snjsca04.us.bb.verio.net [129.250.5.62]
7 220 ms 333 ms 297 ms xe-1-1.r03.snjsca04.us.bb.verio.net [129.250.2.209]

The hops are now being routed through Verio from their Washington location. Notice the us.bb.verio.net. domain.

Lines 10 : lines five and six

8 309 ms 317 ms 368 ms sp0-1-SNJSCA13.broadwing.com [206.223.116.72]

This IP goes to San Mateo, California thru the network of Equinix, Inc.

Lines 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16:

9 322 ms 331 ms 421 ms 216.140.0.133
10 345 ms 337 ms 347 ms so-7-0-0.c1.hywr.broadwing.net [216.140.0.69]
11 526 ms 535 ms 401 ms so-5-1-0.c1.ftwo.broadwing.net [216.140.17.97]
12 361 ms 375 ms 522 ms p4-0.c0.atln.broadwing.net [216.140.17.114]
13 475 ms 363 ms 463 ms p2-0-0.a1.atln.broadwing.net [216.140.12.42]
14 451 ms 321 ms 459 ms 65.90.64.98

This hops goes to different location in the US such as Austin, Baltimore, but still with broadwing.net. Do a dnsstuff lookup.

Finally Lines 17, 18, 19:

15 359 ms 520 ms 314 ms 66.194.196.34
16 654 ms 447 ms 487 ms 204.13.171.141
17 335 ms 299 ms 311 ms marvinsweb.com [204.13.175.204]

Goes within the internal network of the datacenter. marvinsweb. :)

ERROR PROCESSING

If you receive the error, Unable to resolve target system name www.marvinsweb.net, then either you are not connected to the Internet or there is a problem connecting to the Internet. It could also be a problem with your ISPs DNS server.

If you see some tracert route information being passed, then it stops and times out, there is probably a problem at the router location that was last specified.

If there are more than 30 hops, there is a router that is not configured properly to handle the packets being sent through it. This will prevent the information from reaching its destination.

REFERENCE
Command: Options:
tracert [-d] [-h maximum_hops] [-j host-list] [-w timeout]

Options: Description:
-d Do not resolve addresses to hostnames.
-h maximum_hops Maximum number of hops to search for target.
-j host-list Loose source route along host-list.
-w timeout Wait timeout milliseconds for each reply.

Article Details

Article ID:

129

Created On:

Feb 21 2006 04:50 AM