traceroute MacOS Command Guide
The MacOS traceroute command is a powerful tool used to trace the path that your packets take to a destination IP address. By sending a series of packets with increasing Time-To-Live (TTL) values, traceroute identifies the routers that these packets pass through before reaching the final destination. This command can help you diagnose network issues, identify bottlenecks, and optimize your network performance. With MacOS, you can use the traceroute command in the Terminal to troubleshoot connectivity problems and gain valuable insights into your network topology.
traceroute Syntax:
traceroute [ -AcdDeFInrSvx ] [ -f first_ttl ] [ -g gateway ] [ -i interface ] [ -M first_ttl ] [ -m max_ttl ] [ -p port ] [ -q nqueries ] [ -s source_addr ] [ -T tos ] [ -w waittime ] [ -z sendwait ] host [ packetlen ]Options:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| -A | Use AS path lookups to map addresses to ASN (Autonomous System Number) names |
| -c | Exit after sending count queries num |
| -d | Set the SO_DEBUG option in the socket |
| -D | Print the timestamp of the time to live (TTL) replied to |
| -e | Show the initial time-to-live (TTL) value used in probes |
| -F | Set the “don’t fragment” bit |
| -I | Use ICMP ECHO instead of UDP datagrams for probes |
| -n | Do not try to map IP addresses to hostnames |
| -r | Bypass the normal routing tables and send directly to a host |
| -S | Print the AS numbers in the paths |
| -v | Verbose output |
| -x | Show maximum time to live (TTL) exceeded replies and ICMP not in the same sequence |
Parameters:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| host | The destination host to trace the route to |
| packetlen | Length of outgoing packets (optional) |
traceroute Command Samples:
Basic traceroute
traceroute www.google.comPerforms a traceroute to the website “www.google.com” to determine the route taken by packets across a network.
Display IP Addresses
traceroute -n www.facebook.comPerforms a traceroute to the website “www.facebook.com” and displays IP addresses instead of hostnames in the output.
Set Maximum Hops
traceroute -m 15 www.amazon.comPerforms a traceroute to the website “www.amazon.com” with a maximum of 15 hops to reach the destination.
Use ICMP Echo Requests
traceroute -I www.reddit.comPerforms a traceroute to the website “www.reddit.com” using ICMP echo requests (ping) to probe the intermediate hops.
Use UDP Packets
traceroute -U www.twitter.comPerforms a traceroute to the website “www.twitter.com” using UDP packets instead of ICMP to determine the route to the destination.
Display Timestamps
traceroute -T www.apple.comPerforms a traceroute to the website “www.apple.com” and displays timestamps in the output to analyze the round-trip times of packets.
Set Packet Size
traceroute -s 1000 www.microsoft.comPerforms a traceroute to the website “www.microsoft.com” with a packet size of 1000 bytes to test network performance and compatibility.
traceroute FAQ:
How do I use traceroute in MacOS?
To use the traceroute command in MacOS, execute the following command:
traceroute google.comWhat are some common options used with traceroute in MacOS?
Common options used with the traceroute command in MacOS include setting the maximum TTL with ‘-m’ and using numeric output for addresses with ‘-n’. For example:
traceroute -m 15 -n google.comHow can I perform a reverse DNS lookup with traceroute in MacOS?
To perform a reverse DNS lookup with the traceroute command in MacOS, you can use the ‘-R’ option. Here is an example:
traceroute -R google.comHow do I stop traceroute from resolving IP addresses to hostnames in MacOS?
To stop traceroute from resolving IP addresses to hostnames in MacOS, use the ‘-n’ option. This will display numeric addresses only. For example:
traceroute -n google.comCan I change the timeout value for traceroute in MacOS?
Yes, you can change the timeout value for traceroute in MacOS using the ‘-w’ option followed by the desired timeout in seconds. Here is an example:
traceroute -w 2 google.comHow can I save the traceroute output to a file in MacOS?
To save the traceroute output to a file in MacOS, you can use the ’>’ symbol followed by the desired file name. For example:
traceroute google.com > traceroute_output.txtApplications of the traceroute command
- Diagnosing network connectivity issues
- Identifying network bottlenecks
- Troubleshooting slow internet connections
- Analyzing routing paths taken by network packets
- Determining the latency between hops on a network path