Windows pathping equivalent in Linux
Continuously monitors each network hop showing real-time packet loss and latency per hop.
pathping
mtr
mtr
mtr
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "pathping" is used to combined ping and traceroute with statistics. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "mtr". Continuously monitors each network hop showing real-time packet loss and latency per hop. This reference is grouped under Networking.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows pathping maps to mtr for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux networking for Windows users.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Combined ping and traceroute with statistics
Continuously monitors each network hop showing real-time packet loss and latency per hop.
mtr hostname
Interactive live trace
mtr -n hostname
No DNS lookup (faster)
mtr --report hostname
Run 10 cycles then print report
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
mtr google.com
mtr -n google.com
mtr --report google.com
sudo apt install mtr
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: pathping google.com
mtr google.com # live updating route + stats
mtr -n google.com # skip DNS for speed
mtr --report google.com # non-interactive report
# Install if missing:
sudo apt install mtrReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
mtr hostname | Interactive live trace |
mtr -n hostname | No DNS lookup (faster) |
mtr --report hostname | Run 10 cycles then print report |
mtr -c 100 hostname | Run exactly 100 cycles |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "mtr" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | mtr |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | mtr |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | mtr |
Same command on this distribution. |
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