Windows tracert equivalent in Linux
Shows each network hop between your machine and a destination, helping diagnose where connections slow down or fail.
tracert
traceroute
traceroute
traceroute
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "tracert" is used to trace network route to host. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "traceroute". Shows each network hop between your machine and a destination, helping diagnose where connections slow down or fail. This reference is grouped under Networking.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows tracert maps to traceroute 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
Trace network route to host
Shows each network hop between your machine and a destination, helping diagnose where connections slow down or fail.
traceroute -n
Don't resolve hostnames (faster)
traceroute -m 20
Max 20 hops
tracepath
Similar but doesn't need root access
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
traceroute google.com
traceroute -n google.com
tracepath google.com
mtr google.com
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows: tracert google.com
traceroute google.com # trace the route
traceroute -n google.com # faster, skip DNS lookups
tracepath google.com # alternative, no root needed
mtr google.com # live updating trace (best tool)Reference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
traceroute -n | Don't resolve hostnames (faster) |
traceroute -m 20 | Max 20 hops |
tracepath | Similar but doesn't need root access |
mtr google.com | Interactive live trace (install with apt) |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "traceroute" 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 | traceroute |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | traceroute |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | traceroute |
Same command on this distribution. |
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