Master Linux Traceroute: Install, Commands, and Advanced Options Explained

In Linux, traceroute is a network diagnostic tool that determines the route packets take from your computer to a target host.

If traceroute is not installed, you can install it via the package manager.

Debian/Ubuntu and derivatives

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install traceroute

CentOS/RHEL and derivatives

sudo yum install traceroute

On newer CentOS/RHEL versions, you may need to use dnf instead of yum:

sudo dnf install traceroute

Basic command format:

traceroute [options]... [target host]

Basic usage example:

traceroute example.com

Common options

-n

: Do not perform DNS lookups; show IP addresses only. -w: Set timeout in seconds. -p: Specify the destination port (default 33434). -m: Set maximum hop count (default 30). -s: Set source port number. -I: Use ICMP packets. -4 or -6: Force IPv4 or IPv6. -q: Set number of probe packets (default 3). -T: Use TCP for tracing. -A: Use all protocols (UDP, TCP, ICMP).

Advanced options

-P proto

: Choose protocol (tcp, udp, icmp, ip). -S srcaddr: Set source address. -g gateway: Specify a gateway to skip. -N: Use NTP mode for time queries. -F: Set “Don’t Fragment” flag to determine MTU.

Examples

Show IP addresses only:

traceroute -n example.com

Use ICMP protocol:

traceroute -I example.com

Set maximum hops to 20:

traceroute -m 20 example.com

Use TCP protocol:

traceroute -T example.com

Use all protocols:

traceroute -A example.com

Send 5 probe packets:

traceroute -q 5 example.com

Set timeout to 10 seconds:

traceroute -w 10 example.com

Precautions

Some network devices may block traceroute packets, resulting in incomplete or inaccurate paths.

When using traceroute, comply with network policies and legal regulations to avoid misuse.

On certain Linux distributions, traceroute may require root privileges. traceroute is an essential tool for network troubleshooting and performance analysis, helping locate latency or packet loss.