Ping & Traceroute

1. Enter Target Host: Input a domain name (google.com) or IP address (8.8.8.8) in the host field. The tool will resolve domain names automatically before testing connectivity.
2. Select Test Type: Choose "Ping Test" for basic connectivity and latency measurement, "Traceroute" to map the network path between you and the destination, or "Latency Monitor" for continuous performance tracking.
3. Configure Parameters: For ping, select the number of packets (4, 8, 16, or continuous). For traceroute, the tool automatically probes each hop along the route with configurable timeout settings.
4. Analyze Results: Review packet loss percentage, round-trip time (RTT) statistics (min/avg/max), and hop-by-hop latency. High latency or packet loss at specific hops helps identify network bottlenecks.

Traditional ping uses ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) Echo Request/Reply packets to measure round-trip time. Traceroute exploits IP's TTL (Time To Live) field—sending packets with incrementing TTL values (1, 2, 3...) to receive ICMP Time Exceeded responses from each router along the path, revealing the route topology.

Browser-based tools cannot send raw ICMP packets due to security restrictions. This simulator uses HTTP/HTTPS timing to estimate latency, which includes TCP handshake and HTTP overhead beyond pure network delay. Results are directionally accurate but may show higher latency than command-line ping. For precise network diagnostics, use native OS tools (ping, traceroute/tracert). Network paths are often asymmetric—the route to a destination may differ from the return path.

• Interpreting Simulated Results as ICMP: Browser-based ping uses HTTP timing, not ICMP. Results include TCP and HTTP overhead, showing higher latency than true ICMP ping. Use for relative comparisons and trend detection, not absolute network layer measurements.
• Expecting Identical Forward/Return Paths: Internet routing is often asymmetric. Traceroute shows the forward path only—return packets may traverse different routers and links. High latency might occur on the return path, invisible to traceroute.
• Misinterpreting Hop Timeouts: Some routers don't respond to traceroute probes (showing * or timeout) for security reasons, not because they're down. If subsequent hops respond normally, the network path is functioning—those routers simply don't reply to TTL-expired packets.

Want to find the IP addresses before testing connectivity? Use our DNS Lookup to resolve domain names. For geographic context of the hops in your traceroute, try the IP Geolocation Lookup.