The tracert command displays a network packet sent and received, and the number hops required for that packet to get to its destination. Users with Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP who need additional network latency and loss information should also consider using the pathping command.

Availability

Tracert is an external command that is available for the following Microsoft operating systems as tracert.exe.

  • Availability

  • Tracert syntax

  • Tracert examples

  • MS-DOS 6.2

  • Windows 95

  • Windows 98

  • Windows ME

  • Windows NT

  • Windows 2000

  • Windows XP

  • Windows Vista

  • Windows 7

  • Windows 8

  • Windows 10

  • Windows 11

Tracert syntax

Windows Vista and later syntax

tracert [-d] [-h maximum_hops] [-j host-list] [-w timeout] [-R] [-S srcaddr] [-4] [-6] target_name

Options

Windows XP and earlier syntax

tracert [-d] [-h maximum_hops] [-j host-list] [-w timeout] target_name

Tracert examples

Below is an example of the result when we used the tracert command on www.computerhope.com. As you can see, the packet had very few hops and short reply times on its way to its destination due to our close location.

  • Windows Vista and later syntax.
  • Windows XP and earlier syntax.

tracert computerhope.com

1 169 ms 190 ms 160 ms slc1-tc.xmission.com [166.70.1.20]2 159 ms 160 ms 190 ms cisco0-tc.xmission.com [166.70.1.1]3 165 ms 189 ms 159 ms www.computerhope.com [166.70.10.23]

  • See our trace and traceroute definition for further information and related links on this term.