Tracert command(also known as traceroute command) is a computer network command tool that provides the route taken by packets across an IP network and allows you to test your network infrastructure.

Its uses include;

Diagnosing slow network connections by showing either an asterisk (*), long time taken to reach the website or delivers more hops.

It shows you the path which your computer takes to reach a specific website including time and detailed information like IP addresses.

It gives you an idea of the distance and location of the target even though they might not be perfect.

Shows you the number of internet routers involved in the connection.

Times are displayed in milliseconds.


Explaining how the results come;
Tracert command sends out an ICMP echo packet to the requested host, with TTL(time-to-live)= 1, then TTL =2, then TTL=3 etc. It then works by increasing the "TTL" of each successive packet of information sent.

The host decreases the "TTL" by one, then forwards the packet to the next host. If the packet doesn't return within the expected time, an asterisk(*) is shown.

This is an example of a successful tracert from a computer in Mexico to richestmails.net:

The IP address of google, maximum number of hops, and number of routers involved is all shown, time shown in milliseconds with three values each which means its tested 3 times. First attempt second attempt and third attempts respectively.

1 is the internet gateway on the network. In our case it has showed request time out.

2 is the Internet Service Provider of the origin computer which is cableonline.com.mx.

3 and 4 are transtelco.net routers

5 to 7 are all routers on the cogentco.com network (gateway domain out of Mexico)

9 to 14 are routers on att.net in the USA

15 to 16 show the router on the network on which richestmails.net is hosted on.

17 is the computer richestmails.net is hosted on.