Linux CLI 30 🐧 ping and trace route commands

ping google.com
ping -4 google.com
ping -s 500 -i 1 google.com
traceroute google.com
traceroute -m 3 google.com
traceroute -n google.com

ping and traceroute are two of the most fundamental network diagnostic tools. ping tells you whether a host is reachable and how fast the round trip is. traceroute tells you which path packets take to get there, hop by hop.

Key point: Both tools use ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) by default. Some networks block ICMP, so a failed ping doesn’t always mean a host is down.

---

a – ping command

ping is a network utility that tests whether a device is connected on a network. It sends small packets to a target host and waits for a reply, measuring the round-trip time (RTT).

Command	Description
ping google.com	Pings google.com. Press Ctrl + C to stop
ping 0	Ping localhost (shortcut)
ping 127.0.0.1	Ping localhost by IP
ping localhost	Ping localhost by name
ping -4 google.com	Force IPv4 (default)
ping -6 google.com	Force IPv6
ping -s 500 -i 1 google.com	-s sets packet size, -i sets interval
ping -f google.com	Flood the network (fast ping)
ping -c 2 google.com	Send only 2 packets
ping -w 10 google.com	Set a 10-second time limit

Examples:

# Basic ping — runs forever until Ctrl+C
$ ping google.com
PING google.com (142.250.185.78) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.3 ms
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=2 ttl=115 time=11.8 ms
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=3 ttl=115 time=12.1 ms
^C
--- google.com ping statistics ---
3 packets transmitted, 3 received, 0% packet loss, time 2003ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 11.802/12.067/12.301/0.204 ms

# Check the local network stack
$ ping 127.0.0.1
PING 127.0.0.1 (127.0.0.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.045 ms
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.038 ms
^C
--- 127.0.0.1 ping statistics ---
2 packets transmitted, 2 received, 0% packet loss, time 1001ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.038/0.041/0.045/0.003 ms

# Same thing using the "0" shortcut
$ ping 0

# Force IPv4
$ ping -4 google.com
PING google.com (142.250.185.78) 56(84) bytes of data.
...

# Force IPv6
$ ping -6 google.com
PING google.com (2607:f8b0:4004:c07::65) 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 2607:f8b0:4004:c07::65: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.5 ms
...

# Set packet size to 500 bytes and interval to 1 second
$ ping -s 500 -i 1 google.com
PING google.com (142.250.185.78) 500(528) bytes of data.
508 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.4 ms
508 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=2 ttl=115 time=12.0 ms
...

# Send only 2 packets
$ ping -c 2 google.com
PING google.com (142.250.185.78) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.1 ms
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=2 ttl=115 time=11.9 ms

--- google.com ping statistics ---
2 packets transmitted, 2 received, 0% packet loss, time 1001ms

# Stop after 10 seconds
$ ping -w 10 google.com
...

# Flood ping (requires root, very fast)
$ sudo ping -f google.com

Reading the output:

Field	Meaning
icmp_seq	Packet sequence number
ttl	Time To Live — how many hops left
time	Round-trip time in milliseconds
packet loss	Percentage of packets lost
rtt min/avg/max/mdev	Min, average, max, and deviation of RTT

Common uses:

• Check if a host is up — ping google.com
• Check latency to a server — ping 8.8.8.8
• Check packet loss on a bad connection — ping -c 100 google.com
• Test the local network stack — ping 127.0.0.1
• Test DNS resolution — ping google.com (if IP works but name doesn’t, it’s DNS)

---

b – traceroute command

traceroute shows how packets travel from your computer to another computer through the network. It reveals every hop (router) along the way, which is extremely useful for diagnosing connection issues and routing problems.

Command	Description
traceroute google.com	Trace the route to google.com
traceroute -4 google.com	Use IPv4
traceroute -6 google.com	Use IPv6
traceroute -m 3 google.com	Use a maximum of 3 hops
traceroute -n google.com	Disable IP address resolution (no DNS)
traceroute -p 2324 google.com	Use port 2324
traceroute -q 2 google.com	Send 2 probes per hop (default 3)
traceroute 50 google.com	Set packet length to 50 bytes

Examples:

# Basic traceroute
$ traceroute google.com
traceroute to google.com (142.250.185.78), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  _gateway (192.168.1.1)  1.234 ms  1.456 ms  1.678 ms
 2  10.0.0.1 (10.0.0.1)  8.901 ms  9.123 ms  9.345 ms
 3  isp-router.example.net (203.0.113.1)  10.567 ms  10.789 ms  11.012 ms
 4  * * *
 5  core1.example.net (198.51.100.1)  15.234 ms  15.456 ms  15.678 ms
 6  142.250.185.78 (142.250.185.78)  16.901 ms  17.123 ms  17.345 ms

# Force IPv4
$ traceroute -4 google.com
...

# Force IPv6
$ traceroute -6 google.com
...

# Limit to 3 hops
$ traceroute -m 3 google.com
traceroute to google.com (142.250.185.78), 3 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  _gateway (192.168.1.1)  1.234 ms  1.456 ms  1.678 ms
 2  10.0.0.1 (10.0.0.1)  8.901 ms  9.123 ms  9.345 ms
 3  isp-router.example.net (203.0.113.1)  10.567 ms  10.789 ms  11.012 ms

# Disable DNS resolution — faster
$ traceroute -n google.com
traceroute to google.com (142.250.185.78), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  192.168.1.1  1.234 ms  1.456 ms  1.678 ms
 2  10.0.0.1  8.901 ms  9.123 ms  9.345 ms
 3  203.0.113.1  10.567 ms  10.789 ms  11.012 ms
 ...

# Use a specific port
$ traceroute -p 2324 google.com
...

# Send 2 probes per hop instead of 3
$ traceroute -q 2 google.com
traceroute to google.com (142.250.185.78), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  _gateway (192.168.1.1)  1.234 ms  1.456 ms
 2  10.0.0.1 (10.0.0.1)  8.901 ms  9.123 ms
 ...

# Set packet length to 50 bytes
$ traceroute 50 google.com
...

Reading the output:

Field	Meaning
Hop number	Which router along the path
Hostname / IP	The router’s name and address
* * *	No response — the router blocked ICMP or timed out
Three times	RTT for each of the 3 probes
30 hops max	Maximum hops before giving up

How it works: traceroute sends packets with increasing TTL (Time To Live) values. Each router that receives a packet decrements the TTL; when it hits zero, the router sends back an ICMP “time exceeded” message. By starting at TTL=1 and increasing, traceroute maps every hop.

Common uses:

• Find where a connection is slow or failing — traceroute google.com
• Identify the ISP’s routers on the path
• Detect routing loops or unusual paths
• Check if a firewall is blocking traffic (* * * at a certain hop)
• Compare routes from different networks

---

Complete Example Session

# ============================================
# PART 1: BASIC PING
# ============================================

$ ping google.com
PING google.com (142.250.185.78) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.3 ms
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=2 ttl=115 time=11.8 ms
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=3 ttl=115 time=12.1 ms
^C
--- google.com ping statistics ---
3 packets transmitted, 3 received, 0% packet loss, time 2003ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 11.802/12.067/12.301/0.204 ms

# ============================================
# PART 2: PING LOCALHOST
# ============================================

$ ping 127.0.0.1
PING 127.0.0.1 (127.0.0.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.045 ms
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.038 ms
^C
--- 127.0.0.1 ping statistics ---
2 packets transmitted, 2 received, 0% packet loss, time 1001ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.038/0.041/0.045/0.003 ms

# ============================================
# PART 3: PING WITH OPTIONS
# ============================================

$ ping -4 google.com
PING google.com (142.250.185.78) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.4 ms
...

$ ping -6 google.com
PING google.com (2607:f8b0:4004:c07::65) 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 2607:f8b0:4004:c07::65: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.5 ms
...

$ ping -s 500 -i 1 google.com
PING google.com (142.250.185.78) 500(528) bytes of data.
508 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.4 ms
508 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=2 ttl=115 time=12.0 ms
^C

$ ping -c 2 google.com
PING google.com (142.250.185.78) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.1 ms
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=2 ttl=115 time=11.9 ms
--- google.com ping statistics ---
2 packets transmitted, 2 received, 0% packet loss, time 1001ms

# ============================================
# PART 4: BASIC TRACEROUTE
# ============================================

$ traceroute google.com
traceroute to google.com (142.250.185.78), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  _gateway (192.168.1.1)  1.234 ms  1.456 ms  1.678 ms
 2  10.0.0.1 (10.0.0.1)  8.901 ms  9.123 ms  9.345 ms
 3  isp-router.example.net (203.0.113.1)  10.567 ms  10.789 ms  11.012 ms
 4  * * *
 5  core1.example.net (198.51.100.1)  15.234 ms  15.456 ms  15.678 ms
 6  142.250.185.78 (142.250.185.78)  16.901 ms  17.123 ms  17.345 ms

# ============================================
# PART 5: TRACEROUTE WITH OPTIONS
# ============================================

$ traceroute -4 google.com
...

$ traceroute -6 google.com
...

$ traceroute -m 3 google.com
traceroute to google.com (142.250.185.78), 3 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  _gateway (192.168.1.1)  1.234 ms  1.456 ms  1.678 ms
 2  10.0.0.1 (10.0.0.1)  8.901 ms  9.123 ms  9.345 ms
 3  isp-router.example.net (203.0.113.1)  10.567 ms  10.789 ms  11.012 ms

$ traceroute -n google.com
traceroute to google.com (142.250.185.78), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  192.168.1.1  1.234 ms  1.456 ms  1.678 ms
 2  10.0.0.1  8.901 ms  9.123 ms  9.345 ms
 3  203.0.113.1  10.567 ms  10.789 ms  11.012 ms
 ...

$ traceroute -q 2 google.com
traceroute to google.com (142.250.185.78), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  _gateway (192.168.1.1)  1.234 ms  1.456 ms
 2  10.0.0.1 (10.0.0.1)  8.901 ms  9.123 ms
 ...

$ traceroute -p 2324 google.com
...

$ traceroute 50 google.com
...

# ============================================
# PART 6: DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM
# ============================================

# Ping fails but localhost works — network issue
$ ping 127.0.0.1
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.045 ms

$ ping google.com
PING google.com (142.250.185.78) 56(84) bytes of data.
^C
--- google.com ping statistics ---
3 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss

# Trace to find where it breaks
$ traceroute google.com
traceroute to google.com (142.250.185.78), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  _gateway (192.168.1.1)  1.234 ms  1.456 ms  1.678 ms
 2  10.0.0.1 (10.0.0.1)  8.901 ms  9.123 ms  9.345 ms
 3  * * *
 4  * * *
 5  * * *
# → problem starts at hop 3 (ISP side)

---

Quick Reference

ping

Command	Purpose
ping HOST	Ping a host continuously
ping -c N HOST	Send N packets and stop
ping -i N HOST	Set interval between packets
ping -s N HOST	Set packet size to N bytes
ping -w N HOST	Stop after N seconds
ping -4 HOST	Force IPv4
ping -6 HOST	Force IPv6
ping -f HOST	Flood ping (root only)
ping 0	Ping localhost
ping 127.0.0.1	Ping localhost by IP

traceroute

Command	Purpose
traceroute HOST	Trace route to host
traceroute -4 HOST	Force IPv4
traceroute -6 HOST	Force IPv6
traceroute -m N HOST	Max N hops
traceroute -n HOST	No DNS resolution
traceroute -p N HOST	Use port N
traceroute -q N HOST	N probes per hop
traceroute N HOST	Packet length N bytes

---

Best Practices

✅ Do This:

# Use -c to limit packets
ping -c 5 google.com                  # ✅

# Use -n with traceroute for speed
traceroute -n google.com              # ✅

# Test localhost first when diagnosing
ping 127.0.0.1                        # ✅

# Use -4 or -6 explicitly when needed
ping -6 google.com                    # ✅

# Limit hops with traceroute -m for quick checks
traceroute -m 5 google.com            # ✅

# Use traceroute when ping succeeds but is slow
ping -c 10 google.com && traceroute google.com  # ✅

❌ Don’t Do This:

# Don't flood a network without permission
sudo ping -f google.com               # ❌ abuse

# Don't assume ping failure = host down
ping example.com                      # ❌ ICMP might be blocked

# Don't run traceroute without -n on slow DNS
traceroute google.com                 # ❌ slow (waits for DNS)

# Don't use ping as a port scanner
ping -p 80 google.com                 # ❌ wrong tool

# Don't ignore packet loss in the summary
ping -c 100 google.com                # ❌ check loss %

---

Common Pitfalls

Pitfall	Problem	Solution
Ping never stops	Forgot Ctrl+C	Use -c N
100% packet loss	ICMP blocked	Try traceroute or TCP
* * * in traceroute	Router blocks ICMP	Normal — not always a problem
Slow traceroute	DNS lookups	Use -n
IPv6 fails	No IPv6 route	Use -4
Flood ping	Network abuse	Only with permission
Can’t traceroute	No root / no ICMP	Try sudo or tcptraceroute

---

Real-World Examples

1. Check if a Host is Up

$ ping -c 3 8.8.8.8
PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=117 time=9.12 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=2 ttl=117 time=9.34 ms
64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=3 ttl=117 time=9.21 ms
--- 8.8.8.8 ping statistics ---
3 packets transmitted, 3 received, 0% packet loss

2. Test Local Network Stack

$ ping -c 2 127.0.0.1
PING 127.0.0.1 (127.0.0.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.045 ms
64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.038 ms
# ✅ Local stack is fine

3. Check DNS Resolution

$ ping -c 1 google.com
PING google.com (142.250.185.78) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 142.250.185.78: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.3 ms
# ✅ DNS works

$ ping -c 1 nonexistent.example
ping: nonexistent.example: Name or service not known
# ❌ DNS failure

4. Measure Latency to a Server

$ ping -c 20 1.1.1.1
...
--- 1.1.1.1 ping statistics ---
20 packets transmitted, 20 received, 0% packet loss, time 19023ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 8.123/9.456/12.789/1.234 ms

5. Trace the Path to a Website

$ traceroute -n google.com
traceroute to google.com (142.250.185.78), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  192.168.1.1  1.234 ms  1.456 ms  1.678 ms
 2  10.0.0.1  8.901 ms  9.123 ms  9.345 ms
 3  203.0.113.1  10.567 ms  10.789 ms  11.012 ms
 4  198.51.100.1  15.234 ms  15.456 ms  15.678 ms
 5  142.250.185.78  16.901 ms  17.123 ms  17.345 ms

6. Find Where a Connection Breaks

$ ping -c 5 example.com
...
--- example.com ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss

$ traceroute -n example.com
 1  192.168.1.1  1.234 ms  1.456 ms  1.678 ms
 2  10.0.0.1  8.901 ms  9.123 ms  9.345 ms
 3  * * *
 4  * * *
# → ISP side is dropping packets

7. Test IPv6 Connectivity

$ ping -6 -c 3 google.com
PING google.com (2607:f8b0:4004:c07::65) 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 2607:f8b0:4004:c07::65: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=12.5 ms
...
# ✅ IPv6 works

8. Flood Ping (Stress Test — root only)

$ sudo ping -f -c 1000 192.168.1.1
PING 192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
....................................................
--- 192.168.1.1 ping statistics ---
1000 packets transmitted, 1000 received, 0% packet loss

---

Visual: How traceroute Works

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              Your Computer                   │
│                                              │
│   TTL=1  ───────►  Router 1                  │
│                    │                         │
│                    └── TTL=0 ──► ICMP reply  │
│                                              │
│   TTL=2  ───────►  Router 1 ──► Router 2     │
│                                  │           │
│                                  └── TTL=0 ──► ICMP reply
│                                              │
│   TTL=3  ───────►  Router 1 ──► Router 2 ──► Target
│                                              │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Result:
 1  Router 1   1.23 ms
 2  Router 2   8.90 ms
 3  Target     16.9 ms

---

Summary

Command	Purpose	Example
ping HOST	Test reachability	ping google.com
ping -c N HOST	Send N packets	ping -c 3 google.com
ping -i N HOST	Set interval	ping -i 1 google.com
ping -s N HOST	Set packet size	ping -s 500 google.com
ping -w N HOST	Time limit	ping -w 10 google.com
ping -4 HOST	Force IPv4	ping -4 google.com
ping -6 HOST	Force IPv6	ping -6 google.com
ping 0	Localhost shortcut	ping 0
traceroute HOST	Trace route	traceroute google.com
traceroute -m N HOST	Max N hops	traceroute -m 3 google.com
traceroute -n HOST	No DNS	traceroute -n google.com
traceroute -q N HOST	N probes/hop	traceroute -q 2 google.com
traceroute -p N HOST	Port N	traceroute -p 2324 google.com

Key takeaways:

• ping tests whether a host is reachable and measures latency and packet loss
• Use -c N to limit packets, -i N for interval, -s N for size, -w N for a time limit
• Use -4 or -6 to force IPv4 or IPv6
• ping 0, ping 127.0.0.1, and ping localhost all test the local stack
• traceroute shows the path packets take — hop by hop
• Use -n to skip DNS (faster), -m N to limit hops, -q N for probes per hop
• * * * in traceroute means a router didn’t reply — not always an error
• ICMP can be blocked — a failed ping doesn’t always mean a host is down
• Use ping first, then traceroute to localize where a problem begins

Remember: ping tells you if a host responds; traceroute tells you how your packets get there. Start with a localhost ping to confirm your stack, then ping the gateway, then an external IP, then a hostname — this narrows down where the problem is. Use -c to avoid infinite pings, -n to speed up traceroute, and always check the summary line for packet loss. Master these two tools, and you can diagnose most network problems from the command line.

---

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