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Beginner
Learn about the route across Internet hosts at the Linux command line.
Videos can also be accessed from the Linux Essentials Playlist on YouTube.
Linux traceroute Command Summary with Examples (3:15)
Our eighty-third word, or command to memorize is
traceroute from our category
Communication.
traceroute allows you to show the
route to hosts.
| -options | description |
|---|---|
--help |
Print help screen |
-i,
--icmp |
Use the ICMP ECHO method |
Recall from ping in the last video
(tutorial) we sent data packets to hosts? Now we'll trace the route
those packets take across thousands of miles.
Before we start, it helps to think of commands as mini programs and
most follow this structure:
command -option(s) argument(s).
The traceroute command has
34 options, and the argument is normally the host and
hosts can be translated to host names, like google.com, or given in
numbers like the Internet Protocol (IP address).
Like most commands, help is available with double-dash
--help and we'll use the
-I ICMP ECHO method, just like
with ping rather than the default.
So why is traceroute an important command?
Well, to be honest, for us the point is just to grasp the concept of
how packets are delivered over the Internet.
And now you know how to do that.
Okay, the best way to embed this in your memory is by typing in your own terminal window.
Find this on your Mac using a program called Terminal. On Linux use Terminal or Konsole, and currently Microsoft is adding this functionality to Windows.
Here we go. So we said that data packets traverse many hosts or
computers, or routers and some identify themselves and others don't.
I'll do a traceroute using the
-I method to the extraordinarily
useful website factorpad.com. ;)
This should give you an indication of what's going on every time you use your smartphone, tablet or computer, packets moving around between all of these routers.
And last, let's look at the ouput. The first column is the number of hops. Next, some routers identify themselves with names, others with IP addresses, and speed metrics of course. So, other than the concept, for us know now the rest is not very meaningful.
Okay now you know how to use traceroute.
And you know the syntax for commands, options and arguments.
One last tip about the traceroute
command. So in coming videos look for us to dive into commands that
actually share names with Protocols. Ooh, suspense.
Okay, thanks for visiting today. I hope this was a helpful
introduction to the traceroute command.
For an overview of the 100 videos, the 8 quizzes, a cheat sheet, the categories and a Q&A section, visit:
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