How to Use the Traceroute Command

Traceroute utility checks how many "hops" (transfers through other computers on a network) it takes for your computer to contact another computer. It is a computer network tool used to determine the route taken by packets across an IP network.

In Windows, select Start > Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt. This will give you a window like the one below.

Enter the word tracert, followed by a space, then the domain name.

• First Column - hop count (number of stops of your information has made along the route to the other computer)
• Example: 1
• Next 3 columns - each hop is tested 3 times. These are the responses from the router.
• Example: 1ms     1ms     1ms
• Last Column - domain name that responded the request
• Example: 192.168.1.1

You can also right the output directly to the file: 

tracert yahoo.com > tracert-yahoo.txt