What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Open Terminal and run traceroute example.com, replacing example.com with the hostname or IP address you want to test. Press Return to see the responding network hops between your Mac and that destination. Press Control-C to stop a trace that is taking too long.
Traceroute is built into macOS; you do not need to install Xcode or Apple’s Command Line Tools. For the basic procedure, Apple’s Terminal guide explains how to open and use Terminal.
What traceroute can tell you
Traceroute gives you a snapshot of the network devices, or hops, that respond as traffic travels from your Mac toward a destination. It reports round-trip probe times, usually in milliseconds. That can help show whether a connection appears to get beyond your local network and where a route’s behavior changes.
The command works by sending probes with progressively larger time-to-live (TTL) values. When a probe’s TTL expires at an intermediate gateway, that gateway may send an ICMP “time exceeded” response. The result is a list of responding hops, not a guaranteed inventory of every router. The route is observed from your Mac at that moment; it does not necessarily show the path taken by replies coming back. See the macOS traceroute manual for command behavior and options.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11#1 Best Overall
- Full HD Portable Monitor - MNN 15.6inch portable laptop monitor with 1920*1080 resolution, advanced IPS glossy screen support 178° full viewing angle, it renders accurate and bright color, draws you into the video or game with lifelike colors and amazing detail.It can effectively reduce blue light radiation damage, no flickering, eye-care, and make it easier to watch for a long time.A second monitor for working from home.
- Double Type-C Port -For Plug & Play, the MNN monitor provides 2 Full Feature Type-C ports. Only One USB Type-C Cable is required to connect to the power supply & display signal transmission. NOTE: Your device should support thunderbolt 3.0 or USB 3.1 Type C DP ALT-MODE.which supports multiple connect ways to your laptops, PC, Phones, Macbooks, PS5/PS4, Xbox, and Switch.
- Lightweight Ultra Slim for Travel - As a portable external monitor,MNN portable laptop monitor easily accommodate to every suitcase and backpack and stress-free when you are holding it for a long time. They are truly portable computer monitors for travelers, students, gamers,engineers, and everyone.
- Give consideration to work and games - through multiple display modes [Copy Mode/Extended Mode/Second Screen Mode/Portrait Mode], we can bring you a clear second screen in the meeting, and expand the screen anytime and anywhere to improve work efficiency and improve the quality of life. Adjusting to HDR mode can upgrade the image to a new level, providing you with brighter highlights,deeper and more realistic colors, more realistic images, and amazing viewing/gaming experience.
- Powerful Smart Cover - MNN portable external monitor can work in both landscape and portrait mode, can be used as a gaming monitor, screen extender for laptop or phone. Comes with a scratch-proof smart cover made of durable PU leather exterior, doubles as a stand, provides comprehensive protection for this portable computer monitor.
Traceroute is not a speed test: it does not measure download or upload throughput. Nor does one slow-looking hop prove that a particular router is faulty. The pattern across later hops and the destination is usually more informative than one intermediate response.
Run a basic traceroute in Terminal
- Open Terminal with Command-Space, type Terminal, and press Return. Alternatively, open Finder → Applications → Utilities → Terminal.
- Type
traceroute example.com. Replaceexample.comwith the hostname or IP address you want to investigate. For example, you could usetraceroute apple.comortraceroute 1.1.1.1. - Press Return and wait for the results. To interrupt the running command, press Control-C.
A hostname test includes name resolution as well as routing. Testing an IP address avoids looking up that destination name, but websites may use multiple addresses, content delivery networks, or regional servers. The address selected for a hostname can also change between runs.
If you want to check basic reachability as well, you can run ping -c 4 example.com followed by traceroute example.com. The ping command sends four ICMP echo requests; it is a separate check, not a prerequisite for traceroute. A destination may ignore ping or traceroute probes while its website or other service remains reachable.
Read the hop-by-hop output
This is an illustrative example, not a live trace. The documentation-style addresses below are used for examples and do not represent a tested route:
Rank #2
- [ FHD 1080P PORTABLE MONITOR ]: KYY using a 15.6''(8.8"x14.2") advanced IPS screen with 178° wide viewing angle, Delivers 1920*1080 breathtaking viewing quality and HDR technology, KYY portable gaming monitor has excellent color rendering ability, provide you the clearer, smooth, excellent performance in gaming/multimedia. It can effectively reduce blue light radiation damage, no flickering, eye-care, and make it easier to watch for a long time
- [ WIDE COMPATIBILITY ]: KYY portable monitor for laptop equipped with 2 Full Function Type-C ports and Mini-HDMI port, easy access to your favorite devices with 1 cable solution as long as your device support Thunderbolt 3 or 3.1 USB-Type-C, compatible with most laptop, smartphone, PC, PS4, XBOX and more.
- [ ULTRA-SLIM PORTABLE DISPLAY ]: KYY USB C portable monitor features a 0.3inch ultra-slim profile(1.7lb), it is easy to slides into your bag, allows you to carry it everywhere, ideal for a simple on-the-go dual-monitor setup or extend your phone screen for movies or games. No driver needed and equipped with 3.5mm audio inputs and 2 built-in stereo speakers to enhance entertainment experience
- [ DURABLE SMART COVER ]: Comes with a scratch-proof smart cover made of durable PU leather exterior, doubles as a stand, provides comprehensive protection and frameless magnetic design for this portable computer monitor. There are two grooves in the cover base to give at least some choice of viewing angle for your comfort for less cumbersome installation
- [ LIGHTWEIGHT BUT POWERFUL ]: KYY portable external monitor can work in both landscape and portrait mode, can be used as a gaming monitor, screen extender for laptop or phone. It has a unique designed Premium gray metal appearance, 2 built-in speakers to play audio, a friendly menu control wheel for setting, and 24/7 professional support team
traceroute to example.com (203.0.113.10), 64 hops max, 52 byte packets
1 192.168.1.1 2.114 ms 1.632 ms 1.548 ms
2 10.20.0.1 8.731 ms 8.102 ms 8.445 ms
3 198.51.100.1 14.220 ms 13.970 ms 14.101 ms
...- Hop number: The number at the left indicates how many network hops away the responding device is.
- Name and address: The responding device may appear as a hostname and an IP address. A hostname can be absent if reverse DNS does not resolve; numeric output also omits names.
- Probe times: The times on a line are separate round-trip measurements for probes at that hop, in milliseconds. They are not a single definitive latency value.
- Private addresses: Addresses in
192.168.x.x,10.x.x.x, or172.16.x.xthrough172.31.x.xcommonly belong to a local network or provider-internal infrastructure.
Repeated or apparently different addresses can occur because networks use multiple interfaces or load balancing, or because different routers answer different probes. Routes can vary across runs and destinations, so treat a trace as a snapshot rather than a fixed map.
Interpret asterisks and high times carefully
An asterisk means that a probe did not receive a usable response before the command’s timeout. A router or firewall may filter diagnostic probes, a device may be configured not to answer, responses may be rate-limited, or the return response may not get back to your Mac. Networks can also handle traceroute traffic differently from normal application traffic.
8 * * *
9 203.0.113.20 40 ms 39 ms 41 msIn this example, hop 8 did not answer, but hop 9 did. That is evidence that the trace continued; the asterisks do not by themselves mean packets stop at hop 8. Even if every later hop is silent, the trace alone cannot establish that the last visible router is where a fault lies.
Likewise, an intermediate hop may report a high time because its router delays or deprioritizes replies to diagnostic probes while continuing to forward ordinary traffic. If later hops return to lower times, the high reading at that hop is weak evidence of a forwarding problem. A persistent increase that remains through subsequent hops, including the destination when it responds, is more significant. One trace still cannot establish the cause of a problem.
Rank #3
- CRISP CLARITY: This 23.8″ Philips V line monitor delivers crisp Full HD 1920x1080 visuals. Enjoy movies, shows and videos with remarkable detail
- INCREDIBLE CONTRAST: The VA panel produces brighter whites and deeper blacks. You get true-to-life images and more gradients with 16.7 million colors
- THE PERFECT VIEW: The 178/178 degree extra wide viewing angle prevents the shifting of colors when viewed from an offset angle, so you always get consistent colors
- WORK SEAMLESSLY: This sleek monitor is virtually bezel-free on three sides, so the screen looks even bigger for the viewer. This minimalistic design also allows for seamless multi-monitor setups that enhance your workflow and boost productivity
- A BETTER READING EXPERIENCE: For busy office workers, EasyRead mode provides a more paper-like experience for when viewing lengthy documents
Useful command variations
Show numeric addresses
Run traceroute -n example.com to suppress reverse-DNS hostname lookups and show numeric addresses. This can make output easier to compare or avoid delays when name lookups are slow. It changes lookup and display behavior, not the underlying route.
Test a specific IP address
Run traceroute 1.1.1.1 or substitute the address you need to test. An IP-address test can help separate destination-name lookup from the route to that particular address. It does not necessarily test the same server that a hostname would select.
Trace an IPv6 destination
For IPv6, use traceroute6 example.com or supply an IPv6 address. The IPv6 utility uses the hop-limit field and ICMPv6 time-exceeded responses; see the macOS traceroute6 manual. A hostname may have both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, and the two utilities can show different paths. Success with IPv4 does not demonstrate that IPv6 is working, or vice versa.
Try another probe type only if needed
If ordinary traceroute gets no useful responses, an advanced user may try a different probe type, such as ICMP or TCP, where the installed macOS implementation supports it. For example, some versions may accept commands like traceroute -I example.com or traceroute -P TCP -p 443 example.com. Options, accepted values, and behavior can differ by macOS version, so check man traceroute on your Mac before using these examples. A TCP probe may help test a path under different filtering conditions, but it is not interchangeable with the default trace or guaranteed to succeed.
Rank #4
- Portable Monitor for Laptops: Cocopar laptop screen extender is the ideal portable monitor for Macbook, Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, Lenovo Laptop, HP Laptop, Dell Laptop, ASUS Laptop, etc. This second monitor for laptop supports Extend and Mirror Mode, bringing you efficiency for meetings, work from home, and presentations
- Plug and Play USB-C Monitor: Cocopar portable laptop monitor provides 2 Full-featured USB-C ports and a HDMI port, is compatible with most laptops, PC, PS4, and Xbox. Only One single USB-C Cable is required for both power supply and display and supports power pass-through reverse charging. NOTE: Your device should support thunderbolt 3.0/4.0 or USB 3.1 Type C DP ALT-MODE
- FHD Portable Monitor VESA Mountable: Featuring a 1080P resolution, 60 HZ, 85% color gamut, 178° FULL viewing angle, HDR, and Low Blue Light Super Clear IPS A-grade screen, this Cocopar 15.6 inch portable screen for laptop with two VESA holes can be easily and stably mounted on a stand for landscape and vertical mode for high productivity
- Portable and Light Weight: Cocopar travel monitor for laptop is the ideal companion for all your business trips and home office. Measures only 4mm (0.2 inches) at the slimmest point and 1.5 lb without the magnetic cover (2.4 lb with cover). Coming with a Smart Stand Case, this travel monitor is well-protected and flexible to use anywhere you need a second screen for laptop
- Your Go-To Screen Anywhere: Perfect for remote work, business trips, virtual meetings, gaming, and content creation. Cocopar delivers flexible dual-screen convenience wherever you are.
Troubleshoot a failed or misleading trace
Use the comparisons below to narrow down what to test next; traceroute is one clue, not a standalone diagnosis.
- The hostname trace pauses or shows lookup-related delays: Try
traceroute -n example.com, then test a known or support-provided IP address. A hostname can resolve to different addresses at different times. - The destination shows asterisks but its service works: The destination or a network on the route may suppress traceroute responses. A failed trace does not prove that HTTPS, SSH, or another application protocol is unavailable.
- You see high times or asterisks on an intermediate hop: Look at the later hops and destination before drawing a conclusion. A single hop may delay diagnostic replies without delaying forwarded traffic.
- The first hop looks unusual: Repeat the test near the router and, if possible, over Ethernet as well as Wi-Fi. Pause heavy network use and compare at multiple times. A first-hop change can suggest a local-network issue, but traceroute alone cannot diagnose Wi-Fi interference or prove the router is at fault.
- You are using a VPN: Compare traces with the VPN connected and disconnected only if appropriate for your privacy and workplace rules. A trace may show the VPN gateway while hiding the route beyond it; the VPN may also change DNS resolution or the destination address. Different traces do not, by themselves, establish that your ISP is responsible.
- IPv4 works but IPv6 does not, or the reverse: Compare
traceroute example.comwithtraceroute6 example.com. The difference can point to an address-family-specific routing, filtering, or configuration issue. - The problem comes and goes: Repeat traces while the symptom occurs and record the time. One run is only a snapshot; a repeating monitor is better suited to seeing intermittent latency or loss.
Choose a tool that matches the question
| What you need to find out | Tool to consider |
|---|---|
| See a route once | traceroute |
| Check reachability and basic response time | ping |
| Observe hop latency and loss repeatedly over time | mtr, which combines traceroute-style discovery with ping-style monitoring |
| Capture packets for low-level investigation | tcpdump or Wireshark |
| Inspect browser-level requests | Safari Web Inspector |
| Use a visual interface or historical monitor | A reputable third-party network diagnostic app |
Apple’s network debugging tool guide explains how different tools serve different diagnostic needs. For a graphical traceroute or ongoing monitoring, optional apps include PingPlotter and NetUtil. PingPlotter’s macOS download page describes its current offering; NetUtil’s site states its macOS compatibility. Check each vendor’s current features and system requirements before installing. These are alternatives for users who want visualization or monitoring, not more authoritative routes than the built-in command. Apple notes that its third-party network-debugging tool listings are not endorsements.
Save a trace and share it safely
To display a trace while saving a copy to your Desktop, run:
traceroute example.com | tee ~/Desktop/traceroute-example.txtFor numeric output saved to a file without displaying it in Terminal, use:
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Best Value
- [Portable Monitor Laptop] InnoView laptop screen extender is no need of app and drivers! 15.6 in is a more suitable size for traveling or remote work. Suitable for traveler, student, gamer, engineer, and white-collar worker to connect HP laptop, Lenovo laptop, Dell laptop, Asus laptop, Macbook, iPhone, game console, tablet, PS, Xbox, etc. The laptop screen can expand the viewing area and be more efficient when playing games, working, meeting and studying
- [Plug and Play] The travel monitor for laptop provides 2 full-function Type-C ports and 1 HDMI port to connect most devices. Only one USB-C cable is needed to connect the external display to computer, and it supports power pass-through reverse charging. Note: Your device should support Thunderbolt 3.0/4.0 or USB 3.1 Type-C DP ALT-MODE. If not, you can connect via HDMI and power cable(NOT INCLUDE IN THE PACKAGE)
- [IPS FHD USB C Monitor] 15.6 inch portable screen with a resolution of 1920*1080P, made of A+ IPS screen, supports 178° full viewing angle, can present accurate and vivid colors. Combined with HDR, images and videos present realistic colors and amazing details. Low blue light can effectively reduce blue light radiation damage, no flicker, eye protection, making it easier for you to work and perform multiple tasks at the same time
- [Versatile Cover and Stand] Equipped with a scratch-resistant smart protective cover made of durable PU leather, it can also be used as a stand when working. Two grooves are used to adjust the angle and fix the external monitor. It can also provide all-round protection for the 1080p monitor when going out or traveling, suitable for putting in a backpack to avoid squeezing. Optional landscape and portrait modes, save more desktop space
- [Worry-free Purchase] Since the output power of each device is different, the screen may flicker or restart. You can power the laptop monitor to solve it. Provide a 30-day return policy and 18-month warranty (excluding external force damage). If you have any concerns, please let us know (displayed on the back of the monitor)
traceroute -n example.com > ~/Desktop/traceroute-example.txtWhen sending results to an ISP, hosting provider, VPN provider, or IT team, include the exact destination, the date and approximate time, whether you were on Wi-Fi, Ethernet, a hotspot, or a VPN, whether the trace used IPv4 or IPv6, and the symptom observed at the same time. Review the output before posting it publicly: it can expose private IP addresses, hostnames, provider or organization names, approximate network geography, and the destination you investigated.
When deeper packet evidence is needed
Traceroute shows probe responses; it does not capture the contents or full flow of network traffic. For a complex investigation where support or an administrator requests low-level evidence, Apple documents identifying network interfaces and recording packet traces. This is an advanced step, not a requirement for ordinary traceroute use.
- Run
networksetup -listallhardwareportsto list network hardware ports and associated device names. - With support guidance, start a capture using
sudo tcpdump -i INTERFACE -n -w ~/Desktop/trace.pcap, replacingINTERFACEwith the active device name. - Reproduce the issue, then press Control-C to stop the capture. Handle the resulting file carefully because packet captures can contain sensitive information.
Apple’s instructions cover recording a packet trace and submitting one to Apple. If a local command’s options are unclear, open its manual with man traceroute or man traceroute6; press Space to move through the page and q to quit. Apple explains this in its guide to reading UNIX manual pages.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors
