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How to run Traceroute on MacOS

Last updated on Apr 9,2025 |

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Networking & Security, Networking, Network Testing

by wynston

Introduction

Traceroute is a network diagnostic tool used to track the path that a packet of data takes from a local machine to a destination server or IP address. It is instrumental in identifying network latency points, detecting routing loops, and understanding the path data takes through different routers. On macOS, traceroute is built-in and accessible directly from the Terminal, making it an easy tool to use for both novice and experienced users.

Traceroute works by sending packets with incrementally increasing Time-To-Live (TTL) values. Each router along the path reduces the TTL by one, and when the TTL reaches zero, the router discards the packet and returns an error message to the sender. This behavior allows traceroute to map out the path by identifying each hop along the network route.

This article provides a detailed step-by-step guide on how to run traceroute on macOS using the Terminal, interpret its output, and apply it in practical network diagnostic scenarios.

Prerequisites

A Mac running macOS 10.12 (Sierra) or later.
Access to the Terminal application (/Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app).
Internet access (if testing external destinations).
Administrative privileges are not required to use traceroute.

Step-by-step Guide

Step 1: Open Terminal

Open the Terminal application on your Mac. It can be found under:

Applications > Utilities > Terminal

Alternatively, use Spotlight Search by pressing Command + Space and typing Terminal.

Step 2: Run the Basic Traceroute Command

Use the following syntax to run a basic traceroute command:

traceroute google.com

Step 3: Understand the Output

Each line in the traceroute output corresponds to a hop (i.e., a router or gateway) along the route to the destination. A typical output line looks like:

1  192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1)  1.123 ms  1.031 ms  1.022 ms

Explanation of columns:

Hop number
Hostname (if resolvable) and IP address
Three time measurements in milliseconds (representing round-trip times)

🖊️ Tip: If a hop does not respond, it will be displayed as * * *, indicating that the packet was dropped or that the router is not configured to respond.

Step 4: Use Advanced Options (Optional)

macOS allows advanced parameters with traceroute. Examples include:

traceroute -q 5 google.com

traceroute -m 20 google.com

sudo traceroute -I google.com

⚠️ Important Note: Some networks or firewalls may block traceroute packets, causing incomplete results. This behavior is common with enterprise or secured networks.

Step 5: Stop a Running Traceroute

To stop a traceroute that is taking too long or is unresponsive, press:

Control + C

Conclusion

Traceroute is a built-in, powerful network diagnostic tool available on all versions of macOS. It provides visibility into the path and latency between the local system and remote servers. This guide outlined how to run traceroute, interpret its output, and use advanced options to customize its behavior. Traceroute helps in identifying network bottlenecks, troubleshooting slow connections, and verifying routing paths.

Should you have any inquiries about the guidelines, please feel free to open a ticket through your portal account or contact us at support@ipserverone.com. We’ll be happy to assist you further.