Traceroute is a popular network troubleshooting tool that will trace the route of a package as it moves from one computer to another.
This is a useful tool that not only tests connectivity, but also the path through which data packets travel, and through it, the possible issues that could affect this path such as delays and losses.
This is an old tool that was released way back in 1987.
It was first introduced in Unix systems and has since then been adapted to work well on other operating systems too such as Linux, OS X and Windows.
Though traceroute is a widely used tool, it is also highly limited in what it can do from a troubleshooting perspective.
For example, this tool will show the path from source to destination, and not the path back.
This obviously doesn’t give a complete picture, especially when there are problems in the return path.
Also, the results tend to be inaccurate when destinations are load-balanced on many servers.
To overcome these limitations, many developers have come up with alternative for traceroute, so administrators like you can get more out of it.
Here’s the Top Traceroute Alternatives:
Below is a list of some of the Best Traceroute alternatives available today online – including both free & paid download
- Traceroute NG
- Open Visual Traceroute
- MTR (My Traceroute)
- Monitis Online Visual Traceroute Tool
- G Suite. Tools
Let’s now take a detailed look into each of these alternatives to Traceroute.
Methodology for selecting the Best TraceRoute Alternatives
Let us look at different criteria that one must consider when selecting the Best TraceRoute Alternatives:
- Check if it supports automated testing of network connections
- Can a user save query results for analysis and later discussions
- Can you run an analysis for both network and internet connections?
- Does it have the ability to create a visual representation of connection performance?
- Does it support recursive scanning?
- Can you test for packet loss or latency?
- Check if it is compatible with the network infrastructure.
- Check if a free trial or any free assessment is available for the tool.
1. Traceroute NG – FREE TOOL
Traceroute NG comes from SolarWinds and it helps to perform an accurate analysis of the network path.
Features
The key features of Traceroute NG are:
- Identifies IP addresses and host names
- Gives detailed information about packet loss
- Detects changes in path and sends notifications
- Allows continuous probing
- Offers TCP and ICMP network path analysis
- Creates a log file in text format for reference
- Supports IPv4 and IPv6.
- Identifies latency issues during packet transmission
Pros:
- Helps analyze the network path with precision
- Generates in-depth insights related to packet loss
- Supports continuous probing
- Users can create a text log file for reference
- Instantly notifies administrators on detecting path changes
Cons:
- Limited compatibility with certain hardware and software platforms
- Lack of detailed documentation
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Traceroute NG is an editor’s choice for it is a powerful tool that allows users to analyze the performance of their networks using its intuitive graphical user interface quickly and accurately. With Traceroute NG, users can identify potential routing problems, measure latency and packet loss, and monitor bandwidth utilization.
Additionally, Traceroute NG provides detailed reports on network performance, allowing users to make informed decisions about their network infrastructure. Traceroute NG helps users save time by providing automated analysis of large datasets with minimal effort. As such, it is an essential tool for any network administrator or IT professional looking to optimize their networks’ performance. It is easy to operate and a good option for network analysis
Download: Download 100% FREE Tool
Official Site: https://www.solarwinds.com/free-tools/traceroute-ng/registration
OS: Windows Server
2. Open Visual Traceroute
Open Visual Traceroute is a cross-platform tool that also acts as a packet sniffer and Whois tool.
Features
The salient features of Open Visual Traceroute are:
- Displays data in a 3D or 2D map format.
- Shows the path that a packet takes to reach from source to destination.
- Analyzes packets to understand the contents that are sent from one computer to another. This feature is particularly useful for identifying security loopholes.
- Comes with a “whois” feature using which you get public information about a domain.
- Data can be exported to an image or text.
- Also, provides Gantt view
Pros:
- Displays network routes and hops in maps and graphical form for easy understanding
- Works great with Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems
- It can be used with 2D maps, which use fewer resources
- Uses network packet sniffer for data identification
- Easy to use and supports exporting data to an image or text
Cons:
- Does not have the ability to perform long-term monitoring
- Offers fewer features than basic traceroute
Pricing: Open source and free to use.
Download: You can download Open Visual Traceroute from https://sourceforge.net/projects/openvisualtrace/files/latest/download
3. MTR (My Traceroute)
MTR (My Traceroute) was originally developed by Matt Kimball in 1997 and this is why it was initially called Matt’s Traceroute. This tool was taken over byRoger Wolffe in 1998 and he changed the name to My Traceroute.
Features
The features of MTR are:
- Works well in UNIX and UNIX-like operating systems.
- Probes routers on the route path by limiting the number of hops a packet can make as it goes from source to destination. Keeps track of the response time of hops to identify problems.
- Probes continuously, about once every second.
- Works well in a text console and a GTK+ based graphical user interface.
- Relies primarily on ICMP, but also has a UDP mode.
- Provides information such as list of routers traversed by a packet, average round-trip time and packet loss.
- Helps to identify network overuse problems.
- Licensed under GPL
Pros:
- It performs well on UNIX and similar operating systems
- Users can monitor the response time of hops and discover issues faster
- Performs well with graphical user interfaces that are GTK+ based
- Updates administrators about routers list traversed by a packet as well as packet loss
- Aids in locating issues with network overuse
Cons:
- Potential for inaccurate results
- MTR can be used to track user activity and location which raises privacy concerns for users
Pricing: 100% free
Download: You can download MTR from https://github.com/traviscross/mtr
There is a slight variation to this tool called WinMTR. This tool is designed for Windows and follows the same working mechanism of MTR.
4. Monitis Online Visual Traceroute tool
Online Visual traceroute tool from Monitis is a simple online tool that allows you to trace the route of your packets and in the process, helps to identify network issues.
Features
The features of Monitis Online Visual Traceroute tool are:
- Simple and easy-to-use interface.
- Available online, so there is no download or installation. You can get the information you want within minutes.
- You can perform a traceroute test from around the world right from your browser.
- Diagnoses network connectivity problems.
- Identifies routers that experience high latency.
- Available on all devices, including mobile ones.
- Monitors users, websites, applications and more.
- Comes with API
- Supports standard web protocols
- Gives detailed reports based on preset and custom data ranges.
Pros:
- Helps trace packets routes and discover network issues
- It has an easy-to-use interface and supports API
- Allows running traceroute test directly from your browser from any location
- Helps identify issues related to network connectivity
- Generates insightful reports using pre-defined and custom data ranges
Cons:
- Offers limited accuracy
- It can be difficult to interpret the results, as they are often presented in a complex way
Pricing: Free to use.
Download: No download. Visit https://www.monitis.com/traceroute/ to monitor.
5. Gsuite Tools Traceroute
Gsuite.Tools traceroute is an online tool that measures the time taken for a packet to do a return trip from host to destination.
Features
You have the following features in Gusite.Tools.
- Sends 1 to 30 packets to the target, incrementing the time-to-live (TTL) for each ping.
- Measures the response time of each node within the path of an IP packet.
- Available online, so no need for downloads
- Gives the hostname associated with each hop, whenever possible.
- Has a color-coded schema to help you better understand the path
- Relies heavily on ICMP protocol
Pros:
- Evaluates the speed of each node along an IP packet’s path
- Users can transfer up to 1 to 30 packets to the target using G Suite. Tools
- Uses the ICMP protocol extensively
- No downloads are required because it is online-only
- For understanding the path, you can use color-coded schema
Cons:
- Does not allow users to use their own email addresses, for example, name@gsuite.com
- Compatibility issues with external servers
Pricing: Free to use
Download: No download. Access this tool at https://gsuite.tools/traceroute
Conclusion
In short, traceroute is one of the oldest and most widely used tools for monitoring network and for identifying problems in packet transmission. The original traceroute is more than 30 years old and is highly limited in the information it can provide.
This is why many developers and companies have come up with their own traceroute alternatives, so you can get more information from the traceroute utility.
The above discussed options are free. Some of it require a download while others can be accessed online. We hope you find it useful!
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