Provider asks you for a "traceroute" or "tracert" to a server
Sounds technical but you can do it in a minute. It helps show whether the issue is with you, your provider, or further out.
Try this first
- 1Windows: open command prompt and run "tracert name-or-ip.com". macOS/Linux: "traceroute name-or-ip.com".
- 2Wait for the list to finish (can take 30 seconds). Take a screenshot of the result.
- 3Read line by line: the first is your router, the second your provider, then further. The line where it goes wrong often shows asterisks (***) or timeouts.
- 4Send the full output to whoever asked. Not just the last line; the whole picture matters.
When to bring us in
For repeated outages a single traceroute is not enough; we measure continuously and pinpoint the failing hop.
See also
- Wi-Fi drops randomly across the officeFirst rule out whether it is the access points or the internet connection itself. Different fix.
- One room or corner has no or bad Wi-FiNot always "add another AP"; often one is poorly positioned, or there is a metal wall in the way.
- Internet is suddenly slow for everyoneThree suspects: your provider, a colleague soaking the line, or a backup or update kicking in unexpectedly.
None of the above fits?
Describe your situation below. We pass your input plus the steps you already saw to our AI and return tailored next-step advice. If it's too risky to DIY, we'll say so.
Or skip the DIY entirely
Our Managed IT clients do not look these things up. One point of contact, a fixed monthly price, resolved within working hours.