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Diagnosing Network Paths with tracepath

The tracepath command in the ChromeOS Shell is a network diagnostic tool used to trace the path packets take to a destination host. It provides detailed information about each hop and helps identify connectivity issues.

Usage

bash tracepath [options] <destination>[/port]

Options

  • -4: Force the use of IPv4.
  • -6: Force the use of IPv6.
  • -n: Prevents the resolution of hostnames, displaying only IP addresses.

Parameters

  • <destination>: The target hostname or IP address to trace.
  • [port] (optional): Specify a port to trace the route to.

Examples

1. Trace the Path to a Host

bash tracepath example.com

This traces the network route to example.com and provides details of each hop along the way.

2. Force IPv6 Path Tracing

bash tracepath -6 example.com

This forces the use of IPv6 to trace the route to example.com.

3. Trace Path Without Hostname Resolution

bash tracepath -n example.com

This skips hostname resolution, displaying only the IP addresses of each hop.

Additional Information

  • Purpose: Similar to traceroute, tracepath is used for identifying the route taken by packets and pinpointing network bottlenecks or failures.
  • No Root Privileges Needed: Unlike traceroute, tracepath does not require elevated privileges to run.
  • Network Diagnostic: The command can reveal latency and routing issues across the network path.

Best Practices

  1. Specify the Protocol

  2. Use -4 or -6 to isolate issues with IPv4 or IPv6 connectivity.

  3. Use with Other Tools

  4. Combine tracepath with commands like ping or arc http for comprehensive network diagnostics.

  5. Document Results

  6. Save output from tracepath for further analysis or to share with network administrators.

The tracepath command is an essential utility for diagnosing network paths, providing clear insights into the behavior of your network.