Windows Commands / IT Support Guides
Trace a Windows network path with tracert
An application may fail only across a particular office link or VPN. A route trace can show where responding routers change along the path.
Environment and inputs: Windows 11 · Command Prompt unless PowerShell is specified
Try the diagnostic command
Use the stated shell and platform. Replace sample domains, addresses, services and paths with values from the system you are authorized to support.
tracert -d example.comHow to read the result
Each line is a hop that responded to an expiring probe. The -d option avoids reverse DNS lookups. Asterisks mean that no reply arrived for that probe, not necessarily that traffic stopped there.
What to do next
Compare traces from affected and working networks at the same time. Include the destination, VPN state and final application test when escalating to the network team.
Before you make a change
Routers can rate-limit probes and return traffic can take another path. Do not attribute an outage to a single silent intermediate hop.