mtr
Networking
Usage
mtr -rwc <count> <host>Merges traceroute and ping into one continuously updated table, the right tool for intermittent packet loss; loss shown at a middle hop is usually just that router rate-limiting its replies, and only loss that continues to the final hop is real.
Common flags
| Flag | Meaning |
|---|---|
| -r | Report mode: run, print a table and exit. Made for pasting into a ticket. |
| -c 100 | How many cycles to run before reporting. |
| -w | Wide report so long host names are not cut off. |
| -n | No reverse DNS. |
| -T -P 443 | Probe with TCP to a real port instead of ICMP. |
| -b | Show both the host name and the address. |
Examples
mtr -rwc 100 8.8.8.8A hundred cycles summarised, the report to attach to a complaint.
sudo mtr -T -P 443 example.comTrace with TCP when ICMP is filtered.
When a connection fails, these narrow down how far it got — name not resolving, no route, or a blocked port.
How to read this
- Square brackets [ ] mark a part you may leave out.
- An ellipsis … means you can list more than one.
- Flags are case-sensitive — in some commands -r and -R do different things.
Questions
Q. What does mtr do?
Merges traceroute and ping into one continuously updated table, the right tool for intermittent packet loss; loss shown at a middle hop is usually just that router rate-limiting its replies, and only loss that continues to the final hop is real.
Q. How do I type it?
mtr -rwc <count> <host> — square brackets mark the parts you can leave out.
Q. How many flags are worth knowing?
6 are listed here; the full set is in man mtr. This command sits under Networking.
Related commands
man page: man mtr