Why do some hops show '* * *' instead of a latency?

That means the router at that hop is configured not to respond to TTL-expired probes — common on backbone and carrier routers. It doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem; packets can still flow through that hop to reach the destination.

What's a normal number of hops to a website?

Typically 8–20 hops for a site on a different continent. Local destinations (same city or ISP) are often just 3–8 hops. A very high hop count or hops that appear to loop geographically can indicate routing issues.

Can I use Traceroute to test my VPN?

Yes — run a traceroute before and after connecting your VPN. After connecting, the first hops should disappear behind the VPN tunnel and your traffic should emerge from the VPN server's location rather than your home ISP.

Does this tool require any permissions?

Traceroute uses standard network calls that don't require special permissions on most devices. You just need an active internet or Wi-Fi connection to reach the target host.

Traceroute

APP

Trace the network path and hops to any host.

Best on the app

Traceroute needs your phone's hardware

Traceroute needs native ICMP / network access. Download Carbide free to use it — plus all 111 tools, fully offline.

SCAN TO INSTALL

What it does

Traceroute maps every network hop between your device and any destination host — revealing the routers, data centres, and ISP nodes your traffic passes through. Enter a hostname or IP address and Carbide sends probes with incrementing TTL values, collecting each hop's IP, resolved hostname where available, and round-trip latency. You can instantly spot where latency spikes, where packets are being dropped, and which network segment is the bottleneck. It's an essential tool for diagnosing slow connections, confirming VPN routing, or simply satisfying curiosity about how traffic reaches a server on the other side of the world. Completely free, fully offline after the probe itself, no account needed, and all results stay on your device.

How to use the Traceroute

Open Traceroute from the Networking category.
Type a hostname (e.g. google.com) or IP address into the destination field.
Tap Start — hops appear one by one as each TTL stage completes.
Review each hop's IP, hostname, and latency to find where slowdowns occur.
Tap any hop row to copy its details or look up its IP info.

Frequently asked questions

Why do some hops show '* * *' instead of a latency?: That means the router at that hop is configured not to respond to TTL-expired probes — common on backbone and carrier routers. It doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem; packets can still flow through that hop to reach the destination.
What's a normal number of hops to a website?: Typically 8–20 hops for a site on a different continent. Local destinations (same city or ISP) are often just 3–8 hops. A very high hop count or hops that appear to loop geographically can indicate routing issues.
Can I use Traceroute to test my VPN?: Yes — run a traceroute before and after connecting your VPN. After connecting, the first hops should disappear behind the VPN tunnel and your traffic should emerge from the VPN server's location rather than your home ISP.
Does this tool require any permissions?: Traceroute uses standard network calls that don't require special permissions on most devices. You just need an active internet or Wi-Fi connection to reach the target host.

Take Carbide everywhere

All 111 tools, offline, on iOS & Android — free.