Network Troubleshooting Tools: Tracert and Pathping

Tracert and Pathping for Identifying Nodes between Client and Remote Host

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Question

A technician is troubleshooting network connectivity issues with a remote host.

Which of the following tools would BEST inform the technician of nodes between the client and the remote host? (Choose two.)

A.

tracert B.

ping C.

tcpdump D.

pathping E.

netstat F.

nslookup G.

route.

AD.

Explanations

A technician is troubleshooting network connectivity issues with a remote host.

Which of the following tools would BEST inform the technician of nodes between the client and the remote host? (Choose two.)

A.

tracert

B.

ping

C.

tcpdump

D.

pathping

E.

netstat

F.

nslookup

G.

route.

AD.

The two tools that would BEST inform the technician of nodes between the client and the remote host are tracert and pathping.

  1. Tracert (also known as traceroute): This tool is used to trace the path that packets take from the source to the destination host. It works by sending packets with increasing Time-To-Live (TTL) values and recording the IP addresses of the routers that forward the packets. By doing this, it is possible to determine the path that the packets take and the nodes between the client and the remote host. Tracert is available on both Windows and Unix-like operating systems.

  2. Pathping: This is a network utility that combines the functionality of ping and tracert. It sends packets to the destination host and records the time it takes for each hop along the way. It also performs traceroute-like functionality by sending packets with increasing TTL values. However, unlike tracert, it also provides information about packet loss at each hop. This can be useful in determining where network issues are occurring. Pathping is only available on Windows operating systems.

Ping, tcpdump, netstat, nslookup, and route are all useful network tools, but they do not provide the same level of information about the nodes between the client and the remote host as tracert and pathping.

  • Ping: This tool is used to test the connectivity between two hosts by sending ICMP echo requests and waiting for ICMP echo replies. It can be useful in determining if a host is reachable, but it does not provide information about the path that the packets take.

  • Tcpdump: This tool is a packet sniffer that captures and displays network traffic in real-time. It can be useful in troubleshooting network issues, but it does not provide information about the nodes between the client and the remote host.

  • Netstat: This tool displays network statistics and information about active network connections. It can be useful in troubleshooting network issues, but it does not provide information about the nodes between the client and the remote host.

  • Nslookup: This tool is used to query DNS servers for information about domain names and IP addresses. It can be useful in determining if DNS resolution is working correctly, but it does not provide information about the nodes between the client and the remote host.

  • Route: This tool displays the routing table of a host. It can be useful in determining how packets are being routed on a network, but it does not provide information about the nodes between the client and the remote host.