Traceroute is a (typically
Unix)
TCP/IP utility which allows the user to determine the route packets are taking to a particular host. Traceroute works by increasing the "
time to live" value of packets and seeing how far they get, until they reach the given destination; thus, a lengthening trail of hosts passed through is built up.
On Microsoft Windows traceoute is implemented as tracert.
This article (or an earlier version of it) contains material from FOLDOC, used with permission.