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Tracert?

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EvertonFC

EvertonFC

Technical User
Nov 24, 2004
107
GB
Hello

I have recently paid for a domain name and the hosting service is asking me to open a DOS shell and typing a tracert command.

I know I am on a Web design forum and that this post may not be appropriate, but I wasn't sure where else to post it.

I would be grateful for any advice as to what the tracert is and how I go about it.

Many thanks.

EvertonFC
 
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Tracert will trace the route that data takes between you and the address you enter.

Open a DOS prompt by going to Start -> Accessories -> Command Prompt

Type tracert and the IP address or domain name you want to trace


Of course if you aren't using Windows then you will have to do it differently!

Foamcow Heavy Industries - Web design and ranting
Buy Languedoc wines in the UK
 
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tracert (or Trace Route) shows you the steps / hops taken to a particular destination on the internet. For example, typing:

Code: 
tracert www.tek-tips.com

will show you how your PC accesses the TT site.

Hope this helps,
Dan

[tt]Dan's Page [blue]@[/blue] Code Couch
[/tt]
 
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open a Command Prompt/DOS window from windows. You will probably find this under Programs >> Accessories

at the prompt simply type the following:

tracert www.yourdomainname.com

This will display info on screen about how your computer connects to that domain name. It will include the IP addresses of all the devices between your computer and the web server. If there is a problem with your connection to the domain name then it can highlight where that problem is occuring.

You can save these details to a text file by using this instead:

tracert -> c:\myfile.txt


Tony
 
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Very many thanks to you all!

Not sure what use the hosting service has in tracing the route of the data between myMachine and since I could do a tracert from a cafe, couldn't I?

Anyway, very grateful to you all.

EvertonFC
 
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When I bought the domain I was asked for my hosting service's DNS details. As part of the set-up procedure they have simply asked me to do a tracert.

Thanks again
 
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Probably just to verify connection back to them.



Hope This Helps!

ECAR
ECAR Technologies

"My work is a game, a very serious game." - M.C. Escher
 
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The only reason a hosting company would really need to ask you to run a traceroute is to try and work out the cause of network problems. Tracert will show the hops between your machine and the host's server and it can point out potential latency issues or router problems.

It isn't as simple as this though because a tracert/ping can show problems that don't actually exist because the routers are simply not configured to respond to the requests or they treat them with lower priority.

If they simply want to make sure that your machine is resolving your domain to their servers, ping would be a better option because they you would only need to look for the IP address rather than being confused by a lot of output that means nothing to you.

Hope this helps

Wullie

Fresh Look - Quality Coldfusion 7/Windows Hosting

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails. - John Maxwell
 
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