The Best TraceRoute Alternatives/Replacement Tools for Connectivity & Network Hop Analysis

Being able to measure the time between hops of your network is really important, especially if you are responsible for ensuring uptime and network performance as part of your daily system admin roles.

Here is our list of the best TraceRoute alternatives:

1. Site24x7 – EDITOR’S CHOICE This cloud-hosted platform of system monitoring and management tools provides three alternatives to Traceroute and one of them is free forever. Try all of the TraceRoute options without paying by getting the 30-day free trial.
2. ManageEngine OpManager – FREE TRIAL A network tool that checks the continuity of a connection from the source to the destination devices. It works well on Windows and Linux devices. Start a 30-day free trial.
3. Path Analyzer Pro This straightforward tool offers a graph of the route that shows the response time to each router. Runs on Windows and macOS.
4. VisualRoute Lite by VisualWare Free for non-business use, this graphical tool shows the route with the IP address of each router in the path plus its response times. Runs on Windows and macOS.
5. PingPlotter This popular connectivity tester has three versions for individuals that test networks and run on Windows. There is also a cloud-based version for businesses that can test the route over a network or across the internet.
6. SolarWinds TraceRoute NG This free tool can be set to run continuously across the network or to a remote location and it will spot when the standard path changes. Runs on Windows Server.
7. CountryTraceRoute Nirsoft offers a list of free tools and this is one of them. The system is just the output of the command line traceroute shown in a graphical user interface. Runs on Windows.
8. NetScanTools Basic This free utility contains a bundle of useful network testing tools, including Ping and TraceRoute. Runs on Windows.
9. HyperTrace by AnalogX This free GUI system presents a straightforward traceroute across the internet and enables results to be stored in a file. Runs on Windows.

Tracert is a command line tool that lets you measure the path that your packets are taking over the network, and can tell you how long each hop takes.

If you experience a network outage, Tracert can help you to determine how far the data packet is traveling, and at which IP address, or hop, it is failing at.

Some of these include the same commands and more on top of the basic list of them, along with some cool mapping features and more!

The Best TraceRoute Alternatives

With these selection criteria in mind, we looked for a range of systems from highly complex network and cloud monitoring systems to simple visual equivalents of a quick TraceRoute run.

1. Site24x7 – FREE TRIAL

Site24x7 is a cloud-based platform of system monitoring and management tools. The brand provides three different Traceroute functions and one of them can be accessed directly for free. That free system is the Traceroute to your domain facility. You don’t need to sign up or log in to use the tool but it shows the results of a path trace in the site and anyone else can access the trace. The system lets you run a test from one of a long list of locations around the world.

Why do we recommend it?

Site24x7 is a large package of tools and it includes methods to troubleshoot your digital assets as well as automated monitoring and management systems. The Traceroute functions are comprehensive and provide great graphics that ease the task of understanding how connections are made across your network and across the internet.

The paid section of the Site24x7 system offers two Traceroute utilities. The first of these is based on a well-known package called My Traceroute, or MTR. A screenshot from this utility is shown at the top of this Site24x7 review. That unit shows a great map with illustrations of the actual path and the best path encountered recently.

The third Traceroute option in Site24x7 is part of the Website Monitoring part of the platform. This tool can be accessed through the Real User Monitoring functions of the package and it will generate a path on demand. A support technician could use this in response to a complaint by a site visitor about slow responses or a failed connection. The layout of the results illustration is almost identical to that used by the MTR-based option.

Who is it recommended for?

The entire package isn’t just about troubleshooting; most of the package provides automated monitoring tools. The Site24x7 plans are suitable for any size or type of organization. The automated processes save time for network administration technicians and that also saves money. The base packages are sized and priced for small businesses but the service is easily expandable and larger businesses pay extra for capacity expansion packs.

While the domain Traceroute test is free, the rest of the utilities on the Site24x7 platform are part of the services offered in the paid plans. You can get a 30-day free trial of the entire platform.

2. ManageEngine OpManager – FREE TRIAL

The second tool on our list is ManageEngine OpManager. This is a comprehensive network monitoring platform that comes with a traceroute tool to monitor the connectivity between devices. Specifically, it traces the transmission path to identify network latency or packet loss issues along the path. As a part of this analysis, it can also identify the faulty configurations that could result in a total packet loss.

Why do we recommend it?

Traceroute analysis is a simple operation, but when done well, it can offer tons of insights about your networks and their metrics. You can use this tool to identify the shortest and most efficient path from source to destination. Also, it helps identify network latency, packet loss, and other connectivity issues, and their root cause, so you can fix them right away.

OpManager is an advanced tool that traces every step along the path to provide accurate information at different parts of the transmission. Such detailed data can help with capacity planning and forecasting as well.

Another advantage is its comprehensive reporting capabilities. It can generate reports on metrics, performance, usage, and more. Lastly, it integrates well with most devices, making it ideal for any environment.

Who is it recommended for?

This tool is a good choice for MSPs, IT engineers, and network admins who need greater visibility into their network connectivity.

OpManager starts at $95 per year for 10 devices and two users. Start a 30-day free trial.

ManageEngine OpManager Start a 30-day FREE Trial

3. Path Analyzer Pro

Next, we have Path Analyzer Pro. This is an advanced network tool that can obviously run traceroute, but has additional functionality with its performance testing, DNS queries, whois, and network resolution.

Why do we recommend it?

Helps to investigate network issues with its advanced network route-tracing capabilities. It also offers performance tests, DNS, whois, and network resolution.

This all helps to investigate network issues and connectivity problems on the network. All of these features are rolled up into a single powerful application that makes it far easier for system admins to use.

It runs on both Windows and Mac OS, so you can map out the current state of your network, regardless of what type of environment you are trying to troubleshoot from. Other great features are things like performance improvements over traditional tracerout, with over 20 times the speed.

It has built-in report generation and a very easy-to-use interface. The charting option brings a visual component that helps with fault finding, which is great as well.

Who is it recommended for?

A good choice for network administrators who want to optimize their work environments and speed up data transfers.

Anyone wishing to try out Path Analyzer Pro can download the trial from here. Pricing starts at $29.95 for the personal version and goes up to $89.95 for the business version.

4. VisualRoute Lite

VisualRoute Lite is a free program for home users, and is intended primarily as an internet connection diagnostic. This is because it uses hops between routers on your internet connection’s path to the internet. If a particular piece of equipment, or path is giving issues, then users are able to track the new path, or point of failure via the software.

Why do we recommend it?

It provides a detailed connectivity analysis, including continuous testing, application port testing, and more. It also generates real-time and historical reports.

Even if your connection is working, but slow you can get valuable latency information from the user interface. There is both a Windows version, as well as a Mac OS version available for users, so you can use it on the device that suits you best. Other valuable info includes a route information analysis, packet loss data, DNS lookup information and response times, a visual graph, and information about alternate routes. Overall, this is a very basic application, but because it is aimed at home users it doesn’t need to have many other features other than the ones we have looked at here.

Who is it recommended for?

This tool works well for anyone who wants to analyze connectivity issues between a client and a server to better understand network issues.

VisualRoute Lite is free for home use.

5. PingPlotter

PingPlotter is another good application for network troubleshooting and route mapping for your network traffic. It helps you to detect and inspect the route and issues relating to speed with alerts and conditions, which is quite useful for Network monitoring purposes.

Why do we recommend it?

PingPlotter identifies the source of connection problems, and more importantly, helps to prove it to the concerned stakeholders. It can come in handy for network troubleshooting as well.

You can set up conditions that start logging as soon as routing issues become apparent so that you can record any deviations from normal operating procedures over your network. There are visual tools such as graphs as well, which help with visualization and understanding problems much easier.

There is a standard and pro version of this application, with the standard features focusing more on small businesses and home users, while the pro version is more geared towards larger organizations with enterprise requirements.

Who is it recommended for?

It works well for any individual who wants to identify the cause of a network problem.

The pricing is set at $39.99 for the Standard edition and $199.95 for the Professional edition.

6. SolarWinds TraceRouteNG

SolarWinds Tracert NG is a great free tool for your network that can help you with performance measuring and path changes on your network. It allows for continuous probing when troubleshooting connectivity issues, so you can monitor changes to any fault while you continue investigating a fault.

Why do we recommend it?

This tool is adept at finding network paths and measuring their performance. In the process, it can quickly identify response-time issues.

Traceroute NG is especially useful in the network path analysis segment of your network because it can easily monitor both TCP and ICMP. It stores log files in the form of TXT logfiles and can support IPV4 and IPV6, ensuring that your diagnostics are future-proof.

Overall, SolarWinds Traceroute NG is a basic tool that offers great functionality in a simple package. It does exactly what it says, and provides valuable diagnostic information in times of network issues, giving you a better understanding of where your network might have failed.

Who is it recommended for?

Ideal for network administrators who want to understand network issues like delays, dropped packets, router problems, and more.

SolarWinds Tracert NG is 100% FREE. If you think that it might be useful in your network setup, why not try downloading it here?

7. CountryTraceRoute by Nirsoft.com

CountryTraceRoute is another traceroute utility that uses a graphical user interface instead of the old-style, command line interface that many system admins are familiar with. It uses a window that shows valuable information such as the IP address of each hop, the host name, country that the IP address resides in, the time of each hop, and the total hops to the destination.

Why do we recommend it?

This tool is much faster than Tracert and also comes with a GUI. Plus, it also displays the country of the owner of every IP address.

The only thing that this app is lacking is a map overlay, but that may or may not matter to you. Perhaps the best feature of this application is the fact that it runs much faster than traditional traceroute applications, which is a big plus if you are troubleshooting in a hurry.

The next great thing about this application is the fact that it is completely free to use. This means no trials, no sign-ups, and no credit card details required.

Who is it recommended for?

CountryTraceRoute is a good choice for any individual who wants to do traceroute operations to know the route and the transit delay of packets.

CountryTraceRoute is FREE.

8. NetScanTools Basic

NetScanTools Basic is a freeware tool that runs in Windows and has compatibility with Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Server 2016, Server 2012, Server 2008, and Server 2003.

Why do we recommend it?

A suite of tools that include Ping, traceroute, whois, ping scan, DNS tools, and more. This makes it a one-stop tool for your basic network diagnostics.

It comes with additional tools as well as the traceroute application, and it allows users to perform Ping, Ping Scan, Graphical Ping, Traceroute, and Whois operations. This is handy as it all resides in a single application, and commands are easy to execute from within the application.

Again, as with many of the freeware applications, some people might not find exactly what they are looking for with this application as it lacks some of the basic functionality such as a global map. Although it does have some graphical output in the form of graphs and visual hops, it doesn’t seem to have much in the way of report generation and export. This means that this application might be more suitable for a home user than for a professional environment.

Who is it recommended for?

Ideal for network engineers or for anyone who wants to test their network connection.

NetScanTools Basic is a freeware tool.

9. HyperTrace by AnalogX

If you have ever been stuck with connectivity options but wanted to know where the break in connectivity resides, then HyperTrace can help. It performs basic Traceroute operations via an easy-to-use graphical interface.

Why do we recommend it?

Displays the route taken by packets as they move from one machine to another on the Internet. Its GUI is highly helpful to trace the packets.

It allows you to visually inspect the route that your data packets are taking over the internet and provides valuable insight into the current state of your internet connection. It is compatible with all versions of Microsoft Windows, and best of all, it is free to use.

This is very basic as far as Traceroute tools go, but that may or may not be a good thing, depending on the requirements that you may have for using traceroute and similar network utilities within your environment.

You can safely open this application without having to worry about it draining valuable system resources, as it has a very minimalistic memory footprint, due to the simplistic interface and light resource requirements.

Who is it recommended for?

A good choice for network engineers as it is fast and efficient in identifying the traceroute.

Conclusion

Traceroute is an invaluable diagnostic tool to have in your bag of tricks, especially if you are a network technician or system administrator.

Being able to quickly visualize where the break in connectivity resides on your network, or over the internet, is greatly important.

Finding the right application for your environment is important, especially if you have specific requirements, such as reporting, mapping, and visually showing your managers exactly what is happening on your network at any given time.

TraceRoute Alternatives FAQs