How to use the MTR command

Applies to: Windows, macOS, Linux

What Is MTR?

MTR (My Traceroute) is a powerful network diagnostic tool that combines the functionality of traceroute and ping. It provides detailed information about the path packets take to a destination and highlights latency, packet loss, and routing issues.

Systems and network support often use MTR when troubleshooting slow connections, routing problems, or packet loss.

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Windows

Step 1: Download WinMTR

1. Visit https://sourceforge.net/projects/winmtr/
2. Download the correct version for your system (32-bit or 64-bit).
3. Extract the .zip file and open WinMTR.exe.

Step 2: Run a trace

1. In the Host field, enter the destination IP or domain (e.g., 8.8.8.8 or example.com).
2. Click Start to begin the trace.
3. Let it run in the background for approximately 15 minutes to gather accurate results.
4. Click Stop, then Export Text or Export HTML to save the results.

Sample WinMTR output:

WinMTR statistics to example.com
Host                      Loss%   Sent   Recv  Best   Avg   Wrst  Last
1. router.local            0%      20     20     1      2      4      1
2. isp-gateway.net         0%      20     20     5      6      9      5
3. core-router.isp.net     0%      20     20    12     14     16     13
4. 192.0.2.45             10%      20     18    20     23     27     21
5. example.com             0%      20     20    30     32     34     31

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macOS

Step 1: Install MTR

1. Install Homebrew (if not already installed):

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

2. Once Homebrew is installed, run:

brew install mtr

Step 2: Run MTR

Use sudo to run MTR with root privileges:

sudo mtr -rw example.com

Flags used:

• -r: Generates a report
• -w: Displays output in wide format

Let it run for 1–2 minutes, then copy the terminal output.

Sample macOS MTR output:

HOST: macbook.local        Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev
 1.|-- 192.168.1.1          0.0%    20     1     1     1     2     0
 2.|-- 10.25.10.1           0.0%    20     5     5     4     6     0
 3.|-- isp-backbone.net     0.0%    20    12    13    11    15     1
 4.|-- 203.0.113.20         5.0%    20    18    20    17    24     2
 5.|-- example.com          0.0%    20    30    32    28    36     2

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Linux

Step 1: Install MTR

For Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt install mtr

For RHEL/CentOS:

sudo yum install mtr

Step 2: Run MTR

sudo mtr -rw example.com

Let it run for 1–2 minutes, then copy or export the results.

Sample Linux MTR Output:

HOST: server.local         Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev
 1.|-- gateway.local        0.0%    20     1     1     1     2     0
 2.|-- 172.16.0.1           0.0%    20     3     3     2     4     1
 3.|-- isp-router.net       0.0%    20    11    12    10    14     1
 4.|-- 198.51.100.55        2.0%    20    19    21    18    25     2
 5.|-- example.com          0.0%    20    28    30    27    32     1

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Sharing tips for MTR results

• Always test against the IP or domain where issues are occurring.
• Allow MTR to run for at least 60–120 seconds for meaningful results.
• Export or copy the results and send them to your support team for further analysis.