The <code>PathPing</code> command is a command-line network utility included in Windows NT operating systems since Windows 2000 that combines the functionality of ping with that of tracert. It is used to locate spots that have network latency and network loss.
Overview
The command provides details of the path between two hosts and ping-like statistics for each node in the path based on samples taken over a time period, depending on how many nodes are between the start and end host.
The advantages of <code>PathPing</code> over <code>ping</code> and <code>traceroute</code> are that each node is pinged as the result of a single command, and that the behavior of nodes is studied over an extended time period, rather than the default ping sample of four messages or default traceroute single route trace. The disadvantage is that it takes a total of 25 seconds per hop to show the ping statistics.
Syntax
The command-syntax is:
pathping [-g host-list] [-h maximum_hops] [-i address] [-n]
[-p period] [-q num_queries] [-w timeout] [-P] [-R] [-T]
[-4] [-6] target_name
Options:
- <code>-g host-list</code> Loose source route along host-list.
- <code>-h maximum_hops</code> Maximum number of hops to search for target.
- <code>-i address</code> Use the specified source address.
- <code>-n</code> Do not resolve addresses to hostnames.
- <code>-p period</code> Wait period milliseconds between pings.
- <code>-q num_queries</code> Number of queries per hop.
- <code>-w timeout</code> Wait timeout milliseconds for each reply.
- <code>-P</code> Test for RSVP PATH connectivity.
- <code>-R</code> Test if each hop is RSVP aware.
- <code>-T</code> Test connectivity to each hop with Layer-2 priority tags.
- <code>-4</code> Force using IPv4.
- <code>-6</code> Force using IPv6.
Samples
Default behavior:
<syntaxhighlight lang="doscon">
>pathping wikipedia.org
Tracing route to wikipedia.com [207.142.131.235]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
0 simonslaptop [192.168.0.11]
1 192.168.0.1
2 thus1-hg2.ilford.broadband.bt.net [217.32.64.73]
3 217.32.64.34
4 217.32.64.110
5 anchor-border-1-4-0-2-191.router.demon.net [212.240.162.126]
6 anchor-core-2-g0-0-1.router.demon.net [194.70.98.29]
7 ny1-border-1-a1-0-s2.router.demon.net [194.70.97.66]
8 ge-8-0-153.ipcolo1.NewYork1.Level3.net [209.246.123.177]
9 ae-0-51.bbr1.NewYork1.Level3.net [64.159.17.1]
10 so-2-0-0.mp1.Tampa1.Level3.net [209.247.11.201]
11 ge-6-0.hsa2.Tampa1.Level3.net [64.159.1.10]
12 unknown.Level3.net [63.208.24.2]
13
Computing statistics for 325 seconds...
Source to Here This Node/Link
Hop RTT Lost/Sent = Pct Lost/Sent = Pct Address
0 simonslaptop [192.168.0.11]
0/ 100 = 0% |
1 0ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 192.168.0.1
0/ 100 = 0% |
2 18ms 1/ 100 = 1% 1/ 100 = 1% thus1-hg2.ilford.broadband.bt.net [217.32.64.73]
0/ 100 = 0% |
3 18ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 217.32.64.34
0/ 100 = 0% |
4 21ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 217.32.64.110
0/ 100 = 0% |
5 21ms 1/ 100 = 1% 1/ 100 = 1% anchor-border-1-4-0-2-191.router.demon.net [212.240.162.126]
0/ 100 = 0% |
6 --- 100/ 100 =100% 100/ 100 =100% anchor-core-2-g0-0-1.router.demon.net [194.70.98.29]
0/ 100 = 0% |
7 --- 100/ 100 =100% 100/ 100 =100% ny1-border-1-a1-0-s2.router.demon.net [194.70.97.66]
0/ 100 = 0% |
8 100ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% ge-8-0-153.ipcolo1.NewYork1.Level3.net [209.246.123.177]
5/ 100 = 5% |
9 94ms 5/ 100 = 5% 0/ 100 = 0% ae-0-51.bbr1.NewYork1.Level3.net [64.159.17.1]
0/ 100 = 0% |
10 134ms 7/ 100 = 7% 2/ 100 = 2% so-2-0-0.mp1.Tampa1.Level3.net [209.247.11.201]
0/ 100 = 0% |
11 137ms 6/ 100 = 6% 1/ 100 = 1% ge-6-0.hsa2.Tampa1.Level3.net [64.159.1.10]
30/ 100 = 30% |
12 131ms 41/ 100 = 41% 6/ 100 = 6% unknown.Level3.net [63.208.24.2]
59/ 100 = 59% |
13 --- 100/ 100 =100% 0/ 100 = 0% win2000 [0.0.0.0]
Trace complete.
</syntaxhighlight>
Setting the number of queries per hop, in this case reducing it from 100 to 10 for faster completion:
<syntaxhighlight lang="doscon">
>pathping -q 10 wikipedia.org
Tracing route to wikipedia.org [66.230.200.100]
over a maximum of 30 hops:
0 Aaron.hsd1.mn.comcast.net. [192.168.11.3]
1 air.setup [192.168.11.1]
2 73.127.68.1
3 ge-1-38-ur01.minnetonka.mn.minn.comcast.net [68.86.234.41]
4 68.86.232.37
5 68.86.232.33
6 68.86.232.5
7 68.86.232.1
8 * 12.116.99.41
9 tbr2.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.122.99.70]
10 * ggr2.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.123.6.69]
11 ar1-a3120s2.wswdc.ip.att.net [192.205.34.6]
12 66.192.247.163
13 ge8-13.csw5-pmtpa.wikimedia.org [66.193.50.242]
14 * rr.pmtpa.wikimedia.org [66.230.200.100]
Computing statistics for 35 seconds...
Source to Here This Node/Link
Hop RTT Lost/Sent = Pct Lost/Sent = Pct Address
0 Aaron.hsd1.mn.comcast.net. [192.168.11.3]
0/ 10 = 0% |
1 0ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% air.setup [192.168.11.1]
0/ 10 = 0% |
2 8ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% 73.127.68.1
0/ 10 = 0% |
3 8ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% ge-1-38-ur01.minnetonka.mn.minn.comcast.net [68.86.234.41]
0/ 10 = 0% |
4 9ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% 68.86.232.37
0/ 10 = 0% |
5 8ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% 68.86.232.33
0/ 10 = 0% |
6 12ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% 68.86.232.5
0/ 10 = 0% |
7 8ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% 68.86.232.1
0/ 10 = 0% |
8 --- 10/ 10 =100% 10/ 10 =100% 12.116.99.41
0/ 10 = 0% |
9 20ms 0/ 10 = 0% 0/ 10 = 0% tbr2.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.122.99.70]
0/ 10 = 0% |
10 18ms 2/ 10 = 20% 2/ 10 = 20% ggr2.cgcil.ip.att.net [12.123.6.69]
1/ 10 = 10% |
11 --- 10/ 10 =100% 9/ 10 = 90% ar1-a3120s2.wswdc.ip.att.net [192.205.34.6]
0/ 10 = 0% |
12 44ms 2/ 10 = 20% 1/ 10 = 10% 66.192.247.163
0/ 10 = 0% |
13 63ms 1/ 10 = 10% 0/ 10 = 0% ge8-13.csw5-pmtpa.wikimedia.org [66.193.50.242]
0/ 10 = 0% |
14 63ms 6/ 10 = 60% 5/ 10 = 50% rr.pmtpa.wikimedia.org [66.230.200.100]
Trace complete.
</syntaxhighlight>
Do not resolve hostnames (only IP addresses are given for the nodes):
<syntaxhighlight lang="doscon">
>pathping -n wikipedia.org
Tracing route to wikipedia-lb.eqiad.wikimedia.org [208.80.154.225]over a maximum of 30 hops:
0 192.168.1.102
1 192.168.1.1
2 10.202.181.110
3 10.202.182.109
4 10.202.181.153
5 10.202.181.49
6 212.72.4.97
7 82.178.32.102
8 63.218.109.117
9 63.218.44.38
10 206.111.0.249
11 216.156.8.189
12 * * *
Computing statistics for 275 seconds...
</syntaxhighlight>
See also
- ping (networking utility)
- traceroute
- MTR – software which combines the functionality of traceroute and ping
- Layer four traceroute – a more modern traceroute (IP network tracing) implementation that supports a multitude of layer-4 protocols
Notes and references
Further reading
External links
- pathping | Microsoft Docs – Information about the PathPing tool (Microsoft.com)
- WinMTR