MTR Monitoring

The best of ping and traceroute combined. Continuous network path analysis with per-hop packet loss from 50+ global locations.

Complete MTR Monitoring Features

Advanced network diagnostics that ping and traceroute alone can't provide

Per-Hop Packet Loss

Unlike traceroute, MTR continuously sends probes to measure packet loss at each hop over time.

Statistical Analysis

Get min, avg, max, and standard deviation for latency at each hop. Understand variance in network performance.

Path + Performance

Combines route mapping with continuous performance measurement. The most comprehensive network diagnostic tool.

Intermittent Issues

Catch problems that single-shot tools miss. Continuous monitoring reveals intermittent packet loss patterns.

Global MTR

Run MTR from 50+ locations worldwide. Compare network quality from different geographic perspectives.

Actionable Alerts

Set thresholds for packet loss and latency. Get alerted with detailed hop-by-hop data for faster troubleshooting.

Why MTR Is Superior

The power of ping and traceroute combined

Ping

  • Round-trip time to destination
  • Packet loss detection
  • No path visibility
  • Can't identify problem location

Traceroute

  • Shows complete path
  • Per-hop latency (snapshot)
  • Single point in time
  • No packet loss stats

MTR (Best of Both)

  • Complete path visibility
  • Per-hop packet loss %
  • Statistical latency analysis
  • Continuous monitoring

Rich Diagnostic Data

Loss Percentage

See exactly what percentage of packets are lost at each hop. Pinpoint the problematic network segment.

Sent/Received Counts

Track total packets sent and received at each hop over the monitoring period.

Latency Statistics

Min, avg, max, and standard deviation reveal latency patterns that single measurements miss.

ISP Attribution

Identify which network provider owns each hop. Present evidence when filing support tickets.

MTR Report
# Host Loss% Avg Best Wrst
1gateway.local0.0%1.20.82.1
2isp-edge.net0.0%8.47.212.3
3core.isp.net0.0%15.212.822.1
4peering.net2.4%45.838.289.4
5transit.net5.1%52.348.1112.5
6dc-edge.net0.0%54.251.258.9
7server.example0.0%55.152.459.2
Issue detected: 5.1% packet loss at transit.net (hop 5)

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about MTR monitoring

When should I use MTR vs traceroute?

Use traceroute for a quick snapshot of the network path. Use MTR when you need to diagnose intermittent issues, measure packet loss over time, or understand latency variance. MTR is especially valuable for troubleshooting VoIP, gaming, or real-time application issues.

How do I interpret packet loss at a specific hop?

If only one hop shows packet loss but subsequent hops don't, that router is likely rate-limiting ICMP responses (not a real problem). If packet loss appears at a hop AND continues to the destination, that hop is the problem source. Focus on where persistent loss begins.

What's an acceptable level of packet loss?

For general web traffic, 1-2% loss might be acceptable. For VoIP, video conferencing, or gaming, even 0.5% can cause noticeable quality issues. For business-critical applications, aim for 0% packet loss. We recommend alerting on any loss above 0% for early detection.

How long does an MTR test run?

Our MTR monitoring runs continuously at configurable intervals. Each test typically sends 10-100 probes over 10-60 seconds to gather meaningful statistics. Historical data is aggregated and stored for trend analysis and alerting.

Get comprehensive network diagnostics

MTR monitoring from 50+ global locations. Track packet loss and latency at every hop. The ultimate network troubleshooting tool.