How to Use the ‘mtr’ Command in Linux

Learn how to troubleshoot network issues like a pro with Linux's mtr command.

By . in Desktop. Updated on .

The mtr command, short for “My Traceroute,” is a powerful network diagnostic tool that combines the functionality of both the traceroute and ping commands. By sending packets to a specified destination, it provides insights into the network path and helps identify potential bottlenecks or failures. Similar to tools like traceroute, ping, and pathping, the mtr command offers a more comprehensive view of the network’s performance.

System administrators and network engineers find the mtr command handy for troubleshooting network issues. Whether you’re monitoring the stability of a connection or diagnosing a complex network problem, the mtr command can be used alongside commands like ifconfig or netstat to provide a detailed analysis.

How to Install the mtr Command

You may need to install the mtr package if it’s not already included in your Linux distribution. Here’s how you can install and uninstall it on some common distributions:

For Debian-based systems (like Ubuntu):

To install mtr you can use the following command: 

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mtr

To uninstall mtr later, you can use:

sudo apt-get remove --purge mtr

For Red Hat-based systems (like Fedora):

To install mtr you can use:

sudo dnf install mtr

To uninstall mtr later, you can use:

sudo dnf remove mtr

For Arch-based systems:

To install mtr you can use:

sudo pacman -S mtr

To uninstall mtr later, you can use:

sudo pacman -R mtr

How to Use mtr

1. Basic Usage

Syntax: mtr <hostname>

Explanation: Traces the route to a given hostname or IP address.

Example: mtr example.com

Output:

Host              Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev
1. router.local    0.0%    10    1.2   1.3   1.1   1.5   0.1
2. isp-gateway     0.0%    10    2.3   2.4   2.2   2.6   0.1
3. example.com     0.0%    10   10.5  10.6  10.4  10.8   0.1

This output shows the route to example.com, with three hops. It provides details on packet loss, number of sent packets, and latency statistics for each hop.

2. Using ICMP Instead of UDP

Syntax: mtr --icmp <hostname>

Explanation: Traces the route using ICMP ECHO instead of UDP datagrams.

Example: mtr --icmp example.com

Output:

Host              Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev
1. router.local    0.0%    10    1.1   1.2   1.0   1.3   0.1
2. isp-gateway     0.0%    10    2.2   2.3   2.1   2.5   0.1
3. example.com     0.0%    10   10.4  10.5  10.3  10.6   0.1

This command uses ICMP ECHO for tracing, which might provide different results compared to the default UDP, especially if certain firewalls or filters are in place.

3. Showing the AS (Autonomous System) Number

Syntax: mtr --aslookup <hostname>

Explanation: Traces the route and displays the ASN (AS number) for each hop.

Example: mtr --aslookup example.com

Output:

Host              Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev ASN
1. router.local    0.0%    10    1.2   1.3   1.1   1.5   0.1 AS12345
2. isp-gateway     0.0%    10    2.3   2.4   2.2   2.6   0.1 AS12345
3. example.com     0.0%    10   10.5  10.6  10.4  10.8   0.1 AS67890

This output includes the Autonomous System (AS) number for each hop, which can provide insights into the ownership and control of the network infrastructure along the path to the target.

4. Using TCP Instead of UDP

Syntax: mtr --tcp <hostname>

Explanation: Traces the route using TCP SYN packets instead of UDP.

Example: mtr --tcp example.com

Output:

Host              Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev
1. router.local    0.0%    10    1.4   1.5   1.3   1.6   0.1
2. isp-gateway     0.0%    10    2.5   2.6   2.4   2.7   0.1
3. example.com     0.0%    10   10.7  10.8  10.5  11.0   0.1

This command uses TCP SYN packets for tracing, which can be useful if UDP is being filtered or blocked along the route.

5. Specifying the Number of Pings

Syntax: mtr -c <count> <hostname>

Explanation: Sends a specified number of pings to each hop.

Example: mtr -c 5 example.com

Output:

Host              Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev
1. router.local    0.0%     5    1.2   1.3   1.1   1.5   0.1
2. isp-gateway     0.0%     5    2.3   2.4   2.2   2.6   0.1
3. example.com     0.0%     5   10.5  10.6  10.4  10.8   0.1

This command sends only 5 pings to each hop, allowing for a quicker analysis of the route.

6. Displaying the Report at the End

Syntax: mtr --report <hostname>

Explanation: Runs mtr in report mode, which sends a sequence of pings to each hop and then displays a report at the end.

Example: mtr --report example.com

Output:

HOST: localhost              Loss%   Snt   Last   Avg  Best  Wrst StDev
  1. router.local            0.0%    10    1.2   1.3   1.1   1.5   0.1
  2. isp-gateway             0.0%    10    2.3   2.4   2.2   2.6   0.1
  3. example.com             0.0%    10   10.5  10.6  10.4  10.8   0.1

This command is useful for generating a single report at the end of the test, rather than continuously updating the display. It’s often used for logging or scripting purposes.

More Linux commands:
Directory Operations rmdir · cd · pwd · exa · ls
File Operations cat · cp · dd · less · touch · ln · rename · more · head
File System Operations chown · mkfs · locate
Networking ping · curl · wget · iptables · mtr
Search and Text Processing find · grep · sed · whatis · ripgrep · fd · tldr
System Information and Management env · history · top · who · htop · glances · lsof
User and Session Management screen · su · sudo · open
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