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Question

What does Ping and Tracert do?

Answer

By pinging a web page or an I.P address it lets you know if your getting out. For example lets say all the lights on your modem are solid yet you don't think its connecting. By opening a DOS window then type "ping www.zaxie.com" you should receive this back.
  • Pinging www.zaxie.com [207.153.234.238] with 32 bytes of data:
  • Reply from 207.153.234.238: bytes=32 time=157ms TTL=243
  • Reply from 207.153.234.238: bytes=32 time=238ms TTL=243
  • Reply from 207.153.234.238: bytes=32 time=107ms TTL=243
  • Reply from 207.153.234.238: bytes=32 time=88ms TTL=243
  • Ping statistics for 207.153.234.238:
  • Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
  • Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
  • Minimum = 88ms, Maximum =  238ms, Average =  147ms

If you get connection timed out then something is wrong.  When setting up a network you can ping from one computer to the next to see if they are talking.

To find the problem you could then do a Tracert to see who is at fault. If its on the @Home network then you can call to find out whats going on. When it jumps off the @home Backbone then someone else is down.

Tracert Example

type "tracert www.zaxie.com"

In a DOS WINDOWS

Tracing route to www.zaxie.com [207.153.234.238]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

  • 1    24 ms    19 ms    24 ms  10.66.112.1
  • 2   122 ms    52 ms    29 ms  cgowave-2-gw.cgocable.net [24.226.2.1]
  • 3    28 ms     *       67 ms  24.226.0.50
  • 4    87 ms    62 ms    33 ms  cogeco-gw.uunet.ca [209.167.168.65]
  • 5    25 ms    32 ms    91 ms  205.150.159.165
    6   119 ms     *       72 ms  103.a11-0-0.cr2.tor2.uunet.ca [205.150.159.81]
  • 7    53 ms   118 ms    61 ms  224.ATM1-0-0.CR2.TOR2.UUNET.CA [152.63.90.242]
  • 8    54 ms    85 ms    70 ms  116.ATM2-0.XR2.CHI6.ALTER.NET [146.188.209.158]
  • 9   102 ms   165 ms    55 ms  190.ATM2-0.TR2.CHI4.ALTER.NET [146.188.209.2]
  • 10    59 ms   105 ms    62 ms  106.ATM7-0.TR2.DCA1.ALTER.NET [146.188.136.110]
  • 11    62 ms    62 ms    65 ms  198.ATM6-0.XR2.DCA1.ALTER.NET [146.188.161.145]
  • 12    59 ms    86 ms    63 ms  194.ATM11-0-0.GW3.DCA3.ALTER.NET [152.63.32.77]
  • 13    86 ms    62 ms     *     dn4-gw.customer.ALTER.NET [157.130.15.230]
  • 14    69 ms    96 ms    63 ms  www.zaxie.com [207.153.234.238]

Notice in number 3 there was a "*" this means packet loss. Which is slowing the service down. 24.226.0.50 is on the @Home Network. I can now call tech support and complain. 24 in front of the i.p address is always @Home. Notice number 13. Another "*" but this one is not on the @Home Network. Thus not @Home Fault :( No complaint can be made.

This is just a brief explanation. So you can do a little trouble shooting yourself.

When ever you call tech support they will ping and tracert right away while you are talking to them. To see if there is any problems on the @Home Network.
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