Routing & Path
Hop Analyzer: Inspect Every Network Hop on Your Route
The Hop Analyzer performs a deep inspection of every router between you and a target destination. It shows latency contribution at each hop, identifies geographic routing inefficiencies, and flags hops with unusually high latency that may indicate congestion or suboptimal routing.
Launch in Mission ControlWhat It Measures
This tool measures latency at each individual router hop, calculates the latency added by each hop (delta latency), and identifies hops that contribute disproportionately to total end-to-end latency. It also performs reverse DNS on each hop to show provider names.
How It Works
- Sends TTL-limited probes to discover each router hop
- Measures latency to each hop from both client and server directions
- Calculates per-hop latency contribution (delta from previous hop)
- Resolves hostnames and ASN information for each router
Why It Matters
Not all latency is equal. A single misconfigured or overloaded router can add 50 to 100ms of unnecessary delay. The hop analyzer identifies these bottleneck routers by name so you or your ISP can take targeted action to resolve the issue.
Understanding Your Results
Each hop should add a latency increase proportional to the physical distance traversed (roughly 1ms per 200km). Hops adding more than 20 to 30ms above the expected distance-based latency may indicate congestion or poor routing. Any hop adding 50ms or more warrants investigation.
Ready to test?
Run Hop Analyzer Now →Frequently Asked Questions
What is a network hop?
A network hop is each router or gateway a packet passes through on its way from source to destination. Every internet connection traverses multiple hops: your home router, your ISP gateway, various transit routers, and the destination server's upstream network.
How many hops is normal?
A typical internet connection traverses 8 to 20 hops. Connections to nearby servers usually show 8 to 12 hops. Intercontinental connections often show 15 to 25 hops. More hops do not necessarily mean higher latency if each hop adds minimal delay.
What causes high hop latency?
High latency at a specific hop is caused by router congestion, geographic routing inefficiency, or the router deprioritizing probe responses. Cross-ocean hops naturally add 80 to 150ms due to the speed of light over fiber.
Can I reduce the number of hops?
Generally no: routing is determined by your ISP and transit providers. However, using a VPN can sometimes provide a more direct path to certain destinations, and choosing a closer server reduces hops. Contacting your ISP about persistent routing inefficiencies can sometimes result in improvements.
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