How to end a tracert?

The simplest way to end a running tracert command is by pressing Ctrl+C.

Stopping a Tracert Command in Progress

When you execute the tracert command in your computer's command prompt or terminal, it begins the process of mapping the path your data takes across the internet to reach a specified destination. This command sends out packets and measures the time it takes for them to reach each point (hop) along the route, displaying the results progressively. The command continues until the destination is reached or a set number of hops are attempted.

However, there are times when you may need to stop the traceroute before it finishes naturally. This could be because you've seen enough information, the command is taking too long, or you want to abort it for any other reason.

As stated in the Bluehost documentation on Traceroute, to stop the traceroute, type Ctrl-C. This is the standard keyboard shortcut used in most command-line environments to send an interrupt signal to the currently running program, causing it to terminate immediately.

How to Use Ctrl+C

To halt a tracert command that is currently running:

1. Make sure the command prompt or terminal window where the tracert command is running is the active window on your screen.
2. Press and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard.
3. While holding down the Ctrl key, press the C key.
4. Release both keys.

Upon pressing Ctrl+C, the tracert command will stop its execution, and you will typically see a message indicating termination before the command prompt cursor reappears.

Saving the Output

The referenced document also includes a tip about managing the output of the tracert command. While not a method to stop the command prematurely, you can save its results to a text file on your local drive by adding > filename.txt to your command. For example:

tracert www.example.com > my_trace_results.txt

This tells the command shell to redirect the output of tracert www.example.com into a file named my_trace_results.txt. The command will still run to completion or until you stop it with Ctrl+C, but the output will be saved to the file instead of being displayed on the screen.

In summary, the reliable way to end a running tracert command is by using the Ctrl+C keyboard interrupt.