When you're dealing with slow internet, intermittent disconnections, high latency, or trouble accessing websites, identifying the source of the problem is the first step toward resolving it. Ping and Traceroute are built-in network diagnostic tools that help you test connectivity, identify where communication issues occur, and gather useful information before contacting Swazzy Support.

1. Identify the Network Problem

Before running any diagnostic tests, determine the issue you are experiencing.

Common symptoms include:

• Slow internet speeds
• Websites or applications failing to load
• Frequent connection drops
• High latency during online gaming or video calls
• Inability to reach a specific website or server

Understanding the symptoms helps you interpret the test results more accurately.

2. Run a Ping Test

A Ping test checks whether your device can communicate with another device or website and measures how quickly it responds.

Windows

1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, and press Enter.
2. Run:

ping google.com

3. Press Enter.
4. Wait for the test to complete.
5. Review the results.

macOS and Linux

1. Open Terminal.
2. Run:

ping google.com

3. Allow the command to run for approximately 10–20 responses.
4. Press Ctrl + C to stop the test.
5. Review the results.

If you receive successful replies, your device is communicating with the remote server.

3. Review the Ping Results

Look for the following information in the output:

• Reply Received – The destination is reachable.
• Response Time (ms) – Lower values indicate a faster and more responsive connection.
• Packet Loss – Lost packets may point to network congestion, Wi-Fi interference, or hardware issues.
• Request Timed Out – Your device did not receive a response from the destination.

If you notice packet loss or consistently high response times, continue with a Traceroute test.

4. Run a Traceroute Test

Traceroute identifies each network device (hop) between your computer and the destination, helping determine where delays or connection failures occur.

Windows

1. Open Command Prompt.
2. Run:

tracert google.com

3. Wait for the command to finish.

macOS and Linux

1. Open Terminal.
2. Run:

traceroute google.com

3. If the command is unavailable, install the traceroute package or use your operating system's equivalent diagnostic tool.
4. Wait for the results to complete.

5. Analyze the Traceroute Results

Review each network hop for:

• Unusually high response times
• Repeated timeouts (* * *)
• The point where communication stops

These results can help determine whether the issue originates from:

• Your local network
• Your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
• The destination server

Keep in mind that occasional timeouts do not always indicate a network problem.

6. Save Your Diagnostic Results

If the issue continues:

1. Save or copy your Ping and Traceroute results.
2. Record the date and time the tests were performed.
3. Note the websites, applications, or services experiencing problems.
4. Record whether the issue occurred while connected through Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or both.
5. Contact Swazzy Support and provide the collected information.

Providing these details helps the support team identify the issue more quickly and reduces the time needed to troubleshoot.

If the standard Ping and Traceroute tests do not identify the issue, try the following troubleshooting steps.

1. Restart your network equipment. Restart your modem, router, and any network switches before repeating the tests.
2. Test multiple destinations. Run diagnostics against:
   • Your router (default gateway)
   • Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8)
   • Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1)
   • The website or server experiencing problems

   Comparing multiple destinations can help determine whether the issue is local, ISP-related, or specific to the destination.

3. Run an extended Ping test.

   Windows

   ping google.com -n 100

   macOS and Linux

   ping -c 100 google.com

   Review the following:

   • Packet loss percentage
   • Minimum response time
   • Maximum response time
   • Average response time
4. Compare Wi-Fi and Ethernet. Connect your computer directly to the router using an Ethernet cable. If the connection improves significantly, Wi-Fi interference or a weak wireless signal is likely contributing to the issue.
5. Test another device. Run the same diagnostics from a different computer, smartphone, or tablet. If only one device experiences the problem, troubleshoot that device's network settings or hardware.
6. Verify local network connectivity. Ping your router's default gateway. Slow, inconsistent, or lost responses usually indicate a problem within your local network.
7. Check firewall or security software. When safe to do so, temporarily disable VPN software, firewalls, or antivirus applications, repeat the tests, and then re-enable your security software.
8. Flush the DNS cache. If only certain websites are affected, clear your DNS cache.

   Windows

   ipconfig /flushdns

   macOS

   sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
   sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

   After clearing the cache, repeat the diagnostics.

9. Contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP). If the results indicate the problem exists outside your local network, provide your ISP with:
   • Ping results
   • Traceroute results
   • Date and time of testing
   • Affected websites or services
   • Whether the issue occurs on Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or both
   • Any recent network or equipment changes

   If your ISP confirms there are no network issues and the problem continues, contact Swazzy Support.

• Some websites and servers intentionally block Ping requests, so a timeout does not always mean the destination is offline.
• Some routers intentionally do not respond to Traceroute requests, making occasional timeouts normal.
• Use a wired Ethernet connection whenever possible to minimize Wi-Fi interference during testing.
• Close downloads, streaming services, cloud backups, and other bandwidth-intensive applications before running diagnostics.
• Perform tests at different times of the day, as network congestion can vary.
• Do not restart shared or business-critical networking equipment without approval from your network administrator.
• Save all diagnostic results before contacting Swazzy Support.