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network-programmingroutertraceroute

Why does traceroute to a device on my network show just one ip address

I have a local network here. I am doing traceroute to another system on the same network. I was expecting two results. One is the hit to my router, and then to the other machine. But I see just one result as follows

1    13 ms   4 ms  12 ms   nj-PC [192.168.1.110]

Why is the information about the router not shown?

1) Does router act as a switch here, or

2) Does it not return the packet if the packet is being forwarded on the same interface? or

3) The packet does not go through the router at all. Once it gets the MAC address of the destination, does it directly send it to the destination? My doubt here is the packet will still go through the router, right? Will it just act as a pass through for these packets?

Solution

  • My IP is 182.168.1.4 and when I trace route to that device I get. 

    shiva:ToDoList sparcs$ traceroute shiva
traceroute to shiva.home (192.168.1.4), 64 hops max, 52 byte packets
 1  shiva.home (192.168.1.4)  78.566 ms  0.060 ms  0.039 ms

    There is no hop, or a router that is needed to get to another network as your device is local.

    So, its telling you the exact route.

    When tracerouting to my iPhone I get

    shiva:ToDoList sparcs$ traceroute Sparcs
traceroute to 192.168.35.181 (192.168.1.181), 64 hops max, 52 byte packets
 1  192.168.35.181 (192.168.35.181)  5.129 ms  5.317 ms  5.976 ms

    Its on the same segment.

    Your questions :

    Why is the information about the router not shown?

    1. Does router act as a switch here, or
      Not relevent, not needed in regards to trace route functional intent

    2. Does it not return the packet if the packet is being forwarded on the same interface?
      No

    3. The packet does not go through the router at all.
      True

    4. Once it gets the MAC address of the destination, does it directly send it to the destination?
      No

    5. My doubt here is the packet will still go through the router, right?
      No

    6. Will it just act as a pass through for these packets?
      No

    Good read: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/iosswrel/ps1831/products_tech_note09186a00800a6057.shtml