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MTR Guide

This guide explains how to collect network diagnostic information when you experience slow download or upload speeds, high latency, packet loss, intermittent connectivity, or routing problems between your local machine and your Ultra.cc service.

MTR combines the functionality of ping and traceroute to show the network path between two endpoints. The results can help Support determine whether a problem is associated with your local network, internet service provider, network route, or Ultra.cc service.

Run the tests in both directions whenever possible. Internet routing is often asymmetric, so traffic from your device to Ultra.cc may follow a different route from traffic returning to your device.

Prepare Your Tests

Before running the tests, gather the following information:

Your public IP address. You can find it at MyIP.com.
Your Ultra.cc service hostname, such as hostname.usbx.me.
Your connection type: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or mobile data.
Whether you are using a VPN, proxy, ExitLag, TCPShield, or another routing or optimization tool.
The date, time, and time zone when the issue occurs.
Whether the issue is constant or occurs only during certain periods.
Whether the issue affects one device or multiple users or devices.

If possible, disable VPNs, proxies, and routing optimization tools before testing. These services can change your network route and make the results harder to compare.

Run the Required Tests

Run the tests while the issue is occurring. If the problem is intermittent, repeat the tests outside the affected period for comparison.

Collect the following results:

MTR from your local machine to your Ultra.cc service.
MTR from your Ultra.cc service to your local public IP address.
MTR from your local machine to 1.1.1.1.
MTR from your local machine to 8.8.8.8.
Traceroute from your local machine to your Ultra.cc service.
Traceroute from your local machine to 1.1.1.1.
Traceroute from your local machine to 8.8.8.8.

Allow each MTR test to complete 100 report cycles. With the default one-second interval, this provides more than one minute of observations.

Test from Your Ultra.cc Service

MTR is available by default on Ultra.cc services.

Connect to your Ultra.cc service with SSH.
Run the following command, replacing <PUBLIC_IP> with the public IP address of your local connection:

mtr --report-wide --show-ips --report-cycles 100 <PUBLIC_IP>

Wait for the command to complete.
Copy the complete output.

Some residential connections block or ignore ICMP traffic. If the final destination does not respond, still include the complete output when contacting Support.

Test on Windows

Install WinMTR

Download WinMTR.
Right-click the downloaded ZIP file and select Extract All.
Open the folder matching your Windows architecture.
Run WinMTR.exe.

Generate an MTR Report

Enter your Ultra.cc service hostname in the Host field.
Click Start.
Wait until the Sent column reaches 100.
Click Stop.
Click Copy Text to clipboard and save the complete result.
Repeat the test with 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8.

Run Traceroute

Press Windows + R.
Enter cmd and press Enter.
Run the following commands:

tracert hostname.usbx.me
tracert 1.1.1.1
tracert 8.8.8.8

Replace hostname.usbx.me with your Ultra.cc service hostname.
Wait for each command to complete.
Copy the complete output from each test.

Test on macOS

Install MTR

Press Command + Space.
Enter Terminal and press Return.
If Homebrew is not installed, install it with the following command:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh>)"

Follow the post-installation instructions displayed by Homebrew.
Install MTR:

brew install mtr

Generate an MTR Report

Run the following command:

sudo "$(brew --prefix)/sbin/mtr" --report-wide --show-ips --report-cycles 100 hostname.usbx.me

Replace hostname.usbx.me with your Ultra.cc service hostname.
Enter your macOS password when prompted. Terminal does not display characters while you type the password.
Wait for the command to complete.
Copy the complete output.
Repeat the command with 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8.

Run Traceroute

Run the following commands:

traceroute hostname.usbx.me
traceroute 1.1.1.1
traceroute 8.8.8.8

Replace hostname.usbx.me with your Ultra.cc service hostname.
Wait for each command to complete.
Copy the complete output from each test.

Test on Linux

Install MTR

Use the command for your Linux distribution.

Debian or Ubuntu:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y mtr-tiny

Fedora or RHEL-compatible distributions:

sudo dnf install -y mtr

Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S mtr

Generate an MTR Report

Run the following command:

mtr --report-wide --show-ips --report-cycles 100 hostname.usbx.me

Replace hostname.usbx.me with your Ultra.cc service hostname.
Wait for the command to complete.
Copy the complete output.
Repeat the command with 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8.
If MTR reports a permission error, rerun the command with sudo.

Run Traceroute

Run the following commands:

traceroute hostname.usbx.me
traceroute 1.1.1.1
traceroute 8.8.8.8

Replace hostname.usbx.me with your Ultra.cc service hostname.
Wait for each command to complete.
Copy the complete output from each test.

If the traceroute command is unavailable, install the traceroute package with your distribution’s package manager.

Understand MTR Results

An MTR report normally includes the following columns:

Loss% — The percentage of probes that did not receive a response.
Snt — The number of probes sent.
Last — The most recent round-trip time.
Avg — The average round-trip time.
Best — The lowest round-trip time.
Wrst — The highest round-trip time.
StDev — The variation in round-trip time.

Packet loss at an intermediate hop does not always indicate end-to-end packet loss. Routers can rate-limit or deprioritize MTR and traceroute responses while continuing to forward normal traffic.

When reviewing the report:

Intermediate-hop loss may not be significant if later hops and the final destination remain healthy.
Loss is more significant when it continues through later hops and reaches the final destination.
High latency or packet loss at the final destination is more relevant than isolated loss at one intermediate hop.
A single MTR result is not sufficient to diagnose a network issue.
Support must review the MTR results together with your connection details, timestamps, traceroutes, and comparison tests.

Compare the Results

Tests to 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 provide comparison routes:

Similar latency or loss across all destinations may indicate a local-network or ISP issue.
A problem appearing only on the route to Ultra.cc may require closer examination of that route.
Different forward and reverse results are normal because internet routing is often asymmetric.
Results collected while the issue is not occurring provide a useful baseline for comparison.

Submit the Results

Include the following information when contacting Support:

Your public IP address.
Your connection type.
Whether a VPN, proxy, or optimization tool was enabled.
The date, time, and time zone of the issue.
Whether the problem is constant or intermittent.
The number of affected users or devices.
MTR and traceroute results to your Ultra.cc service.
MTR and traceroute results to 1.1.1.1.
MTR and traceroute results to 8.8.8.8.
A reverse MTR from your Ultra.cc service to your public IP address.
Comparison results from outside the affected period, if available.

The diagnostic dataset is complete when it includes your connection details, timestamps, forward and reverse MTR results, traceroutes, and comparison tests.

If you require further assistance, you can open a support ticket here.

MTR Guide
Prepare Your Tests
Run the Required Tests
Test from Your Ultra.cc Service
Test on Windows
Install WinMTR
Generate an MTR Report
Run Traceroute
Test on macOS
Install MTR
Generate an MTR Report
Run Traceroute
Test on Linux
Install MTR
Generate an MTR Report
Run Traceroute
Understand MTR Results
Compare the Results
Submit the Results