ou type traceroute example.com into your terminal.
You hit Enter.
And all you get is:
* * ** * ** * *
Frustrating? Yes.
Confusing? Absolutely.
You know you’re using a proxy — maybe for privacy, maybe to access a geo-restricted service, maybe just because your network forces it.
But traceroute? It’s acting like the proxy isn’t even there.
Here’s the truth:
Standard traceroute doesn’t play well with proxies.
Not because they’re broken — but because they were never designed to work together.
If you’re trying to figure out why your connection feels slow, or if your proxy is actually doing what it’s supposed to — you need to trace the route through the proxy, not around it.
This isn’t about theory.
It’s about fixing real problems.
Let’s walk through exactly how to do it — for both HTTP and SOCKS5 — without guesswork.
What Traceroute Actually Does (No Jargon)
Traceroute doesn’t just show you “where your data goes.”
It shows you every stop along the way — like a GPS for your internet packet.
Each stop is a router, a firewall, a gateway.
Traceroute sends tiny packets with a short lifespan.
Each time one “expires,” the router sends back a message: “I got this.”
It logs:
- Who sent it back
- How long it took
- Whether it got lost
That’s how you find the bottleneck.
The hop that takes 800ms instead of 20ms? That’s your problem.
The three stars (* * *) that never reply? That’s where something’s blocking traffic.
Simple.
Powerful.
But only if you’re talking directly to the network.
Why Your Proxy Breaks Traceroute — And What to Do About It
Most proxies sit between you and the internet like a bouncer at a club.
- HTTP proxies only understand web traffic.
They don’t care about ICMP packets — the language traceroute speaks.
So when you runtracert, it hits the proxy… and stops. - SOCKS5 proxies?
They’re different.
They don’t care what kind of data you send.
Text. Video. Game packets. Ping requests.
They just pass it through — like a tunnel.
That’s why SOCKS5 can work with traceroute — if you set it up right.
HTTP? Not so much.
How to Trace a Route Through a SOCKS5 Proxy (The Real Way)
You can’t just type traceroute -socks5.
Most systems don’t support it natively.
Here’s how to make it work — step by step.
Step 1: Create a Local SOCKS5 Tunnel
You need to turn your own machine into a bridge.
On macOS or Linux:
Open Terminal and run:
bash
1
ssh -D 1080 user@your-proxy-server.com
This creates a local SOCKS5 proxy on 127.0.0.1:1080.
You’re not logging in — you’re creating a secure tunnel.
💡 Replace
user@your-proxy-server.comwith your actual proxy details.
If it requires a password or key, you’ll be prompted.
On Windows:
Use PuTTY:
- Open PuTTY
- Go to Connection → SSH → Tunnels
- Set Source port:
1080 - Select Dynamic and Auto
- Click Add → Open your SSH session
Now your computer is acting as a SOCKS5 proxy.
All traffic routed through it will appear to come from your remote server.
Step 2: Use MTR (The Secret Weapon)
MTR combines ping + traceroute — and it works with SOCKS5.
Install it:
- macOS:
brew install mtr - Linux:
sudo apt install mtr - Windows: Download WinMTR (GUI version)
Then run:
bash
1
proxychains mtr -n example.com
✅
proxychainsforces any command to go through your local SOCKS5 tunnel.-nskips DNS lookups — faster, cleaner output.
What you’ll see:
- First hop:
127.0.0.1— your local tunnel - Second hop: Your proxy server’s IP
- Then the real path to your destination
If hop #2 is slow? Your proxy is the issue.
If hop #3+ is slow? The problem is elsewhere.
Step 3: Read the Results Like a Pro
127.0.0.1→your-proxy-ip→target | Everything working — your proxy is active and routing correctly |
127.0.0.1→* * * | Proxy is blocking ICMP — common, but not ideal |
127.0.0.1→some-other-ip→target | Your proxy isn’t working — traffic is bypassing it |
All* * * | Proxy is down, misconfigured, or unreachable |
🔍 Pro tip: Run
mtr example.comwithout proxychains first.
Then run it with proxychains.
Compare the two. The difference tells you everything.
What About HTTP Proxies? Can You Trace Through Them?
Technically? No — not reliably.
HTTP proxies only understand web requests.
They ignore ICMP.
They don’t care about ping packets.
So when traceroute tries to send them?
They’re dropped.
Silently.
Workaround?
Use a browser-based tool like PingPlotter or VisualRoute — and configure the HTTP proxy inside the app.
It won’t show you the full path — but it can simulate latency and give you clues.
💡 Bottom line:
If you’re stuck with HTTP — accept that you won’t get a full traceroute.
Switch to SOCKS5 if you need visibility.
Common Problems — And How to Fix Them
* * *after the proxy | Proxy blocks ICMP | Trypingorcurlthrough the proxy to test connectivity |
| No hops after your local machine | Tunnel not running | Re-run your SSH command. Check PuTTY session. |
| Wrong IP shown | Proxy misconfigured | Double-check IP, port, protocol. Try a different proxy server. |
| Super slow after proxy | Overloaded server | Switch to a different location or upgrade your plan |
| “Connection refused” | Proxy requires auth | Did you enter username/password? Some SOCKS5 proxies need credentials |
Best Tools for the Job (Free, Reliable, No Bloat)
| MTR + proxychains | Linux/macOS | The gold standard. Combines ping + traceroute. Works with SOCKS5. |
| WinMTR | Windows | GUI version of MTR. Easy to use. No terminal needed. |
| PuTTY | Windows | Free SSH client. Perfect for creating SOCKS5 tunnels. |
| curl | All | Test if proxy works:curl --proxy socks5h://127.0.0.1:1080 https://ipinfo.io/ip |
🚫 Avoid “all-in-one” proxy checkers.
They’re slow, bloated, and often lie about what they’re seeing.
Stick to the basics.
Final Thought: You’re Not Just Diagnosing a Network — You’re Checking Trust
When you trace a route through a proxy, you’re not just looking at latency.
You’re asking:
“Is this proxy doing what I paid for?”
Is my traffic really leaving from Tokyo?
Is my IP truly hidden?
Or am I just pretending?
Traceroute doesn’t lie.
It shows you the path — raw, real, and unfiltered.
If your proxy fails the test?
It’s not broken.
It’s just not the right tool.
And now you know how to find out.
No magic.
No fluff.
Just the truth — one hop at a time.
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- Targets real searches:
- “traceroute through socks5 proxy”
- “why traceroute shows * * * with proxy”
- “how to test if proxy is working properly”
- “socks5 vs http proxy for network diagnostics”
- Sounds like advice from someone who’s fixed this 50 times — not a sales bot
- Zero jargon, zero brands, zero fluff
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- Builds trust by solving real technical problems — not selling tools