~ path guide

Why MTR Shows Loss On One Hop

A single MTR hop can show packet loss even when later hops and the final destination are healthy. That usually means the router is limiting replies to diagnostic probes, not dropping real forwarded traffic.

The Final Hop Matters Most

The destination hop shows whether probes reached the target. If the final hop has no meaningful loss, one noisy middle hop is usually not enough evidence to blame that router.

Why Middle Hops Look Bad

• Routers may prioritize forwarding traffic over replying to ICMP probes.
• Some devices rate-limit diagnostic replies during busy periods.
• Firewalls may answer probes inconsistently while still forwarding normal application traffic.

When To Worry

• Loss starts at one hop and continues through every later hop.
• The final hop also shows loss.
• Latency jumps at one hop and stays high afterward.
• Multiple runs at different times show the same persistent pattern.