popsci.com - The visual trace route tool displays the path Internet packets traverse to reach a specified destination. A proxy trace (the default) maps the route across the network from your computer, to yougetsignal.com, to the URL you specify. A host trace is typically quicker - it simply maps the network route from yougetsignal.com (hosted at a central location by DreamHost) to the URL you specify.
The tool works by identifying the IP addresses of each hop along the way to the destination network address. The estimated geophysical location of each hop is identified using MaxMind's GeoIP database. After all of the hops locations' are identified, the path to the destination is plotted on a Google Map.
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