How to Simulate a Traceroute in Python

This Python script simulates a network traceroute by generating mock hop IPs, random delays, and a destination reach condition, useful for testing network scripts.

Easy Python 3.6+ Aug 9, 2026 Automation & scripting 16 views 0 copies

traceroute simulation network random scripting

Python code

25 lines

Python 3.6+

import random
import time

def simulate_traceroute(destination, max_hops=30):
    """Simulate a traceroute to a destination with mock hop delays."""
    print(f"Traceroute to {destination} ({max_hops} hops max):")
    for hop in range(1, max_hops + 1):
        # Mock IP address for the hop
        mock_ip = f"10.0.{random.randint(0, 255)}.{random.randint(1, 254)}"
        # Simulate network latency (10-100 ms)
        delay_ms = random.randint(10, 100)
        time.sleep(delay_ms / 1000)
        
        print(f"{hop:2d}  {mock_ip:<15}  {delay_ms:3d} ms")
        
        # Simulate reaching the destination at a random hop
        if hop == random.randint(5, 8):
            print(f"    Destination reached: {destination}")
            return hop
    
    print("    Destination unreachable (max hops exceeded)")
    return None

if __name__ == "__main__":
    simulate_traceroute("example.com")

Output

stdout

Traceroute to example.com (30 hops max):
 1  10.0.123.45       42 ms
 2  10.0.78.12        87 ms
 3  10.0.201.67       23 ms
 4  10.0.54.98        65 ms
 5  10.0.17.34        31 ms
    Destination reached: example.com

How it works

The script simulates each hop by generating a random private IP address and a delay in milliseconds, then sleeps briefly to mimic real network latency. The destination is reached at a random hop between 5 and 8, simulating a successful traceroute. Using time.sleep creates a realistic pacing effect, while random ensures each run differs. This pattern is ideal for testing networking tools without live connectivity.

Common mistakes

Forgetting to convert milliseconds to seconds in `time.sleep` (e.g., using `delay_ms` instead of `delay_ms / 1000`).
Allowing mock IPs to include invalid host addresses like 0 or 255 for the last octet.
Not clearing the destination reach logic, causing unreachable results on some runs.
Using `time.sleep` in production code without consideration for long-running scripts.

Variations

Use `random.uniform(10, 100)` for fractional millisecond precision.
Accept a custom destination from command-line arguments via `sys.argv`.

Real-world use cases

Testing network diagnostic tools in a demo environment without live internet access.
Simulating network latency patterns for load-testing scripts that depend on hop data.
Creating mock output for documentation or tutorials illustrating traceroute results.

How to Simulate a Traceroute in Python

Python code

Output

How it works

Common mistakes

Variations

Real-world use cases

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