# Route Explorer

## Overview

Route Explorer diagnose routing paths and network link quality from Zenlayer PoPs to target IPs or domains using Ping, MTR, and BGP. It usually has the following common use cases:

### Common Use Cases

<table><thead><tr><th width="261.590576171875">Scenario</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Website reachability check</td><td>Verify if a website or service is accessible from target regions</td></tr><tr><td>Routing anomaly detection</td><td>Identify issues like route hijacking, detours, or abnormal hop counts</td></tr><tr><td>Path comparison across PoPs</td><td>Compare network performance to the same target from different PoP locations</td></tr><tr><td>Network issue reproduction</td><td>Help engineers replicate network issues for troubleshooting</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Procedures

<div align="left"><figure><img src="https://3201622183-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9X3FDdkCL2HzhbPpPMFt%2Fuploads%2FFRV1OhS5u2venp8ppNT8%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=799386dd-7d53-48f3-8961-afa812f2b301" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

### Parameter Explanation

<table><thead><tr><th width="133.246826171875">Parameter</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Data Center</td><td>The source PoP node for the test. Choosing a PoP near the target user or origin site helps simulate real access conditions.</td></tr><tr><td>Test Type</td><td><strong>BGP</strong>: Displays BGP routing path from source to target. Useful for detecting policy errors, hijacks, or detours.<br><strong>MTR</strong>: Combines Ping and Traceroute to show hop-by-hop latency and packet loss. Ideal for pinpointing unstable links.<br><strong>Ping</strong>: Measures ICMP latency and packet loss to quickly assess connectivity and average delay.</td></tr><tr><td>Target IPv4 / Domain</td><td>Any valid IPv4 address (e.g., <code>8.8.8.8</code>) or domain (e.g., <code>www.zenlayer.com</code>). Recommended to use real service addresses for accurate path simulation.</td></tr></tbody></table>

1. Choose the desired test node from the dropdown list, for example, AS21859, US, Los Angeles s1001.
2. Select one of the supported protocols: Ping / MTR / BGP
3. Enter an IPv4 address (e.g., `34.215.41.2`) or a domain (e.g., `www.zenlayer.com`)
4. Click **Test** to launch the remote probe. After a few seconds, results including latency, route hops, and packet loss will appear below.

   <figure><img src="https://3201622183-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F9X3FDdkCL2HzhbPpPMFt%2Fuploads%2FSfEjveTHut53A6N63JHy%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=a64ca21b-fa18-46bd-8072-3ff4ac714f92" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## FAQ

**Q1: What if the target is unreachable?**\
A1: Please first check whether the target IP or domain is globally accessible. It may be blocking ICMP (Ping) requests or have DNS resolution issues.

**Q2: Why does BGP result show only one hop?**\
A2: This usually means the source node is directly connected to the target ASN or the target uses default routing. Use MTR for detailed physical path analysis.

**Q3: Does 100% packet loss on a hop indicate a problem?**\
A3: Not necessarily. Some intermediate devices may block ICMP replies without affecting traffic forwarding. Focus on the final hop's reachability.

**Q4: Can I test multiple targets at once?**\
A4: Currently only single IP/domain testing is supported. For batch testing, please contact sales or submit a support ticket.