Determining traceroutes using tcp packets
AssigneeCharter Communications Operating, LLC
InventorRobert B. Hulshof
Life of this patent
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Abstract
To determine a path traceroute, after a connection between the path's source and destination nodes has been established, the source node transmits a set of traceroute packets having different time-to-live (TTL) values and different payloads to prevent hops from dropping different traceroute packets having identical payloads. In a communication network that supports TCP and ICMP protocols, the traceroute packets are TCP data packets, timeout packets from the hops are ICMP timeout packets, and acknowledgment packets from the destination node are TCP ACK packets.
Claims8
A method for determining a traceroute of a path from a source node via a set of one or more hops to a destination node in a communication network, the method comprising the source node:
- transmitting a set of traceroute packets having different time-to-live (TTL) values and different payloads towards the destination node along the path;
- receiving, from each hop in the path, a timeout packet identifying the hop and a corresponding traceroute packet;
- receiving, from the destination node, at least one acknowledgment (ACK) packet identifying the destination node and a corresponding traceroute packet;
- and
- determining the traceroute from each timeout packet and the at least one ACK packet.
Apparatus comprising a source node for determining a traceroute of a path from the source node via a set of one or more hops to a destination node in a communication network, the source node comprising:
- a memory;
- and
- at least one processor, coupled to the memory and operative to:
- transmit a set of traceroute packets having different TTL values and different payloads towards the destination node along the path;
- receive, from each hop in the path, a timeout packet identifying the hop and a corresponding traceroute packet;
- receive, from the destination node, at least one ACK packet identifying the destination node and a corresponding traceroute packet;
- and
- determine the traceroute from each timeout packet and the at least one ACK packet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.