Methods, Systems, And Apparatus For Geographic Location Using Trace Routes

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing program instructions that, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause performance of operations comprising:

• performing a first traceroute and a second traceroute by directing a series of data packets to a target Internet Protocol (IP) address (a target IP address) to collect device information for network devices along the first traceroute and the second traceroute;
• identifying a first IP address, associated with a first network device, encountered at a first hop in the first traceroute and a second IP address, associated with a second network device, encountered at a second hop in the second traceroute, wherein the first IP address and the second IP address are associated with a common forwarding label, and wherein the first IP address is different from the second IP address,
• determining, based at least on the first IP address and the second IP address being associated with a same common forwarding label, that the first IP address and the second IP address correspond to a same network device;
• and
• based on determining the first IP address and the second IP address correspond to the same network device, (a) estimating a geolocation of the second network device and (b) mapping the geolocation to the second IP address, based on at least one of:
• a latency measurement associated with the first IP address, or reverse domain name system (a “DNS”) information associated with the first IP address.

A system comprising:

• one or more hardware processors;
• one or more non-transitory computer-readable media;
• and
• program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media that, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
• performing a first traceroute and a second traceroute by directing a series of data packets to a target Internet Protocol (IP) address (a target IP address) to collect device information for network devices along the first traceroute and the second traceroute;
• identifying a first IP address, associated with a first network device, encountered at a first hop in the first traceroute and a second IP address, associated with a second network device, encountered at a second hop in the second traceroute, wherein the first IP address and the second IP address are associated with a common forwarding label, and wherein the first IP address is different from the second IP address;
• determining, based at least on the first IP address and the second IP address being associated with a same common forwarding label, that the first IP address and the second IP address correspond to a same network device;
• and
• based on determining the first IP address and the second IP address correspond to the same network device, (a) estimating a geolocation of the second network device and (b) mapping the geolocation to the second IP address, based on at least one of:
• a latency measurement associated with the first IP address, or reverse domain name system (a “DNS”) information associated with the first IP address.