During a recent ArcGIS session, my team lead asked:
"Where are ESRI's servers located?"
"Probably in the US," I replied instinctively.
"That means signals from Wuhan travel quite a distance!"

This sparked my curiosity: Could we visualize this network path?

Introducing BestTrace

This tool enables rapid network path visualization. See sample output:

Installation:

  1. Visit https://www.ipip.net/product/client.html
  2. Download your platform version:

    (Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS)

Windows Usage:

  1. Launch BestTrace
  2. Select Route Tracing
  3. Enter domain (e.g., www.esri.com)

Technical Principle

BestTrace leverages standard network diagnostics:

  • Windows: TRACERT command
  • macOS/Linux: traceroute command

Each hop returns an IP address, which BestTrace geolocates using IPIP.net's database. For IP geolocation techniques, see:
GIS Technique: Methods for Locating Users via IP Addresses

Commercial Use Considerations

The free version has usage limits. For integration into dashboards:

  1. Implement custom route tracing (using OS commands)
  2. Integrate IP geolocation API/service
  3. Visualize paths with WebGIS libraries (e.g., Leaflet, OpenLayers)