Which command is used to examine the path that packets take to reach a destination?

The command used to examine the path that packets take to reach a specific destination is "tracert." This command, which stands for "trace route," sends a series of packets to the target address and records the time it takes for each packet to reach its destination, as well as the routers (or hops) it passes through along the way. This information allows users to see the route that data takes to reach its endpoint, which can be useful for diagnosing network issues or understanding the network's geographic layout.

In contrast, "ping" sends an echo request to a destination and measures the round-trip time for the packets but does not provide information about the route taken. "ipconfig" is used to display the current network configuration settings on a device and does not relate to packet routing. "nslookup" is a tool for querying the Domain Name System (DNS) to obtain domain name or IP address mapping information, which also does not examine packet paths. Each of these commands serves a distinct purpose in network diagnostics, but "tracert" specifically focuses on tracing the path that packets take across the network.