Which command helps in checking the path data packets take to a destination?

The command that checks the path that data packets take to a destination is "tracert." This command, short for "trace route," allows users to see the network route that their data packets follow as they travel to a specific IP address or domain. It accomplishes this by sending out a series of packets with incrementally increasing time-to-live (TTL) values, enabling it to log the intermediate devices (routers) that the packets pass through until they reach their destination. This is useful for diagnosing network issues, understanding latency, and determining the path to a website or server, which can aid in troubleshooting connectivity problems.

Other commands listed have different functionalities: "netstat" is used for displaying active connections and listening ports; "ipconfig" shows the current network configuration of the host; and "route" manages the IP routing table but does not trace the data path like "tracert" does.