How It Works
UK Internet Report uses traceroute observations to build an independent graph of Internet topology.
1. Measure routes
Measurement points trace routes towards many Internet destinations. Each trace reveals some of the intermediate addresses encountered on the way.
2. Discover topology
Previously unseen router addresses are added to the topology. Consecutive visible hops form connections between nodes. Repeated observations strengthen the accumulated map.
3. Build a snapshot
The live measurement system periodically exports a self-contained snapshot containing the public topology data needed for reporting. The public website does not require direct database access.
4. Render the map
The topology is transformed into large-format artwork. Node positions are retained between renders where possible, allowing newly discovered areas to grow around an increasingly stable map.
What the map means
The artwork is a visualisation of observed topology, not a literal geographical map of the Internet. Position primarily represents relationships in the graph rather than physical location.
Missing addresses or connections do not necessarily indicate an outage. Routers can ignore or filter traceroute traffic and different routes may be visible from different measurement points.