# Install tracebox with Homebrew, Nix Middlebox detection tool. Version 0.4.4 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-25. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:tracebox ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install tracebox ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#tracebox ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/tr/tracebox/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:tracebox - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.4.4 - **Source summary:** Middlebox detection tool - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-only AND BSD-3-Clause - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-25T13:38:09+02:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T18:08:21+00:00 ## Executables - luatracebox (cli) - tracebox (cli) - luatracebox (alias) - tracebox (alias) ## Dependencies - json-c - lua ## Build dependencies - autoconf - automake - libtool ## Uses from macOS - libpcap ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Caveats: Tracebox requires superuser privileges e.g. run with sudo. You should be certain that you trust any software you are executing with elevated privileges. - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.4.4 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-25 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/tracebox/tracebox - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage Tracebox is a network-diagnostics CLI for detecting middleboxes on an Internet path. Its README describes it as traceroute-like, but focused on identifying packet modifications by comparing probes with ICMP replies. ### Project history Tracebox comes from the research and measurement side of networking. The project page explains that it detects middleboxes by using ICMP replies to identify changes in packets, relying on the common behavior of devices that return more of the original datagram than the minimum described by RFC 792. The GitHub repository was created in 2013, with public release metadata from v0.3 in May 2015 through v0.4.4 in January 2018. The source tree includes C and C++ implementation code, Lua support, manual pages, and documentation. ### Adoption history Tracebox's own README documents Homebrew installation for macOS, Linux builds from autotools dependencies, an OpenWRT package feed, and an Android build script for rooted phones. The OpenWRT section is explicitly marked unmaintained, which fits a project that was useful to network researchers and operators but did not become a constantly refreshed mainstream CLI. ### How it is used Users run `tracebox` or `luatracebox` to probe a path and inspect hop-by-hop packet modifications. The README documents JSON output via `-j`, verbose modification details, hop data, ICMP extensions, additions, deletions, and modifications, making it scriptable for measurement workflows. ### Why package nerds care In package-manager culture, Tracebox is a classic specialist network tool: packaged in Homebrew and Nix, rooted in Unix build conventions, and interesting because it extends the familiar traceroute mental model into middlebox detection and JSON-producing measurement. ### Timeline - 2013-06: GitHub repository created. - 2015-05: Tracebox v0.3 released. - 2017-10: Tracebox v0.4.2 released. - 2018-01: Tracebox v0.4.4 released. ### Related projects - traceroute, ICMP, Lua, OpenWRT, Android builds, libpcap, netfilter queue. ### Sources - - - - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** tracebox - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 4 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - tracebox: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/tr/tracebox/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [lua](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lua/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [autoconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autoconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [automake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/automake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [libtool](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libtool/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [fastrace](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fastrace/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, network-diagnostics, networking, traceroute. - [fping](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fping/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, icmp, network-diagnostics, networking. - [lft](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lft/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, network-diagnostics, networking, traceroute. - [mtr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mtr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, network-diagnostics, networking, traceroute. - [nexttrace](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nexttrace/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, network-diagnostics, networking, traceroute. - [tcptraceroute](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tcptraceroute/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, network-diagnostics, networking, traceroute. - [trippy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/trippy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, network-diagnostics, networking, traceroute. - [cloudflare-speed-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cloudflare-speed-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, diagnostics, network-diagnostics, networking. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/tracebox.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/tracebox.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph