Reply from x: TTL expired in transit Networking Origin: Network OSI layer 3 · Network Last updated 5 Nov 2026

Networking: TTL expired in transit — routing loop between routers

A packet ran out of hops before arriving, which usually means two routers keep sending it back and forth.

Exact message you may see TTL expired in transitTime to live exceededFrom 10.0.0.1 icmp_seq=1 Time to live exceededReply from 10.0.0.1: TTL expired in transit.routing loop
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Seen on: Windows Linux Networking

Meaning

Run traceroute/tracert: a repeating pair of hops is a loop. Fix the conflicting static routes or default routes (each router pointing at the other), or the dynamic routing mis-redistribution. Very long paths with a tiny TTL can also trigger it.

Common causes

  • Two routers pointing default routes at each other
  • Conflicting static routes or summary routes
  • Routing protocol redistribution loop
  • Missing return route
  • Artificially low TTL set by the sender

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Trace the path: tracert dest / traceroute -n dest and look for repeating hops
  2. Remove or correct the conflicting route
  3. Verify summaries and redistribution

Detailed fix by platform

Linux

  1. bash
    traceroute -n 10.20.0.5
ip route get 10.20.0.5

How to diagnose

  1. Traceroute — Repeating hops?
  2. Routes — Point at each other?
  3. TTL — Not too small?

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

Where this error sits

Origin: Network. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):

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