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I'm using a remote dedicated server running ubuntu server edition, and I have no idea what the upload/download speeds are.

Is there a reliable method to test these speeds via the command line? I know you can just download a file and look at the rate, but that depends on the speed of the hosting server and you don't get an upload speed =/

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  • The "upload/download speeds" are relative between two nodes, but you only mention the dedicated server. Please clarify.
    – deed02392
    Dec 11, 2012 at 13:29

4 Answers 4

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Check out iperf. Just start up iperf on your server and connect to it with iperf running on your workstation. It'll do bi-directional speed tests. If you want to test connectivity to other well-connected networks, there are some public iperf servers around. Just google and you'll find some.

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  • Okay thanks. I think I'd rather test a public server than my workstation, because I'm on a pretty poor connection. I've tried googling for public iperf servers but I can't find one. Could you give me an example if you know where to find one please?
    – Matt
    Jun 26, 2010 at 21:23
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    @user45745, If you where using iperf to test from some public server you will have the same type of problem you have from a http download from some public server. You will have no way to know how much bandwidth is allocated and what else is going on.
    – Zoredache
    Jun 26, 2010 at 21:57
  • @user45745: Google "iperf server" or "public iperf server". Several options come up among the first few pages of results.
    – Dennis Williamson
    Jun 26, 2010 at 23:19
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I like to wget an Linux ISO from a known fast internet mirror.

It's a quick sanity check for your internet speed test.

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    +1 for wget; I use wget -O/dev/null to eliminate any disk bottlenecks.
    – violet
    Jun 27, 2010 at 0:26
  • Can you suggest any fast mirror for it?
    – Rihards
    Sep 6, 2011 at 18:50
  • The CacheFly Content Delivery Network provides 10 and 100MB test files. cachefly.cachefly.net/100mb.test
    – Kenny Rasschaert
    Dec 11, 2012 at 13:33
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You might want to try out "Tespeed": https://github.com/Janhouse/tespeed

I made it work with Speedtest.net testing servers, so it is kind of like it, only for terminal.

It uses nearest Speedtest.net server for testing (you can also specify it manually).

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You can test download speed with a fast download mirror. For example you could take a look at CacheFly's website, they usually have a link to 10MB and 100MB test files and leveraging a CDN you'll make sure to use a good, "near" server.

I don't know what could be actually used to test upload speed.

If you have another server, and you know it's speed and it is "near" the one you want to test (low latency) you can just set up iperf or netperf or the like between the two.

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