How to Check Network Connection Speed in Debian 12 Bookworm

Monitoring network speed is essential for troubleshooting connectivity issues, ensuring optimal performance, and verifying bandwidth usage. In this guide, we will explore different methods to check network connection speed in Debian 12 Bookworm. We will cover both command-line tools and graphical applications to suit different user preferences.

Why Check Network Speed?

Checking network speed is crucial for:

• Diagnosing slow internet performance.
• Monitoring bandwidth usage.
• Ensuring your internet service provider (ISP) delivers the promised speed.
• Troubleshooting connectivity issues.
• Optimizing network configurations.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure that:

• You have a Debian 12 Bookworm system.
• You have a working internet connection.
• You have sudo privileges to install necessary tools.

Now, let’s explore different methods to check network speed in Debian 12.

Method 1: Using speedtest-cli

speedtest-cli is a popular command-line tool for testing internet speed using Speedtest.net servers.

Installing speedtest-cli

To install speedtest-cli, run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install speedtest-cli -y

Running a Speed Test

Once installed, you can check your internet speed by executing:

speedtest-cli

This command will display:

• Ping latency.
• Download speed.
• Upload speed.

For a more detailed result, use:

speedtest-cli --simple

If you need JSON output for further analysis, use:

speedtest-cli --json

Method 2: Using fast-cli

fast-cli is another command-line tool that uses Fast.com (by Netflix) to test network speed.

Installing fast-cli

To install fast-cli, first install npm (Node.js package manager):

sudo apt install npm -y

Then install fast-cli:

sudo npm install --global fast-cli

Running a Speed Test

Run the command:

fast

This will display your download speed in Mbps.

Method 3: Using iperf3

iperf3 is a powerful tool to measure network performance, particularly for internal network testing.

Installing iperf3

Install iperf3 with:

sudo apt install iperf3 -y

Running a Speed Test

For a basic test, run the following command on a server machine:

iperf3 -s

Then, from the client machine, run:

iperf3 -c <server-ip>

This provides:

• Bandwidth.
• Transfer speed.
• Jitter and packet loss (if UDP is used).

To test upload speed, use:

iperf3 -c <server-ip> -R

For a more extended test with multiple streams:

iperf3 -c <server-ip> -P 10

Method 4: Using wget or curl

You can test download speed using wget or curl by downloading a large file from a public server.

Using wget

Run:

wget --output-document=/dev/null https://speed.hetzner.de/1GB.bin

This will display the download speed.

Using curl

Alternatively, use:

curl -o /dev/null https://speed.hetzner.de/1GB.bin --progress-bar

Method 5: Using nload

nload provides a real-time graphical representation of network traffic.

Installing nload

sudo apt install nload -y

Running nload

Simply run:

nload

This will display:

• Incoming and outgoing traffic.
• Average data rate.
• Peak usage statistics.

Method 6: Using bmon

bmon is another real-time bandwidth monitor with more detailed visual representation.

Installing bmon

sudo apt install bmon -y

Running bmon

Execute:

bmon

Use arrow keys to navigate between interfaces.

Method 7: Using GUI Tools

1. GNOME System Monitor

If you use a GNOME-based desktop environment, you can check network speed with GNOME System Monitor:

• Open System Monitor from the Applications menu.
• Go to the Resources tab.
• Observe Network activity.

2. LibreSpeed

LibreSpeed is an open-source alternative to Speedtest.net.

Visit:

LibreSpeed

Click Start Test to measure your network speed.

Conclusion

Debian 12 Bookworm provides multiple methods to check network connection speed. For quick internet speed tests, speedtest-cli and fast-cli are excellent choices. If you need to measure internal network performance, iperf3 is a robust solution. Tools like nload and bmon provide real-time monitoring, while GUI applications offer user-friendly alternatives.

By selecting the right tool based on your requirements, you can effectively monitor and optimize your network performance in Debian 12 Bookworm.