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Test your internet speed from the terminal

Measure ping, download and upload speed without opening a browser.

Linuxnetworkspeedtest-clispeed-testLow risk
Run speedtest-cli to test your connection, or add --simple for a clean ping/download/upload readout.

01Command

Command
$ speedtest-cli

02What it does

speedtest-cli talks to speedtest.net servers the same way the browser test does, so you get real download and upload numbers. The --simple flag prints just three lines, which is ideal for scripts or pasting into a ticket. Use --list to pick a closer server for more accurate results.

03Risk

RiskLow risk
Requirementsspeedtest-cli installed (Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt install speedtest-cli)
!Warning: The full test transfers a lot of data — on a metered or mobile connection run it sparingly.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

  • speedtest-cli(1) — Ubuntu manual page
    Ubuntu · community · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: The Ubuntu man page documents speedtest-cli and its options for testing download/upload bandwidth.
  • speedtest-cli(1) — manual page
    Arch Linux · community · 2026-09-17
    Evidence: speedtest-cli runs a bandwidth test using speedtest.net from the command line; --simple prints ping, download and upload values only.

Last verified: 2026-09-18 · Category: Network

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