Testing your connection speed with speedtest

Testing your connection speed is an essential step in ensuring a smooth and reliable online experience. It allows you to assess the speed and stability of your internet connection, identify any potential issues, and take proactive measures to improve it. In this guide, we will discuss the importance of testing your connection speed, identify the best tools for the job, and walk you through the process of running a successful speed test.

Understanding the importance of testing your connection speed:

Your connection speed plays a crucial role in various aspects of your online activities. It determines how fast you can download files, stream videos, access websites, and participate in video calls. A slow connection can greatly impact your productivity, cause frustration, and even lead to dropped connections during important online activities.

Therefore, it is crucial to test your connection regularly to ensure that the speed provided by your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is what you expect it to be. By conducting regular speed tests, you can identify potential issues and take necessary actions to resolve them.

To test your connection speed with speedtest, you need to install the Python and Python3 packages if they are not already installed on your system. Additionally, you will also need to install the wget package, as it is required to download the script.

General Steps to take to test your Connection Speed with Speedtest

To test your connection speed with speedtest, follow these steps:

1. Check if Python and Python3 packages are installed on your system. If they are not installed, you will need to install them. The steps to install Python and Python3 may vary depending on your operating system. Refer to the official Python website for detailed installation instructions.

2. Install the wget package. This package is required to download the speedtest script. Again, the steps to install wget may vary depending on your operating system. Refer to the official wget documentation for installation instructions specific to your system.

3. Once you have installed Python, Python3, and wget, you are ready to test your connection speed using speedtest.

How to test your connection speed with speedtest & Steb-by-Step Guide 

Install the python and python3 packages, if not previously installed, and wget (required to download the script)

yum install wget
yum install python
yum install python3

Download the script to the server

wget -O speedtest-cli <a href="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sivel/speedtest-cli/master/speedtest.py">https://raw.githubusercontent....</a>

Add execution permissions to the script and run it

# chmod +x speedtest-cli
# ./speedtest-cli
execution result will be as follows
# ./speedtest-cli 
Retrieving speedtest.net configuration...
Testing from ONLINE SAS (212.129.10.155)...
Retrieving speedtest.net server list...
Selecting best server based on ping...
Hosted by SFR SAS (Paris) [2.04 km]: 19.39 ms
Testing download speed................................................................................
Download: 805.96 Mbit/s
Testing upload speed................................................................................................
Upload: 659.67 Mbit/s

When interpreting the results of a speed test, it's important to understand the different factors that can impact your connection speed. Factors such as the number of devices connected to your network, the distance from your router, and network congestion can all contribute to fluctuations in your connection speed. Therefore, it's important to run multiple tests at different times of the day to get an accurate representation of your connection speed.

In conclusion, testing your connection speed regularly is essential for ensuring a smooth and reliable online experience. By understanding the importance of testing, identifying the best tools for the job, and running successful speed tests, you can ensure that your connection is delivering the speeds you expect.