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# How to test your server's bandwidth

# Testing Your Server's Bandwidth

This guide walks you through installing and using Speedtest CLI to check the bandwidth on your VPS.

## Prerequisites

* Root or sudo SSH access

## Installation

**1. Remove any older versions first**

```bash
sudo apt-get remove speedtest-cli speedtest
```

**2. Make sure curl is installed**

```bash
sudo apt-get install curl
```

**3. Grab the latest Speedtest CLI**

```bash
curl -s https://install.speedtest.net/app/cli/install.deb.sh | sudo bash
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install speedtest
```

## Running a Test

**Basic test**

```bash
speedtest
```

> **Note:** Speedtest automatically picks a nearby server, which may not be located near your VPS. Since results depend heavily on the server used, always confirm the test is running against a server close to your VPS's actual location — not wherever Speedtest defaults to — otherwise your results may look worse than your real bandwidth.

**Test against a specific server**

```bash
speedtest -s XXXX
```

**Other handy options**

```bash
speedtest --help    # show all available options
speedtest -L        # list nearby servers
speedtest -f csv    # output results as CSV
```

## Reading the Results

Each run gives you:

* **Ping** – latency in ms
* **Download** – download speed
* **Upload** – upload speed
* **Jitter** – how much the latency fluctuates

## Tips for Accurate Results

* Run the test a few times at different hours of the day
* Try a couple of different servers, not just the closest one
* Avoid testing during peak traffic hours
* Close anything on your machine that's eating bandwidth in the background

## If Something Goes Wrong

* Double-check your network connection
* Make sure no firewall rule is blocking the test
* Take a look at your system logs if the issue persists