How To Install Speedtest-cli On a CentOS/RHEL/Fedora Linux To Check Internet Speed

Install Speedtest-cli on a Linux

The speedtest-cli written in Python. So make sure Python installed and working correctly. Here is how to find out Python version:
python --version
python3 --version
lsb_release -a

Step 1: Install python

Type the following yum command to install Python on a CentOS/RHEL/Scientific Linux:
$ sudo yum install python
CentOS / RHEL 8 user type the following command to install Python 3 or 2:
$ sudo yum install python3
$ sudo yum install python2
Run the following dnf command to install Python on a Fedora Linux v22+:
$ sudo dnf install python
$ sudo dnf install python3

Step 2: Download speedtest_cli.py

Type the following wget command to grab the speedtest_cli.py client:
$ wget -O speedtest-cli https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sivel/speedtest-cli/master/speedtest.py
$ chmod +x speedtest-cli

Fig.01: Grab speedtest_cli.py

Step 3: Check the Internet speed

Simply type the following command:
$ ./speedtest-cli
OR
$ python speedtest-cli
Sample outputs:

Retrieving speedtest.net configuration...
Retrieving speedtest.net server list...
Testing from nixcraft Dutch Holdings BV (5.151.xx.yyy)...
Selecting best server based on latency...
Hosted by SoftLayer Technologies, Inc. (Amsterdam) [6.45 km]: 2.317 ms
Testing download speed........................................
Download: 925.88 Mbit/s
Testing upload speed..................................................
Upload: 105.69 Mbit/s

To see speed values in bytes instead of bits pass the --bytes option:
$ ./speedtest-cli --bytes
To generate and provide a URL to the speedtest.net share results image pass the --share option:
$ ./speedtest-cli --share
Of course, you can combine both the options:
$ ./speedtest-cli --share --bytes
Sample outputs:

Gif.01: Speedtest_cli.py in action

How do I specify a server ID to test against?

First, grab a server list, enter:
$ wget http://www.speedtest.net/speedtest-servers.php
To view a server ID, enter:
$ more speedtest-servers.php
To search a server ID, enter:
$ grep 'city-name' speedtest-servers.php
$ grep 'country-name' speedtest-servers.php
$ grep 'Tampa, FL' speedtest-servers.php

<server url="http://speedtest1.hivelocity.net/speedtest/upload.php" lat="27.9709" lon="-82.4646" name="Tampa, FL" country="United States" cc="US" sponsor="Hivelocity Hosting" id="2137"  host="speedtest1.hivelocity.net:8080" />
<server url="http://speedtestnet.rapidsys.com/speedtest/upload.php" lat="27.9709" lon="-82.4646" name="Tampa, FL" country="United States" cc="US" sponsor="Rapid Systems" id="1296"  host="speedtestnet.rapidsys.com:8080" />

OR just display a server ID:
$ grep 'Tampa, FL' speedtest-servers.php | egrep -o 'id="[0-9]{4}"'
Sample outputs:

id="2137"
id="1296"

Next use the server ID 2137:
$ ./speedtest-cli --server 2137
Sample outputs:

Fig.02: speedtest-cli in action

Not a fan of speedtest.net?

No worries. Try wget, lftp or specilized tool like iperf on a Linux to test the Internet or Intranet speed from the command line.

Concolusion

You learned how to install speedtest-cli command line interface for testing internet bandwidth using speedtest.net on a CentOS/RHEL/Fedora Linux. For more information see this page here.

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I'm Vivek Gite, and I write about Linux, macOS, Unix, IT, programming, infosec, and open source. Subscribe to my RSS feed or email newsletter for updates.