How to Properly Test Your VPS Network Speed

Why You Shouldn't Use Speedtest.net

Many users instinctively reach for Speedtest.net when testing their VPS network performance, but this will give you inaccurate results. Here's why:

Problems with Speedtest.net for VPS Testing:

Routes through third-party servers - Speedtest connects you to random servers that may be congested, poorly peered, or geographically distant from our network
CPU bottlenecking - Speedtest is resource-intensive. If your VPS CPU is under any load, the test will be limited by CPU performance, not your actual network capacity
Doesn't reflect real-world performance - The results don't represent how your VPS will actually perform when serving traffic or connecting to your users
Limited by Speedtest infrastructure - You're testing Speedtest's servers and peering, not your VPS connection

The Right Way: Use iPerf3

We maintain dedicated iPerf3 servers on our network backbone specifically for accurate network testing. These servers are directly connected to our infrastructure and will give you true measurements of your VPS's network capabilities.

Before You Test

Important: Check your CPU usage first. If your CPU is already at high utilization, stop any intensive processes before testing. Network tests will be inaccurate if your CPU is maxed out.

Linux: Use top or htop
Windows: Use Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and check CPU percentage

Installation

Linux

Debian/Ubuntu:

apt update && apt install iperf3 -y

CentOS/RHEL/AlmaLinux:

yum install iperf3 -y

Rocky Linux/Fedora:

dnf install iperf3 -y

Windows

Download iPerf3 from: https://iperf.fr/iperf-download.php
Extract the ZIP file to a folder (e.g., C:\iperf3\)
Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator
Navigate to the folder: cd C:\iperf3\
Run the test commands below (use iperf3.exe instead of iperf3)

Test Commands by Location

Use the test server closest to your VPS location for the most accurate results.

Ohio (OH)

Incoming (Download) Speed:

Linux:

iperf3 -4 -c 104.234.231.45 -p 5201 -P 4

Windows:

iperf3.exe -4 -c 104.234.231.45 -p 5201 -P 4

Outgoing (Upload) Speed:

Linux:

iperf3 -4 -c 104.234.231.45 -p 5201 -P 4 -R

Windows:

iperf3.exe -4 -c 104.234.231.45 -p 5201 -P 4 -R

Texas (TX)

Incoming (Download) Speed:

Linux:

iperf3 -4 -c 23.230.253.156 -p 5201 -P 4

Windows:

iperf3.exe -4 -c 23.230.253.156 -p 5201 -P 4

Outgoing (Upload) Speed:

Linux:

iperf3 -4 -c 23.230.253.156 -p 5201 -P 4 -R

Windows:

iperf3.exe -4 -c 23.230.253.156 -p 5201 -P 4 -R

Arizona (AZ)

Incoming (Download) Speed:

Linux:

iperf3 -4 -c 23.95.134.2 -p 5201 -P 4

Windows:

iperf3.exe -4 -c 23.95.134.2 -p 5201 -P 4

Outgoing (Upload) Speed:

Linux:

iperf3 -4 -c 23.95.134.2 -p 5201 -P 4 -R

Windows:

iperf3.exe -4 -c 23.95.134.2 -p 5201 -P 4 -R

Understanding Your Results

iPerf3 will display your transfer speed in Mbits/sec or Gbits/sec. Look for the line that says "sender" for upload tests and "receiver" for download tests.

Example output:

[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bitrate
[  5]   0.00-10.00  sec  1.10 GBytes   941 Mbits/sec                  sender
[  5]   0.00-10.00  sec  1.10 GBytes   940 Mbits/sec                  receiver

This shows approximately 940 Mbps network speed.

Still Having Issues?

If you're experiencing poor network performance even with iPerf3 showing good results, or if your iPerf3 results are consistently below your plan's allocated bandwidth, please open a support ticket with:

Your VPS hostname or IP address
Which test server you used (OH/TX/AZ)
The complete iPerf3 output
Confirmation that CPU was idle during testing

Our team will investigate and help resolve any network issues.

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