How to Test 10Gbps Network Bandwidth with Iperf: A Complete Guide

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One of the fundamental points to take into account while purchasing a dedicated server for your business is the network bandwidth that your plan offers. This part affects the quality of the work and also has something to do with the costs. Although it is easy to measure your home internet speed via different online tools, using the same methods to check your server's bandwidth may result in broken or inconsistent results. 


A graphic featuring the text "ipref3" repeated in a bold and rhythmic pattern across the image.

Why Traditional Speed Tests Fall Short

Many speed test tools are designed to measure how fast your server can connect to their test servers. Unfortunately, a lot of these test servers have a maximum capacity of only 1Gbps. This limitation means that if your server has a higher capacity, you won't get to see its full potential. Furthermore, if you're testing by downloading a file from your server to your home computer, your results will be constrained by your home internet speed. For example, if your home connection is around 19 Mbps, you won't get a true picture of your server's capabilities. Traditional tools like wget also fall short as they typically utilize just one connection, which isn't sufficient for accurately testing high-bandwidth connections.

Accurate Methods for Testing 10Gbps Bandwidth

In convincing the clients about 10Gbps bandwidth measurements, we need a more decent approach to avoid the numerous false-negative results. We suggest you use Iperf3, a tool many know about, which allows you to set up network tests between two servers, no matter if they are in the same data center or scattered across different locations. Follow our steps to get started, and you will feel an accurate description of your server's performance. Another way of checking the bandwidth is with the use of the good old Iperf.

What is Iperf?

Iperf is a powerful tool designed for measuring network performance by testing the speed between two servers. It helps determine the bandwidth capacity of your connection in both TCP and UDP protocols. This makes it an ideal choice for assessing your server's uplink speed.

How to Install Iperf3

To use Iperf, you’ll need at least two servers: one to send data (the client) and another to receive it (the listener). Here’s how to install Iperf3 on different systems:

For Linux:

  • Debian-based systems (like Ubuntu):

sudo apt-get install iperf3


  • Red Hat-based systems (like CentOS):

sudo yum install iperf3


For Windows:

  1. Download Iperf3: Visit the official Iperf website and download the Windows ZIP file.

  2. Extract the ZIP File: Right-click the ZIP file and choose "Extract All" to unzip it.

  3. Run Iperf3: Open the extracted folder, locate the iperf3.exe file, and run it from the Command Prompt. To start the server, use:


iperf3 -s

To start the client, use:


iperf3 -c <server-ip>


Why Iperf is Ideal for 10Gbps Testing

Iperf is perfect for testing high-speed networks because it allows multiple test connections simultaneously, making it crucial for measuring speeds of 10Gbps or higher. Unlike tools like wget, which are limited to single connections, Iperf enables you to fully utilize your server's bandwidth.

Testing Your 10Gbps Bandwidth with Iperf

Step 1: Prepare Your Servers

Check that both servers, the one that is sending (client) and the one that is receiving (listener), have 10Gbps uplinks. It is highly recommended that the listener have more capacity, like 20Gbps, to be able to accept the entire data stream when devices are sending a 10 Gbps line speed.

Step 2: Running Iperf Tests

  • On the Listener Server: Activate listening mode:

iperf3 -s

  • On the Client Server: Run a test using the IP address of the listener server. To achieve accurate results, run multiple streams:

iperf3 -P 20 -c <server-ip>


This command runs 20 simultaneous tests against the listener server.

Understanding the Results

When reviewing your Iperf test results, pay attention to:

  • Interval: Duration of each test segment.
  • Transfer: Total data transferred.
  • Bandwidth: Speed of the data transfer in Mbit/sec.

Look at the last two lines marked [SUM] for average speeds. If each stream shows around 460 Mbps and the total bandwidth reads 9.33 Gbps, your network is almost at its 10Gbps capacity, aided by the listener’s 20Gbps uplink.

Conclusion

If you have gone through this guide, you have obtained the basic Iperf commands to examine network bandwidth. Besides the core functionalities, Iperf presents you with more of the features and settings thus you can perform the analysis more thoroughly. Thanks to the following instructions, it becomes evident to you that your server is operating at its best which in result is your investment in a dedicated hosting top performance.

References

How to Test 10Gbps Network Bandwidth with Iperf: A Comprehensive Tutorial

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