Traffic Testing Tools

i need my handy handy spy device

How do I detect poor network performance?

Throughput Testers

Transfer a big file between two hosts. The time it takes to transfer said large file tells you how fast your network is. For example, if it takes half an hour to transfer a 1 GB file, you have a throughput of 4.55 Mbps.

Top Talkers/Listeners

Use any network analysis software, like Wireshark, to view the interfaces that are generating the most traffic, whether outgoing (talkers) or incoming (listeners).

Bandwidth Speed Testers (Raw Lesson Content)

In addition to testing performance on a local network, you may also want to test Internet links using some type of bandwidth speed tester. There are many Internet tools available for checking performance. The two main classes are the following:

• Broadband speed checkers—These test how fast the local broadband link to the Internet is. They are mostly designed for SOHO use. The tool will test downlink and uplink speeds, will test latency using ping, and can usually compare the results with neighboring properties and other users of the same ISP.
• Website performance checkers—These query a nominated website to work out how quickly pages load. One of the advantages of an online tool is that you can test your site's response times from the perspective of customers in different countries.