5 tools to measure LAN speed on the local network

The speed of a local area network (LAN) is a critical aspect for both home and business users. In many cases, LAN speed can directly impact productivity or user experience, especially when transferring large files between computers or running software that relies on network connectivity. Throughout this article, we will provide you with a complete guide on how to measure the speed of your LAN with free tools, explaining each of them in detail and expanding on new options and key technical settings that will help you optimize the speed of your local network.

There are a number of factors that can influence the speed of your LAN, from the hardware used to the quality of the network cables, to the correct configuration of routers, switches and network adapters. Although you can use online speed measurement tools, these tests are generally intended to measure the speed of your Internet connection, so they do not provide a detailed analysis of the speed within your local network.

In this article we will discuss not only the options available for measuring LAN speed, but also how to interpret the results obtained and what factors related to hardware, software and network configuration may be affecting its performance.

1. LAN Speed ​​Test (Lite) - Lan speed in local network

LAN Speed ​​Test (Lite) remains one of the most popular and easiest solutions for measuring speed within a local network. Its simplicity is one of the key points that make this tool a good choice for less experienced users. It allows you to measure both the upload and download speed of a file stored in a shared folder within the local network, which will allow you to get an accurate reading of the transfer between two devices.

The process involves copying and transferring a file over the network, which provides a clear view of how long it takes to transfer a set of data from one device to another within the same network. This tool generates results that can be easily interpreted, displaying the speed in different units as preferred, such as Mbps or Gbps, allowing you to customize the size of the file to be transferred.

In addition, LAN Speed ​​Test has the benefit of being portable, meaning it does not require installation. This makes it easy to use, as it can be run directly from a USB drive on any machine connected to the network.

2. LANBench: Specific LAN speed tests

Another option for measuring LAN speed is LANBench, a more advanced tool that offers network tests between two computers on a local network. Unlike other tools that simply measure file transfer speed, LANBench performs tests over the TCP protocol, allowing for a more accurate measurement of network traffic in terms of stability and performance.

In order to perform the measurements, you need to configure one of the computers as a server and the other as a client. The interface is simple and easy to use, and you can configure the packet size, test duration, and other network parameters. An important feature of LANBench is that its impact on the CPU is minimal, ensuring that the network tests you perform will not be affected by the performance of the host computer.

LANBench is ideal for networks where you want to compare the performance of various types of connections or identify potential bottlenecks, as it provides detailed information about the latency and consistency of network traffic.

3.NETIO-GUI

NETIO-GUI NETIO-GUI stands out for being a flexible tool that can be run either from the command line or with a graphical user interface (GUI), which allows it to be used by both advanced IT administrators and basic users. NETIO-GUI measures transfer rates between two devices and allows testing with various packet sizes and different network configurations.

It is an excellent choice for those looking for a tool that can run on multiple platforms, as it supports Windows, Linux, and macOS. Like the other tools mentioned, NETIO-GUI requires one of the devices to be configured as a server and the other as a client.

NETIO-GUI Highlighted Features

• Configurable tests in both TCP and UDP.
• Support for multiple parallel connections to test stability under load.
• Measures response time (latency) and packet loss rate.

4.NetStress

NetStress is another useful tool for measuring the speed and performance of a local network. NetStress It allows you to perform load tests, generating traffic on the network to measure its response capacity and detect drops in performance.

What makes NetStress unique is that it allows performance testing on both wired and wireless networks, providing a complete option for users who use Wi-Fi connections within their LAN. Like other tools, NetStress requires two devices (client and server) to communicate with each other during testing.

Additionally, NetStress can measure network traffic in both TCP and UDP, giving you a clear idea of ​​how different packet types behave within your local network. If you are experiencing performance issues on your Wi-Fi network, this tool can also help you determine if the wireless signal is affecting response times and transfer speeds.

Key Features of NetStress

• Adjustable TCP and UDP data transfers.
• Packet transmission rate tests.
• Support to adapt to wireless and wired networks.

5. iPerf3 – Professional LAN and WAN network measurement

iPerf3 iPerf3 is an advanced tool designed to measure peak bandwidth on LAN and WAN networks. It is widely used by network professionals due to its ability to perform ultra-detailed measurements and its support for multiple protocols and network layers. iPerfXNUMX is compatible with any operating system and can work with both TCP and UDP, making it perfect for networks that handle different types of traffic.

Notable features of iPerf3 include the ability to perform multi-client and bi-directional testing, as well as support for measurements on networks with multi-gigabit transfer rates. Additionally, it provides detailed information on packet loss, jitter, and other parameters that affect network performance.

To configure iPerf3, you need to install the software on two devices: one will act as a server and the other as a client. Through commands in the terminal, you can perform different configurations, such as adjusting the MTU size or performing periodic tests that verify the stability of the network over time.

Factors that affect the speed of a local network

There are multiple factors that can impact the speed of your local network, some related to hardware, and others to network configuration. Below we detail the most important ones.

• Cable quality: Using lower-category cables, such as Fast Ethernet (Cat 5), will limit your speed to 100Mbps versus higher-category cables such as Cat 5e or Cat 6, which allow up to 1Gbps.
• Network devices: If one of the elements of your network, such as a router or switch, does not support speeds greater than 100 Mbps, it will limit the overall performance of the entire network.
• Distance: The distance between devices also affects the transfer speed. The greater the distance between two wired devices, the greater the signal loss and the lower the effective speed.
• Incorrect configuration: Sometimes poor performance is simply due to incorrect settings in system options or failure to update network card drivers.

If you notice an unexpected drop in LAN speed, it is advisable to check all of these factors to ensure that your network is optimized to the maximum.

As you can see, measuring LAN speed on a local network is essential to maintaining optimal performance. With tools like LAN Speed ​​Test, LANBench, NETIO-GUI, AIDA32, and NetStress, you can get accurate measurements of transfer speed and other important parameters that will help you detect problems on your network and effectively troubleshoot them. A proper speed measurement will allow you to not only optimize your network but also improve the user experience on it.