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Internet Speed & IP

Test Your Internet Speed

You can quickly check your internet speed using online tools or command-line options.

Online Tools

  • Fast.com – Simple, shows download speed immediately.
  • Speedtest.net – Provides download, upload, and ping statistics.
  • SpeedOf.Me – HTML5-based, works on all devices.

Click Start or Go to measure your download and upload speeds. Wait for the test to finish. Most tools also show latency (ping) and sometimes jitter.

Terminal Tools

  • Linux/macOS: Install speedtest-cli

For Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install speedtest-cli

For macOS with Homebrew:

brew install speedtest-cli

Then run:

speedtest
  • Windows: Install via Python pip
pip install speedtest-cli

Then run:

speedtest

These commands provide download/upload speed and ping directly in your terminal.

Find Your Local IP Address

Your local IP is assigned to your active network interface (usually en0, wlan0, or eth0).

macOS / Linux (Terminal)

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. Run the command: ifconfig or ip addr (on modern Linux)
  3. Find the IP assigned to your active network interface (usually en0, wlan0, or eth0).

Example output (with example IPs):

en0: flags=8863<UP,BROADCAST,SMART,RUNNING> mtu 1500
inet 192.168.1.42 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.1.255
  • en0 is the interface name.
  • inet 192.168.1.42 is your local IP address.

Windows (Command Prompt)

  1. Open Command Prompt.
  2. Run: ipconfig.
  3. Look for IPv4 Address under your active network adapter.
  4. Example output:

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:

IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.42
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
  • 192.168.1.42 is your local IP address.

Router Interface

  • Log in to your router’s admin page (usually http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1).
  • Look for Device List or Connected Devices.
  • Your device IP will be shown next to its name/MAC address.

Find Your Public IP Address

Your public IP is visible to the internet and can be found using online tools:

How Local and Public IPs Work Together?

Local IP Address (Private IP)

Definition: This is the IP assigned to your device by your local network (home router, office network, etc.).

Typical format: IPv4 addresses like 192.168.1.42, 10.0.0.5, or 172.16.0.10.

Purpose:

  • It allows devices on the same local network to communicate.
  • Examples: your laptop talks to your printer, smart TV, or other computers on the same Wi-Fi.

How it works:

  • Your router runs a DHCP service, which assigns each device a unique local IP automatically when it joins the network.
  • This IP is not visible on the internet, only inside your network.

Public IP Address

Definition: This is the IP assigned to your network by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Example: 203.0.113.17 (used only as an example IP)

Purpose:

  • Allows your network to communicate with the internet.
  • All devices inside your home share this public IP when accessing websites or online services.

How it works:

  • Your router uses Network Address Translation (NAT) to map your local IPs to the public IP.
  • When a request goes to a website, the router replaces the local IP in the outgoing packet with the public IP.
  • When the website replies, the router forwards the response to the correct device inside your network.

Tips

  • For consistent speed results, close other apps using the internet before testing.
  • Public IPs can change depending on your ISP (dynamic IP). Local IPs are usually stable unless manually configured.
  • For automation or frequent testing, speedtest-cli is very convenient in scripts.

Summary

  • Use online tools or speedtest-cli to check download/upload speeds.
  • Find your local IP via ifconfig, ip addr, or ipconfig.
  • Check your public IP using websites or curl.