Remote Speedtest in CLI: Easy & Quick Network Troubleshooting

As an IT professional, diagnosing performance issues often starts with ruling out the internet connection. Browser-based speed tests are slow and inconvenient, especially in remote or server-only environments. This PowerShell script offers a direct, reliable way to quickly check network performance and gather crucial network configuration details. It’s especially useful with RMM platforms like Atera, Kaseya, or Datto, letting you run it from a system context on remote devices. This utility quickly provides objective speed data and comprehensive network insights, helping you confirm if the internet is the bottleneck or to move on to other diagnostics, getting you straight to the root cause.

To use this script effectively, you’ll need:

• PowerShell (of course…): The script runs on PowerShell; ensure a compatible version is installed.
• Internet Connectivity: An active connection open to the web is essential for any speed test.
• Ookla Speedtest CLI: The script uses the official Ookla Speedtest CLI. It’s designed to manage this dependency, often downloading and setting it up for you.

This script offers distinct advantages for efficient IT troubleshooting:

• Lightweight & Easy Command-Line Use: It’s a compact utility designed for quick execution directly from your terminal, minimizing overhead and complexity.
• Fast Results & Actionable Insights: Get immediate, objective metrics (download, upload, latency) that quickly provide clear data points to guide your troubleshooting. Beyond speed, it also provides detailed network information, including DNS servers, default gateway, local and public IP addresses, network adapter details, and even geolocation information, giving you a full picture of the network environment.

Follow these steps to use the script

1. Access the Script: Go to the script’s GitHub page: Link
2. Get Content: On the GitHub page, click the “Copy” button. It will get the script right to your clipboard.
3. Paste into PowerShell: Open a PowerShell console on the target device and paste the copied script directly into it.
4. Execute: Press Enter. If PowerShell isn’t already running with administrator privileges, the script is designed to prompt for elevation and then run itself from the elevated console. (Note: The script handles the download and setup of the Ookla Speedtest CLI executable automatically on its first run.)

This PowerShell script is a handy tool for quick troubleshooting. It provides objective data on network performance alongside essential network configuration details, helping you swiftly confirm if the internet connection is the issue or to dig deeper into the network setup.