How to Test Internet Speed with CMD on Windows

Maybe you are on a server without a browser, you want to log results in a script, or you just prefer the keyboard. Whatever the reason, you can test internet speed with CMD on Windows using tools that are either built in or one command away. This guide covers four methods, from a full speed test to quick latency checks, and shows how to read the results.

Method 1: Ookla Speedtest CLI (Best)

The official command-line version of Speedtest measures download, upload, ping, jitter and packet loss.

1. Install it with winget

   Command

   winget install Ookla.Speedtest.CLI

   winget is included in Windows 11 and current Windows 10. Close and reopen Terminal after installing so the command is found.

2. Run the test

   Command

   speedtest --accept-license --accept-gdpr

   The flags are needed only the first time. After that, plain speedtest works.

3. Pick a server or log results (optional)

   Commands

   speedtest -L
   speedtest -s 12345
   speedtest -f csv >> speedlog.csv

   -L lists nearby servers, -s uses one by ID, and -f csv outputs a line you can append to a log file for scheduled tests.

Method 2: Test Internet Speed in CMD with curl

Windows 10 and 11 include curl. Download a test file and let curl report the average speed. This measures download only.

curl -o NUL -w "%{speed_download}" https://speed.cloudflare.com/__down?bytes=100000000

The result is in bytes per second. Multiply by 8 and divide by 1,000,000 for Mbps: 12,500,000 means 100 Mbps. In PowerShell type curl.exe instead of curl, because curl there is an alias for a different command. Why bytes and bits differ is explained in Mbps vs MB/s.

Method 3: PowerShell One-Liner in Mbps

This downloads 100 MB to a temp file, times it and prints the speed in Mbps directly:

$ProgressPreference = 'SilentlyContinue'
$t = Measure-Command { Invoke-WebRequest 'https://speed.cloudflare.com/__down?bytes=100000000' -OutFile "$env:TEMP\st.bin" -UseBasicParsing }
[math]::Round(800 / $t.TotalSeconds, 1)
Remove-Item "$env:TEMP\st.bin"

100 MB is 800 megabits, so 800 divided by the seconds gives Mbps. Turning off the progress bar matters: in Windows PowerShell 5.1 it slows downloads a lot.

Method 4: Latency and Wi-Fi Rate

Speed is only part of the story. For latency and stability:

ping -n 20 1.1.1.1
pathping 1.1.1.1
netsh wlan show interfaces

• ping shows the average and maximum round-trip time. A big gap means jitter; see what ping and jitter are.
• pathping tests every hop to the server for about five minutes and shows where packets are lost.
• netsh wlan show interfaces shows Wi-Fi signal and Receive/Transmit rate, the link speed to your router. Your internet speed cannot be higher.

Command Line vs a Speed Test App

If you want results without typing, Test Net Speed runs the full test in one click and keeps a history of every result, which makes it easy to spot slow evenings or compare Wi-Fi with Ethernet.

Is Your Result Good?

Compare the download number to your plan: 80–90% of the advertised speed on a cable is normal. Whether that speed is enough depends on your household; see how much internet speed you need.

Tips for Accurate Command-Line Results

• Use a cable for the test. Wi-Fi results change with every step you take. Test on Ethernet to measure the line itself, then on Wi-Fi to measure your wireless.
• Stop other traffic. Pause downloads, cloud sync and streaming on every device, or the test measures what is left over.
• Run it three times. Take the middle result. One test can hit a busy server or a burst of traffic.
• Test at different times. A good result at 10 am and a poor one at 9 pm points to evening congestion at your ISP, which is useful evidence when you contact support.
• Check the link first. If netsh wlan show interfaces reports a 144 Mbps receive rate, you cannot get 500 Mbps over that Wi-Fi link no matter what the plan says.

FAQ

Conclusion

To test internet speed with CMD, install the Speedtest CLI with winget for a complete result, or use curl or PowerShell for a quick download check with no install. Add ping and netsh to check latency and Wi-Fi link rate. Explore more network apps for Windows.

Get it freeTest Net Speed