How to Use iPerf for Accurate Server-to-Server Bandwidth Testing

Prerequisites

Ensure network connectivity between the source and target servers and that the target server's security‑group allows the ports used by iPerf.

Steps

Download iPerf for the source server’s operating system.

Extract the iPerf package on both the source and target servers (or another server in the same region). For Windows, the package contains the executable.

On the target server, run iPerf in server mode:

Change to the directory containing the iPerf executable: cd /d path Start iPerf listening on a chosen port (Windows commonly uses 8900, Linux often uses 22): iperf3 -p port -s On the source server, run iPerf in client mode to test TCP bandwidth: iperf3 -c target_IP -p port -t time Replace target_IP with the target server’s IP address, port with the listening port, and time with the test duration in seconds.

To test UDP jitter, packet loss, and bandwidth, add the -u flag: iperf3 -c target_IP -p port -u -t time Optionally, measure network latency with ping: ping target_IP View all iPerf options with: iperf3 -h Make sure the target server’s security‑group permits the chosen TCP/UDP port and that ICMP packets are allowed for ping tests.