iperf3¶

The iperf series of tools perform active measurements to determine the maximum achievable bandwidth on IP networks. It supports tuning of various parameters related to timing, protocols, and buffers. For each test it reports the measured throughput, loss, and other parameters.

This version, sometimes referred to as iperf3, is a redesign of an original version developed at NLANR / DAST. iperf3 is a new implementation from scratch, with the goal of a smaller, simpler code base, and a library version of the functionality that can be used in other programs. iperf3 also incorporates a number of features found in other tools such as nuttcp and netperf, but were missing from the original iperf. These include, for example, a zero-copy mode and optional JSON output. Note that iperf3 is not backwards compatible with the original iperf.

Primary development for iperf3 takes place on CentOS Linux, FreeBSD, and macOS. At this time, these are the only officially supported platforms, however there have been some reports of success with OpenBSD, Android, and other Linux distributions.

iperf3 is principally developed by ESnet / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It is released under a three-clause BSD license.

iperf2 is no longer being developed by its original maintainers. However, beginning in 2014, another developer began fixing bugs and enhancing functionality, and generating releases of iperf2. Both projects (as of late 2017) are currently being developed actively, but independently. More information can be found in the iperf3 FAQ.