Speedtest

Use this action to run an iperf3 speed test right away, instead of waiting for the next scheduled test. This is handy when you want an up-to-date measurement, for example to check your connection after making a network change.

Using this action from the user interface

If you prefer building automations and scripts visually, Home Assistant walks you through this action step by step. You pick what to target, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To run a speed test from an automation or a script:

1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
2. Open an existing automation or script, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
3. If you’re setting up a new automation, add a trigger in the When section. Scripts don’t need a trigger. They run when something else calls them.
4. In the Then do section, select Add action.
5. From the search box, search for and select Iperf3: Speedtest.
6. Optionally, set the Host to test against a single configured server.
7. Select Save.

This action does not support targets. In the UI, you are not prompted to choose an area, device, entity, or label.

Options in the UI

Using this action in YAML

If you work directly in YAML, or you want to know exactly what Home Assistant does under the hood, this section has the technical reference. It lists the field names you use in YAML, their types, and which ones are required.

In YAML, refer to this action as iperf3.speedtest. A basic example looks like this:

action: iperf3.speedtest
data:
  host: "iperf.he.net"

This runs a speed test against the iperf.he.net server.

Options in YAML

Good to know

• Leave the host empty to test every configured server at once.
• This action is most useful when you’ve set a long scan interval and want a fresh result without waiting for the next automatic test.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Developer tools > Actions, search for this action, fill in the fields, and select Perform action. You see what happens on your actual entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more] without writing a line of YAML.

More examples

Real scenarios where this action shows up in automations and scripts. Copy any example and adapt it to your setup.

Automation: run a speed test after the router reboots

When the router comes back online, run an iperf3 speed test so you have a fresh measurement of the connection.

• Trigger: Router connectivity sensor turns on
• Action: Iperf3: Speedtest

alias: "Run iperf3 test after router reboot"
triggers:
  - trigger: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.router_online
    to: "on"
actions:
  - action: iperf3.speedtest

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with the action you’re calling and what you expected to happen, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.