Install Ookla Speedtest CLI on GL.iNet Routers in Seconds

calendar Jun 1, 2026 · 4 min read · GL.iNet OpenWrt Speedtest Ookla Flint 3 Slate 7 Slate 7 Pro Travel Router Networking  ·
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Overview

Affiliate disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through those links, Tech Relay may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Overview

If you are troubleshooting internet speed, testing a VPN tunnel, comparing WAN connections, or validating a 5G modem, running a speed test from your laptop is not always the cleanest test.

Wi-Fi performance, browser overhead, client hardware, background apps, and local network congestion can all skew the results.

The better option is to run the test directly from the router.

This guide shows how to install the official Ookla Speedtest CLI on ARM64 GL.iNet routers using one command.

Supported GL.iNet Routers

This method is for aarch64 / ARM64 GL.iNet routers.

Good targets include:

  • GL.iNet Flint 3 / GL-BE9300
  • GL.iNet Slate 7 / GL-BE3600
  • GL.iNet Slate 7 Pro / GL-BE10000
  • GL.iNet Mudi 7
  • GL.iNet Spitz AX
  • Other ARM64 OpenWrt-based GL.iNet devices

Before installing, you can confirm the CPU architecture with:

1uname -m

Expected output:

1aarch64

If your router does not show aarch64, do not use the ARM64 package shown in this guide.

Hardware Used

GL.iNet Flint 3 / GL-BE9300

The Flint 3 is a high-performance Wi-Fi 7 home router and a great place to run speed tests directly from the router.

Affiliate link:
https://amzn.to/4fhCJaf

GL.iNet Slate 7 / GL-BE3600

The Slate 7 is a compact Wi-Fi 7 travel router that can use Speedtest CLI to validate hotel internet, hotspot connections, tethering, or VPN performance.

Affiliate link:
https://amzn.to/4o55c5w

GL.iNet Slate 7 Pro / GL-BE10000

The Slate 7 Pro is the higher-end travel router option. If you are using it for OpenClash, WireGuard, Tailscale, AstroWarp, or travel routing, Speedtest CLI is an easy way to test real throughput from the router itself.

Non-affiliate link:
https://store.gl-inet.com/products/slate-7-pro-gl-be10000-tri-band-wi-fi-7-travel-router

Install Ookla Speedtest CLI

SSH into your GL.iNet router.

Most GL.iNet routers use:

1ssh root@192.168.8.1

If you changed your LAN subnet, use your router's actual management IP.

Now run the install command:

1curl -L "https://install.speedtest.net/app/cli/ookla-speedtest-1.2.0-linux-aarch64.tgz" | tar -xzvC /usr/bin/ speedtest

This command does a few things at once:

  1. Downloads the official ARM64 Ookla Speedtest CLI archive.
  2. Streams it directly into tar.
  3. Extracts only the speedtest binary.
  4. Places the binary directly into /usr/bin/.

That means there is no leftover archive to clean up afterward.

Make Speedtest Executable

After installing the binary, make it executable:

1chmod +x /usr/bin/speedtest

Run Your First Speed Test

Now run:

1speedtest

The first time you run it, Ookla will ask you to accept the license agreement and privacy policy.

After accepting, the test will start.

Example output will look similar to this:

 1Speedtest by Ookla
 2
 3Server: Example ISP - Denver, CO
 4ISP: Example Fiber
 5
 6Idle Latency: 6.21 ms
 7
 8Download: 941.82 Mbps
 9Upload:   928.44 Mbps
10Packet Loss: 0.0%

Useful Speedtest CLI Commands

Show Available Servers

1speedtest -L

This lists nearby Speedtest servers and their server IDs.

Test Against a Specific Server

1speedtest -s SERVER_ID

Example:

1speedtest -s 12345

Output JSON

JSON output is useful for scripts, dashboards, and logging.

1speedtest -f json

Output CSV

1speedtest -f csv

Check the Installed Version

1speedtest --version

Confirm the Binary Location

1which speedtest

Expected output:

1/usr/bin/speedtest

Automate Hourly Speed Tests

You can log periodic speed tests with cron.

Open the cron editor:

1crontab -e

Add this line to run a JSON speed test every hour:

10 * * * * /usr/bin/speedtest -f json >> /root/speedtest.log

Restart cron if needed:

1/etc/init.d/cron restart

You can view the log with:

1tail -f /root/speedtest.log

Why This Is Useful on GL.iNet Routers

Installing Speedtest CLI directly on the router is useful for testing:

  • ISP speed from the WAN edge
  • WireGuard throughput
  • OpenVPN throughput
  • Tailscale throughput
  • AstroWarp performance
  • OpenClash routing performance
  • 5G modem speed
  • Failover WAN speed
  • Hotel or captive portal internet performance
  • Travel router performance before connecting all your devices

This is especially helpful when comparing results before and after enabling VPN routing.

Troubleshooting

speedtest: not found

Confirm the binary exists:

1ls -lah /usr/bin/speedtest

If it exists but will not run, reapply executable permissions:

1chmod +x /usr/bin/speedtest

Architecture Error

If the binary will not execute, verify the router architecture:

1uname -m

This guide uses the linux-aarch64 build. If your router is not ARM64, you need a different Speedtest CLI build.

Missing curl

If your router does not have curl, install it with:

1opkg update
2opkg install curl

Then rerun the install command.

Storage Space Issues

Check available space with:

1df -h

The one-line install method keeps things cleaner because it does not leave the .tgz archive in /tmp.

Full Install Block

If you just want the copy-and-paste version, use this:

1curl -L "https://install.speedtest.net/app/cli/ookla-speedtest-1.2.0-linux-aarch64.tgz" | tar -xzvC /usr/bin/ speedtest
2chmod +x /usr/bin/speedtest
3speedtest

Final Thoughts

The official Ookla Speedtest CLI is one of the easiest and most useful tools to add to a GL.iNet router.

Whether you are validating your ISP connection, benchmarking a VPN tunnel, testing a 5G gateway, or troubleshooting a travel router setup, running Speedtest directly from the router gives you a cleaner and more repeatable result than testing from a random client device.