Local bandwith testing?

[Muis]

I know there are a lot of ways to test the speed from the router to WAN, through special websites or via a Merlin plugin.

But why isn't there a simple way to test the local speed (from the router to the client)?

For example, Merlin could serve a dummy-file of several GB that you can download from the admin-page. This file doesn't really need to exist on the filesystem, it can just be created in memory on the fly and filled with random data as you go.

Is there already a functionality like that, and if not, why not?

 

[ColinTaylor]

... and if not, why not?

Probably because it's testing something that the average user wouldn't be interested in (and Merlin has stated he wants to keep bloated features on the router to a minimum). Most people only want to test WAN to LAN or LAN to LAN throughput. If someone wanted do the test you want they'd probably just use iperf, with one end either running on the router (via Entware) or on an Ethernet attached PC.

 

[Muis]

Most people only want to test WAN to LAN or LAN to LAN throughput.

My maximum WAN speed is capped by my ISP way below the maximum wifi-speeds, so I cannot use it to determine the performance of the router/signal. I guess this will hold true for most people.

LAN to LAN speed requires two devices, and if you get a low measurement, you can never rule out that it was caused by the other device instead of the router. Also it requires you to setup a server or fileshares on the other device, it would be so much easier to just have a simple button in Merlin for this purpose.