# Install iperf3 with Homebrew Update of iperf: measures TCP, UDP, and SCTP bandwidth. Version 3.21 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:iperf3 ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install iperf3 ``` Evidence: provider-native install command ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:iperf3 - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Version:** 3.21 - **Source summary:** Update of iperf: measures TCP, UDP, and SCTP bandwidth - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:03:47-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-08-03T00:40:33+00:00 ## Executables - iperf3 (alias) ## Install behavior - Bottle: not available ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-08-03 - Package-manager version: 3.21 ## Project history and usage iperf3 is ESnet and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's redesigned iperf implementation for active measurement of achievable bandwidth on IP networks, adding a smaller code base, library use, SCTP support, zero-copy mode, and JSON output. ### Project history iperf3 was built as a clean rewrite of the original NLANR/DAST iperf. Its README says it shares the measurement domain with iperf2 but is not backward compatible, which made the separate `iperf3` executable and package name necessary. The project is developed by ESnet/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and distributed under a three-clause BSD license. ESnet's download archive shows public 3.0.x tarballs in 2014, while the GitHub repository was created in February 2014. ### Adoption history The README identifies perfSONAR as one of iperf3's primary uses and notes use by ESnet, other research and education networks, the broader networking community, and commercial products. Package adoption is broad because the tool gives automation-friendly output and a stable `iperf3` command without colliding with legacy iperf2 installations. Homebrew, Linux distributions, Windows package managers, and other ecosystems ship it under the iperf3 name. ### How it is used The basic workflow remains the classic iperf model: run a server endpoint, run a client against it, select protocol and timing parameters, and read bandwidth, loss, and related measurements. The package is especially useful in scripted diagnostics because iperf3 offers JSON output, explicit client/server compatibility with other iperf3 builds, and documented behavior around supported platforms and known issues. ### Why package nerds care iperf3 matters because it is not just a version bump of `iperf`: it is a parallel implementation with its own ABI, CLI behavior, output formats, and release train. Package managers preserve that distinction by shipping `iperf` and `iperf3` separately. For network engineers, the package is part of the small toolkit used to turn vague throughput complaints into repeatable measurements. For maintainers, it is a canonical example of a command-line tool whose packaging name encodes compatibility. ### Timeline - 2014: GitHub repository created for ESnet's iperf3 implementation. - 2014: ESnet download archive lists iperf-3.0.x tarballs. - 2023: iperf3 3.16 work added a threaded implementation for parallel streams. - 2026: iperf3 3.21 release appears in the ESnet download archive and GitHub releases. ### Related projects - Iperf 2 remains a separate active project with different features and incompatible wire behavior. - perfSONAR uses iperf3 as a network measurement component. - nuttcp and netperf are related network testing tools referenced by the iperf3 README. ### Sources - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/iperf3.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/iperf3.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - curated package history - pkgdb category and tag curation