📘Check Bandwidth Usage on a VPS or Dedicated Server

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Environment:
Linux-based VPS or Dedicated Server
Access Required: SSH root or sudo access

Step 1: Install iftop

If iftop is not already installed on your server, you can install it with the following command:

For RHEL-based systems (AlmaLinux, CentOS, CloudLinux):

yum install iftop -y

For Debian/Ubuntu-based systems:

apt install iftop -y

Step 2: Check Bandwidth Usage

Run the following command via SSH:

iftop -i eth0

Explanation:

  • iftop: Interactive tool to monitor incoming/outgoing traffic per connection
  • -i eth0: Specifies the network interface (e.g., eth0, ens18, eno1, etc.)

💡 You can run ip a or ip link to list available interfaces if eth0 doesn’t exist.

Step 3: Interpret the Output

The iftop interface shows three columns of bandwidth usage:

  • TX: Transmit (outgoing) data
  • RX: Receive (incoming) data
  • TOTAL: Combined total bandwidth usage

It updates in real time and sorts the connections by bandwidth.

Optional: Use Filters or Adjustments

  • Press t to toggle between TX/RX display.
  • Press T to show cumulative totals.
  • Press P to freeze/unfreeze the display.
  • Press q to quit.

Tip

If your interface is different (e.g., ens18), modify the command accordingly:

iftop -i ens18

Note: iftop requires root privileges. Use sudo if needed:

sudo iftop -i eth0
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