How to Self-Host Speedtest Tracker with Docker

What Is Speedtest Tracker?

Speedtest Tracker runs automated internet speed tests on a schedule and displays results in a dashboard with historical charts. Unlike LibreSpeed (which is a manual test), Speedtest Tracker runs tests unattended every hour (or whatever interval you set) and tracks download speed, upload speed, and ping over days, weeks, and months. It uses Ookla’s Speedtest CLI under the hood. Official site

Prerequisites

A Linux server (Ubuntu 22.04+ recommended)
Docker and Docker Compose installed (guide)
500 MB of free disk space
256 MB of RAM minimum

Docker Compose Configuration

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

services:
  speedtest-tracker:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/speedtest-tracker:1.13.11
    container_name: speedtest-tracker
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=America/New_York
      - DB_CONNECTION=sqlite
      - APP_KEY=base64:$(openssl rand -base64 32)  # Generate once, keep fixed
      - SPEEDTEST_SCHEDULE="0 * * * *"              # Every hour
      - DISPLAY_TIMEZONE=America/New_York
    volumes:
      - ./config:/config
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
      - "8443:443"
    restart: unless-stopped

Generate APP_KEY before starting:

echo "APP_KEY=base64:$(openssl rand -base64 32)"

Copy the output and paste it into your Docker Compose file. This key must remain consistent — changing it invalidates sessions.

Environment variables:

Variable	Purpose	Required
`PUID`	User ID	Yes
`PGID`	Group ID	Yes
`TZ`	Server timezone	Yes
`APP_KEY`	Laravel encryption key	Yes — generate once
`DB_CONNECTION`	Database type (sqlite, mysql, pgsql)	Yes
`SPEEDTEST_SCHEDULE`	Cron schedule for tests	No (default: hourly)
`DISPLAY_TIMEZONE`	Dashboard display timezone	No

Start the stack:

docker compose up -d

Initial Setup

Open http://your-server-ip:8080
Log in with default credentials: [email protected] / password
Change the password immediately under user settings
The first speed test runs automatically based on your schedule
Manually trigger a test from the dashboard to verify everything works

Configuration

Test Schedule

Set how often tests run via the SPEEDTEST_SCHEDULE environment variable (cron syntax):

Schedule	Cron Expression	Description
Every hour	`0 * * * *`	Recommended default
Every 30 min	`/30 * * *`	More granular
Every 6 hours	`0 /6 * *`	Low bandwidth impact
Twice daily	`0 6,18 * * *`	Morning and evening

Notification Alerts

Configure alerts when speed drops below a threshold:

In the dashboard: Settings → Notifications
Supported channels: Email, Discord, Slack, Telegram
Set thresholds: alert when download < X Mbps or ping > Y ms

Selecting Specific Servers

By default, Speedtest Tracker uses the nearest Ookla server. You can pin a specific server:

Find server IDs: docker compose exec speedtest-tracker speedtest --list
Set SPEEDTEST_SERVERS=12345 in environment variables

Advanced Configuration (Optional)

PostgreSQL for Heavy Use

For long-term data retention with many tests per day:

services:
  speedtest-tracker:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/speedtest-tracker:1.13.11
    container_name: speedtest-tracker
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=America/New_York
      - DB_CONNECTION=pgsql
      - DB_HOST=speedtest_db
      - DB_PORT=5432
      - DB_DATABASE=speedtest
      - DB_USERNAME=speedtest
      - DB_PASSWORD=change-this-password
      - APP_KEY=base64:your-generated-key
    volumes:
      - ./config:/config
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    depends_on:
      - speedtest_db
    restart: unless-stopped

  speedtest_db:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    container_name: speedtest_db
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_DB=speedtest
      - POSTGRES_USER=speedtest
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=change-this-password
    volumes:
      - db-data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  db-data:

Grafana Integration

Export Speedtest Tracker data to Grafana for custom dashboards:

Use the Speedtest Tracker API: http://speedtest-tracker:80/api/v1/results
Create a JSON data source in Grafana pointing to this endpoint
Build panels showing download/upload trends, ISP reliability, time-of-day patterns

Reverse Proxy

Example Nginx Proxy Manager configuration:

Scheme: http
Forward Hostname: speedtest-tracker
Forward Port: 80

Reverse Proxy Setup

Backup

tar -czf speedtest-tracker-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz ./config

Backup Strategy

Troubleshooting

Tests Fail with “No Servers Available”

Symptom: Speed tests return errors about no available servers. Fix: This usually means DNS resolution is failing inside the container. Check that the container can reach the internet: docker compose exec speedtest-tracker ping -c 3 google.com. Set custom DNS in Docker Compose if your DNS is unreliable.

Inaccurate Speed Results

Symptom: Results are much lower than expected or inconsistent. Fix: Docker bridge networking adds overhead. For the most accurate results, use network_mode: host. Also ensure no other bandwidth-heavy services are running during tests.

APP_KEY Error on Startup

Symptom: Container fails to start with APP_KEY error. Fix: Generate a valid key: echo "base64:$(openssl rand -base64 32)". The key must start with base64: and be exactly 44 characters after the prefix.

Symptom: Can’t log in — page refreshes after entering credentials. Fix: Clear browser cookies for the site. If behind a reverse proxy, ensure APP_URL matches the public URL and the proxy forwards the Host header correctly.

Resource Requirements

RAM: ~150 MB idle
CPU: Low (spikes during tests)
Disk: ~200 MB for application, grows with test history

Verdict

Speedtest Tracker is the best way to monitor your internet connection quality over time. It answers “is my ISP delivering the speed I’m paying for?” with hard data. The dashboard makes it easy to spot patterns — slowdowns at peak hours, degradation over weeks, or sudden drops. Pair it with LibreSpeed for manual LAN speed tests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Speedtest Tracker vs LibreSpeed?

Complementary tools. Speedtest Tracker: automated, scheduled, tests against Ookla servers (measures ISP speed). LibreSpeed: manual, tests against your own server (measures internal network speed).

Does Speedtest Tracker use a lot of bandwidth?

Each test uses 50-200 MB depending on your connection speed. Running hourly uses 1.2-4.8 GB/day. Adjust the schedule if you have metered bandwidth.

Can I use a non-Ookla speed test backend?

Speedtest Tracker is built around Ookla’s CLI. For a fully self-hosted alternative that doesn’t depend on Ookla servers, use LibreSpeed instead.

Can Speedtest Tracker alert me when my speed drops?

Yes. Configure notifications under Settings → Notifications with thresholds for minimum download speed or maximum ping. Supported channels include email, Discord, Slack, and Telegram. Useful for documenting ISP performance violations.

Can I export speed test data?

Yes. Speedtest Tracker provides a REST API at /api/v1/results that returns JSON data. You can also integrate with Grafana for custom dashboards and data visualization.

Does Speedtest Tracker work behind a VPN?

Yes, but the results will reflect the VPN connection speed, not your ISP’s raw speed. If you want accurate ISP measurements, exclude the Speedtest Tracker container from VPN routing.