If you are interested in the current network speed which is currently reached during a current download, you can display it permanently in the macOS menu bar.
We are not talking about the connection speed negotiated in the Wifi network (which is displayed this way), but about the speed that we currently achieve. We’ve found three handy tools for the macOS menu bar, so you’ll always know how fast your Mac is uploading or downloading something.
MenuMeters for OS X El Capitan 10.11 and later
The practical tool originally developed by Raging Menace no longer runs in the original version on the Mac. However, Yuji Tachikawa took the trouble to make MenuMeters compatible with the new macOS version. Thus the extensive tool also runs on High Sierra without problems. It can display not only the network speed, but also access to the hard disk, CPU usage and memory usage.
MenuMeters nests itself in the system settings, where you then have to make all settings clearly arranged. The network speed is displayed in bytes, not bits. If this bothers you, because you think that this value must be in bits, continue reading.
Networker – Network Info App
This app is kindly available in a Lite version for our purpose. This means Networker Lite shows only the current network speed. It is even possible to switch between bit and byte as a unit. If you really only want to display the speed of your LAN, this small app is more than well served.
If you need a little more information, such as the monthly graphical evaluation of the transferred traffic, you can purchase the extensive paid version for a few euros.
iStatMenus
If you want an overview of all your Mac’s life values in the menu bar and prefer a modern design, you also need to invest some money. The iStatMenus cost around 12 dollars.
It is the modern variant of the MenuMeters, but with even more functions and configuration options. So if you are an information junkie, take a look at this tool.
