---
name: "radtest"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "freeradius"
version: "3.2.10-4"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/radtest"
---

# radtest(1)

send packets to a RADIUS server, show reply

## NAME

radtest - send packets to a RADIUS server, show reply

## SYNOPSIS

**radtest** \[**-d** *raddb\_directory*\] \[**-P** *tcp/udp*\] \[**-t** *pap/chap/mschap/eap-md5*\] \[**-x** *\]* \[**-4** *\]* \[**-6** *\]* *user password radius-server nas-port-number secret* \[**ppphint**\] \[**nasname**\]

## DESCRIPTION

**radtest** is a frontend to [**radclient**(1)](/radclient/1.md). It generates a list of attribute/value pairs based on the command line arguments, and feeds these into **radclient**. It's a fast and convenient way to test a radius server.

## OPTIONS

- \-d *raddb\_directory*

  The directory that contains the RADIUS dictionary files. Defaults to */etc/raddb*.

- \-P *proto*

  Use *proto* transport protocol ("tcp" or "udp"). Only available if FreeRADIUS is compiled with TCP transport support.

- \-t *pap/chap/mschap/eap-md5*

  Choose the authentication method to use.  e.g. "-t pap", "-t chap", "-t mschap", or "-t eap-md5",.  Defaults to "pap".  Using EAP-MD5 requires that the "radeapclient" program is installed.

- \-x

  Enables debugging output for the RADIUS client.

- \-4

  Use NAS-IP-Address for the NAS address (default)

- \-6

  Use NAS-IPv6-Address for the NAS address (default)

- user

  Username to send.

- password

  Password of the user.

- radius-server

  Hostname or IP address of the radius server. Optionally, you may specify a port by appending :port

- nas-port-number

  The value of the NAS-Port attribute. Is an integer between 0 and 2^31, and it really doesn't matter what you put here. *10* will do fine.

- secret

  The shared secret for this client.

- ppphint

  If you put an integer \> 0 here, radtest (or actually radclient) will add the attribute *Framed-Protocol = PPP* to the request packet.

- nasname

  If present, this will be resolved to an IP address and added to the request packet as the *NAS-IP-Address* attribute. If you don't specify it, the local hostname of the system will be used.

## SEE ALSO

[radiusd(8)](/radiusd/8.md), [radclient(1)](/radclient/1.md).

## AUTHOR

Miquel van Smoorenburg, miquels@cistron.nl.