Local performance test device

1. A method for testing a data connection, the method comprising:

providing, a local performance test device with a first test measurement function and a second test measurement function, wherein the first test measurement function is located between cabling for a service provider network and cabling for a gateway device and terminates a physical layer of the service provider network, and wherein the second test measurement function is located between cabling for a local area network and cabling for the gateway device and terminates a physical layer of the local area network;

receiving, with a processor of the local performance test device and from a requesting device, a request to perform a test to determine a source of a data connection issue, wherein the local performance test device is in communication with the service provider network and the local area network of a user premises;

analyzing, with a processor of the first test measurement function of the of the local performance test device, a service provider network connection of the service provider network;

analyzing, with a processor of the second test measurement function of the of the local performance test device, a local area network connection of the local area network;

determining, with the processor of the local performance test device, whether the data connection issue is associated with the service provider network connection or with the local area network connection; and

sending, with the local performance test device, a result of the determination to the requesting device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local performance test device is integrated into a network device comprising at least one of a digital subscriber line modem, a passive optical network optical network terminal, a network node, a network router, a network switch, or a wireless modem.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local performance test device is the gateway device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the service provider network comprises an Ethernet network, and wherein the local area network comprises an Ethernet network.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a timer in communication with the local performance test device;

analyzing, with the timer, network traffic destined for the gateway device based upon receiving the request to perform the test of the data connection; and

establishing a timing baseline.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

re-routing, with the local performance test device, network traffic destined for at least one of a digital subscriber line modem, a passive optical network optical network terminal, a wireless modem, or the gateway device through a counter into a buffer;

measuring, with the counter, a bandwidth; and

routing, with the at least one insert, unaltered network traffic back to the at least one of a digital subscriber line modem, a passive optical network optical network terminal, a wireless modem, or the gateway device once the network traffic has passed through the counter into the buffer.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

causing, with the processor, the local performance test device to generate network traffic toward the service provider network;

measuring, with the counter, a bandwidth coming from the gateway device towards the service provider network; and

sending a result of the measured bandwidth to the requesting user device.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving, with the counter, test network traffic from the service provider network;

measuring with the counter, a bandwidth coming from the service provider network towards the gateway device; and

sending a result of the measured bandwidth to the requesting user device.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a timer in communication with the local performance test device;

analyzing, with the timer, network traffic destined for the gateway device based upon receiving the request to perform the test of the data connection; and

establishing a timing baseline.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

re-routing, with the local performance test device, network traffic destined for a digital subscriber line modem, a passive optical network optical network terminal, a wireless modem, or the gateway device through a counter into a buffer;

measuring, with the counter, a bandwidth; and

routing, with the at least one insert, unaltered network traffic back to the at least one of a digital subscriber line modem, a passive optical network optical network terminal, a wireless modem, or the gateway device once the network traffic has passed through the counter into the buffer.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

causing, with the processor, the local performance test device to generate a network traffic toward the local area network; and

measuring, with the counter, a bandwidth coming from the gateway device towards the local area network; and

sending a result of the measured bandwidth to the requesting user device.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, with the counter, test network traffic from the local area network;

measuring with the counter, a bandwidth coming from the local area network towards the gateway device; and

sending a result of the measured bandwidth to the requesting user device.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request to perform a test to determine the source of the data connection issue is received from at least one of a service provider or a customer.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor of the performance test device analyzes individual traffic flows to determine where a performance issue is occurring.

15. A system for testing a data connection, the system comprising:

a local performance test device in communication with a service provider network and a local area network, the local performance test device comprising:

a first test measurement function, wherein the first test measurement function is located between cabling for the service provider network and cabling for a gateway device and terminates a physical layer of the service provider network;

a second test measurement function, wherein the second test measurement function is located between cabling for the local area network and cabling for the gateway device and terminates a physical layer of the local area network;

at least one first processor; and

a first non-transitory computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one first processor, the first non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software comprising a first set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one first processor, causes the local performance test device to:

receive, from a requesting device, a request to perform a test to determine a source of a data connection issue, wherein the local performance test device is in communication with the service provider network and the local area network of a user premises;

analyze, with the first test measurement function, a service provider network connection of the service provider network;

analyze, with the second test measurement function, a local area network connection of the local area network;

determine whether the data connection issue is associated with the service provider network connection or with the local area network connection; and

send a result of the determination to the requesting device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the local performance test device is the gateway device.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the service provider network comprises an Ethernet network, and wherein the local area network comprises an Ethernet network.

18. An apparatus for testing a data connection, the apparatus comprising:

a first test measurement function, wherein the first test measurement function is located between cabling for a service provider network and cabling for a gateway device and terminates a physical layer of the service provider network;

a second test measurement function, wherein the second test measurement function is located between cabling for a local area network and cabling for the gateway device and terminates a physical layer of the local area network;

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to:

receive, from a requesting device, a request to perform a test to determine a source of a data connection issue, wherein the local performance test device is in communication with the service provider network and the local area network of a user premises;

analyze, with the first test measurement function, the service provider network connection of the service provider network;

analyze, with the second test measurement function, the local area network connection of the local area network;

determine whether the data connection issue is associated with the service provider network connection or with the local area network connection; and

send a result of the determination to the requesting device.