Can I combine Wi-Fi and my Android phone's Internet connection on my Mac? You can, with Speedify

This article explains how to combine your Mac's Wi-Fi connection with your Android phone's 4G/5G cellular connection using Speedify. By USB tethering your Android phone to your Mac, Speedify can bond both internet connections together for faster upload and download speeds and a more reliable connection.

What You'll Need

  • An Android phone with a data plan set up
  • A USB cable compatible with your Android phone
  • The HoRNDIS driver installed on your Mac
  • Speedify installed on your Mac

Let's Get Started

Step 1: Connect Your Mac to Wi-Fi

Click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar. If Wi-Fi is off, choose "Turn Wi-Fi On." Select a nearby Wi-Fi network from the list. Private networks may require a password before connecting.

Need help? Visit Apple's support page for more details on connecting to Wi-Fi on a Mac.

Step 2: Install the HoRNDIS Driver on Your Mac

macOS doesn't natively support Android USB tethering, so you'll need to install a third-party driver called HoRNDIS. This driver allows your Mac to recognize your Android phone's USB tethering mode as a network connection.

Note: HoRNDIS doesn't offer support for Apple Silicon (M chip) devices.

Step 3: Enable USB Tethering on Your Android Phone

Connect your Android phone to your Mac using a USB cable. Then, on your Android phone:

  1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notification shade.
  2. Touch and hold the Hotspot icon.
  3. Turn on USB tethering.

Need help? Visit Google's support page on USB tethering for more details.

Important: If your Android phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, USB tethering will share that Wi-Fi connection rather than its 4G/5G cellular connection. To share your cellular connection instead, enable mobile data and turn off Wi-Fi on your Android phone before tethering.

Step 4: Configure the Tethered Connection on Your Mac

Once USB tethering is active, you need to make sure your Mac recognizes the connection:

  1. Open System Preferences and click Network.
  2. Select your Android phone from the list on the left.
  3. In the right pane, uncheck the "Disable unless needed" checkbox under Status.

Your Mac should now show the Android phone's connection as an active network interface.

Step 5: Download and Install Speedify

Download and install Speedify on your Mac. Once it's running, Speedify will automatically detect all available internet connections, including both your Wi-Fi network and the tethered Android phone, and combine them for faster upload and download speeds and a more stable connection.

Speedify's Pair & Share Feature

If you'd prefer a wireless approach, Speedify's Pair & Share feature lets you combine connections across devices without a USB cable. Here's how to set it up:

  1. Install Speedify on all devices you want to pair.
  2. Make sure all devices are on the same Wi-Fi network or local network.
  3. Open the Pair & Share settings in Speedify and tap the device you want to pair with to send an invitation.
  4. Accept the invitation on the other device.

Once paired, devices can share and use each other's internet connections. All internet traffic between paired devices is fully encrypted, and you can set limits, adjust permissions, or unpair devices at any time.

Did you know - Speedify can combine more than two internet connections at once? If you have additional connections available, like a second Wi-Fi network or another tethered device, Speedify can bond all of them together for even faster upload and download speeds. Learn more about how Speedify combines internet connections.