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

This article explains how to use Speedify on your Mac to combine your Wi-Fi connection with your Android phone's cellular connection, so you get faster speeds and stay online even if one connection drops.

What You'll Need

• A Mac connected to a Wi-Fi network
• An Android phone with a data plan
• A way to tether the phone to your Mac (see the note below)

Important: Whether your Mac can use your Android phone over USB depends on the phone. Some Android phones, such as the Google Pixel 6 and later, tether over USB as a standard Ethernet-style connection that macOS supports without any extra software. Many other Android phones use a USB tethering method (RNDIS) that macOS doesn't support. The only driver for those, HoRNDIS, works only on macOS Mojave (10.14) and older, and not on Apple Silicon Macs. If your Mac doesn't see your phone over USB, use one of these instead:

• Tether your Android over Bluetooth. It works on current versions of macOS.
• Use Speedify's Pair & Share feature to add your phone's cellular connection wirelessly. See the section at the end of this article.

Let's Get Started

Step 1: Connect to Wi-Fi

Click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar. (If Wi-Fi is off, choose "Turn Wi-Fi On.") Pick a nearby Wi-Fi network from the list. Private networks may ask for a password.

Step 2: Tether Your Android to Your Mac Over USB

Connect your Android to your Mac with a USB cable. On your phone, swipe down from the top of the screen, touch and hold Hotspot, then turn on USB tethering.

Next, on your Mac, open System Settings and click Network. If your phone works with macOS over USB, it shows up as a new connection, often listed as a wired (Ethernet) connection rather than under your phone's name. Speedify may list it as an Ethernet connection too.

If no new connection appears, your phone uses a USB tethering method macOS doesn't support. Use one of the options in the note above instead. On macOS Mojave and older, you can also install the free HoRNDIS driver.

Note: If your Android phone is connected to Wi-Fi while tethering, it will share that Wi-Fi connection instead of its cellular data. To add the phone's cellular connection, turn on mobile data and turn off Wi-Fi on the phone.

Note: Some mobile carriers limit tethering or charge extra for it. Check with your carrier first. Some of these steps only work on Android 9 and up.

Step 3: Download and Install Speedify

Download and install Speedify. Once it's running, Speedify finds your Wi-Fi and your tethered Android connection on its own and combines them. You don't need to set anything up. If one connection slows down or drops, Speedify keeps you online with the other.

The Wireless Way: Speedify's Pair & Share

Speedify's Pair & Share feature lets your Mac borrow your Android's cellular connection with no cable and no driver. It works on any Mac that runs Speedify, including the newest ones.

1. Install Speedify on both devices
2. Join the same Wi-Fi 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. Tap accept on the other device

Once paired, both devices can share and receive each other's connections at the same time. The more devices you pair with, the more connections you have. Traffic between paired devices is fully encrypted, and you stay in control: set permissions, set limits, or unpair at any time.