Can I combine Ethernet and my Android phone's Internet connection on my Mac? Yes, Speedify can help!
With Speedify, you can easily combine a Android cell connection and your Ethernet connection on your Mac to improve the stability, speed, and security of your online experiences.
Step 1: Connect your Ethernet cable to your Mac
Connect an Ethernet cable between your router or modem and the Ethernet port on your Mac. In most cases, you’ll automatically connect to the internet. If your computer doesn’t have a built-in Ethernet port, try using a USB to Ethernet adapter, or a Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter.
Step 2: Connect your Android device to your Mac and enable USB tethering
In order to get your Mac to properly interface with your Android device’s USB tethering mode, you’ll need to install some additional software.
INSTALL THIRD-PARTY DRIVER
HoRNDIS is a driver for macOS that allows you to use your Android device's native USB tethering mode to get Internet access. Download and installation instructions can be found here.
ENABLE USB TETHERING
Once installed, connect your Android to your Mac using a USB cable. A notification will show at the top of the screen on your Android device - swipe down from the top of the screen > Touch and hold Hotspot > Turn on USB tethering.
Next, on your Mac visit System Preferences, click Network, then select your Android device from the list on the left. In the right pane deselect the “Disable unless needed” checkbox under Status.
Please note that when USB tethering an Android phone, if that phone is connected to Wi-Fi, the tethering will share the Wi-Fi connection and not the cellular connection. In order to use the cellular connection from your Android phone into the mix, enable mobile data and turn off Wi-Fi on your smartphone.
NOTE: Some mobile carriers limit or charge extra for tethering. We recommend checking with your carrier. Additionally, Some of these steps work only on Android 9 and up. Learn how to check your Android version.
Step 3: Download and Install Speedify
Last but certainly not least, download and install Speedify. Once running, Speedify will automatically detect any available Internet connections and combine them for increased speed, security, and stability.
Need to keep several devices connected in areas with limited or spotty network coverage, like event venues, remote locations or when traveling? Get consistent and uninterrupted online activity for all your devices using Speedify's Pair & Share functionality, which allows you to share cellular data between multiple devices wirelessly.
By pairing devices, you can effectively distribute your cellular connection across them, improving overall performance, especially when other network options like Wi-Fi may be slow or unstable.
You can manage settings, view statistics, and even apply limits to individual connections by either clicking/tapping on them from the Dashboard or by navigating to the desired connection through the main Settings menu.
Speedify will work quietly in the background to optimize performance including prioritizing streaming web traffic to avoid stuttering, buffering and disconnects.
Whether at home, work, or on-the-go, Speedify is the only VPN that makes your online experiences faster, more reliable, and more secure.
Alternative: Combine Ethernet and Tethered Android on Mac Easier
Want an even easier (and wireless) way of bonding 4G / 5G cellular connections? Use the Speedify Pair & Share feature!
- Install Speedify on all devices
- Join the same Wi-Fi or local network
- Pull up the Pair & Share settings in Speedify and tap on the desired device to send an invitation to pair
- Tap accept on the other device
Once paired, both devices can share AND receive each other’s connections simultaneously. The more devices you pair with, the more connections you’ll have access to!
Traffic between devices is fully encrypted, and you always maintain full control over which devices can do what - set permissions, limits, or unpair from other devices at any time.