Can I use wired Ethernet and my iPhone connection on my PC? Yes, with Speedify!

This article explains how to use Speedify on your Windows PC to combine a wired Ethernet connection and your iPhone's 4G/5G cellular connection for faster upload and download speeds and a more reliable internet connection.

What You'll Need

  • A Windows PC with an Ethernet port (or a USB to Ethernet adapter)
  • An Ethernet cable connected to your router or modem
  • An iPhone with an active cellular data plan that supports Personal Hotspot
  • A USB cable to connect your iPhone to your PC
  • iTunes installed on your PC (it provides the drivers needed for USB tethering)
  • Speedify installed on your PC

Let's Get Started

Step 1

Connect an Ethernet cable between your router or modem and the Ethernet port on your PC. If your PC doesn't have a built-in Ethernet port, use a USB to Ethernet adapter.

In most cases, your PC will connect to the internet automatically. If it doesn't, see How to Connect Your PC to Wired Ethernet for troubleshooting options.

Step 2

Enable Personal Hotspot on your iPhone. A Personal Hotspot lets you share your iPhone's cellular data connection with other devices via Wi-Fi, USB, or Bluetooth.

On your iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot (or Settings > Personal Hotspot) and turn the switch on.

From this screen, you can also confirm the hotspot name and set a password.

Note: If you don't see the Personal Hotspot option, contact your carrier to confirm that your plan includes hotspot/tethering.

For more help with this step, visit Apple's Personal Hotspot support page.

Step 3

Connect your iPhone to your PC using a USB cable. Before doing this, make sure you have the latest version of iTunes installed. iTunes includes the drivers that Windows needs to recognize your iPhone over USB.

When prompted on your iPhone with "Trust This Computer?", tap Trust.

Open iTunes and confirm your iPhone appears there. If your PC doesn't detect the device, try a different USB cable. Once connected, your iPhone will automatically start sharing its cellular connection with your PC. You can confirm this by clicking the network icon in the lower-right corner of the taskbar, your iPhone should appear at the top of the network list.

Note: If Windows still doesn't recognize your iPhone after trying a different cable, open Device Manager > Other Devices (or Portable Devices) > iPhone, right-click, and choose Update Driver > Search Automatically. Restart your PC if needed.

Step 4

Download and install Speedify on your PC from speedify.com/download. Once Speedify is running, it will automatically detect both your Ethernet connection and your iPhone's tethered cellular connection and combine them.

You can manage settings, view connection statistics, and apply speed limits to individual connections by clicking on them from the Speedify dashboard or going through the main Settings menu.

Alternative: Share Connections Wirelessly with Pair & Share

If you'd prefer a wireless option, Speedify's Pair & Share feature lets you bond your 4G/5G cellular connections across multiple devices without a USB cable.

  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 Pair & Share in Speedify's settings and tap the device you want to pair with to send an invitation.
  4. Accept the invitation on the other device.

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

Did you know - Speedify can combine your Ethernet, cellular, Satellite, and Wi-Fi connections all at once, not just switch between them? That means faster upload and download speeds plus a more stable connection no matter where you are. Learn how Speedify combines multiple internet connections.