iPhone Tethering Setup on Linux (Ubuntu, Raspberry Pi OS)

This article explains how to set up USB tethering from your iPhone to a Linux computer running Ubuntu or Raspberry Pi OS, so Speedify can use your iPhone's 4G/5G cellular connection alongside your other internet connections.

Note: Since iOS 14, USB tethering on Linux has not been fully reliable. If you run into issues, the most consistent workaround is to use your iPhone's Personal Hotspot over Wi-Fi instead of USB.

What You'll Need

• An iPhone with a cellular plan that supports Personal Hotspot (tethering)
• A USB cable to connect your iPhone to your Linux computer
• A Linux computer running Ubuntu or Raspberry Pi OS
• Speedify installed on your Linux computer

Let's Get Started

Step 1

Install the package your Linux distribution needs to recognize a tethered iPhone.

On Ubuntu, run:

sudo apt install ipheth-utils

On Raspberry Pi OS, run:

sudo apt install usbmuxd

If you're using a different distribution, try the packages above if they're available. Otherwise, search online for the tethering support package specific to your distribution.

Step 2

Enable Personal Hotspot on your iPhone. Go to Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot and turn on Allow Others to Join.

Step 3

Plug your iPhone into your Linux computer using a USB cable. When prompted on your iPhone, tap Trust to allow the connection.

Within a few seconds, Speedify will detect a new connection representing your tethered iPhone. You'll see it appear in the connections list inside the Speedify app.

Once it appears, you can adjust the Connection Settings, such as Priority, to control how Speedify uses that connection.