Can I combine Starlink Internet and my Android phone's Internet connection on Ubuntu Linux? Yes, Speedify can help!

This article explains how to use Speedify on Ubuntu Linux to combine your Starlink internet connection with a 4G/5G cellular (or Wi-Fi) connection shared from your Android phone over USB tethering. The result is a faster, more reliable internet connection that keeps you online even if one connection drops.

What You'll Need

  • A Starlink dish that is set up and connected to your Ubuntu computer over Wi-Fi
  • An Android phone with a working 4G/5G cellular data plan (or Wi-Fi connection to share)
  • A USB cable to connect your Android phone to your Ubuntu computer
  • Speedify installed on your Ubuntu computer (download it here)

Let's Get Started

Make sure your Starlink dish is set up according to the instructions included in the box. Once your Starlink Wi-Fi network is active, connect your Ubuntu computer to it:

  1. Click the arrow in the top-right corner of the screen to open the System Menu.
  2. Select Wi-Fi > Select Network and choose your Starlink Wi-Fi network from the list.
  3. Enter your Starlink Wi-Fi password when prompted.

If you need help connecting to a Wi-Fi network on Ubuntu, visit the Ubuntu knowledge base.

Step 2: Connect Your Android Phone and Enable USB Tethering

Plug your Android phone into your Ubuntu computer using a USB cable. Once connected, enable USB tethering on your phone using one of these two methods:

Option A (from the notification shade):

  1. Swipe down from the top of your phone's screen to open the notification shade.
  2. Touch and hold the Hotspot tile.
  3. Turn on USB tethering.

Option B (from Settings):

  1. Open Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
  2. Turn on USB tethering.

Once tethering is active, your Ubuntu computer will detect your Android phone as a new network connection. You should see it listed as Wired Connection in the System Menu.

Note: If your Android phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, USB tethering will share that Wi-Fi connection, not your phone's 4G/5G cellular connection. To share cellular data instead, turn off Wi-Fi on your Android phone before enabling USB tethering.

For more details, see Google's guide to USB tethering.

Step 3: Download, Install, and Run Speedify

If you haven't already, download and install Speedify on your Ubuntu computer. Once Speedify is running, it will automatically detect both your Starlink connection and your tethered Android phone's connection, and start combining them right away.

You can view and manage each connection from the Speedify dashboard. Click any connection to adjust settings, set speed limits, or view real-time statistics. You can also navigate to individual connections through the main Settings menu.

Speedify runs in the background and automatically prioritizes your internet traffic, helping reduce buffering and interruptions for video calls, streaming, and other real-time activity.

Did you know - if you need to keep multiple devices connected in areas with limited or spotty coverage, Speedify's Pair & Share feature lets you share a 4G/5G cellular connection wirelessly between devices. It's useful for event venues, remote locations, and travel, where other network options like Wi-Fi may be slow or unreliable.