Can I combine Wi-Fi and my Android phone's Internet connection on Ubuntu Linux? Yes, with Speedify!

This article explains how to combine your Wi-Fi connection and your Android phone's 4G/5G cellular connection on Ubuntu Linux using Speedify, giving you faster upload and download speeds and a more reliable internet connection.

What You'll Need

  • An Ubuntu Linux computer connected to a Wi-Fi network
  • An Android phone with an active mobile data plan
  • A USB cable to connect your Android phone to your computer
  • Speedify installed on your Ubuntu Linux computer

Let's Get Started

Step 1

Connect your Ubuntu Linux computer to a Wi-Fi network.

Click the arrow in the top-right corner of the desktop (the System Menu), then go to Wi-Fi > Select Network and choose your network. Private networks will prompt you to enter a password.

Need help? Visit the Ubuntu knowledge base for more details on connecting to Wi-Fi.

Step 2

Connect your Android phone to your Ubuntu computer using a USB cable, then enable USB tethering on your phone.

After plugging in the cable, a notification will appear at the top of your phone's screen. Swipe down from the top, then touch and hold the Hotspot tile and turn on USB tethering.

Alternatively, you can enable it by going to Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering and turning on USB tethering.

Once tethering is active, your Ubuntu computer will recognize the connection. You should see it listed in the System Menu as a "Wired Connection."

Important: If your Android phone is connected to Wi-Fi when you enable USB tethering, your Ubuntu computer will share that Wi-Fi connection, not your phone's cellular connection. To use your phone's 4G/5G cellular connection, turn off Wi-Fi on your Android phone and make sure mobile data is enabled.

Need help? Visit Google's support page for more details on USB tethering.

Step 3

Download and install Speedify on your Ubuntu Linux computer.

Once Speedify is running, it will automatically detect both your Wi-Fi connection and your tethered Android phone's connection and start combining them, giving you faster upload and download speeds along with a more stable, secure internet connection.

You can manage settings, view connection statistics, and set limits for individual connections by clicking any connection in the Speedify dashboard, or by going to the main Settings menu.

Did you know - Speedify can combine more than two internet connections at once, not just Wi-Fi and one tethered phone? The more connections you add, the faster and more reliable your internet gets. Learn more about how channel bonding works with Speedify.