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

With Speedify, you can easily combine a Android cell connection and your Ethernet connection on your Linux to improve the stability, speed, and security of your online experiences.

Step 1: Connect your Ubuntu Linux computer to Ethernet

Connect an Ethernet cable between your router or modem and the Ethernet port on your Ubuntu computer. If your computer doesn’t have a built-in Ethernet port, try using a USB to Ethernet adapter instead. Ubuntu will start using your Ethernet connection and you should see it listed in the System Menu under “Wired Connection”.
Need help with this step? Visit the Ubuntu knowledge base to learn more.

Step 2: Connect your Android device to your Ubuntu Linux computer and enable USB tethering

Connect your Android device to your Ubuntu computer 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.

Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering to enable USB tethering.

Your Ubuntu computer will start using your tethered Android device and you should see it in the system menu listed as a “Wired Connection.”

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.

Need help with this step? Visit Google's knowledge base to learn more.

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 Linux Easier

Want an even easier (and wireless) way of bonding 4G / 5G cellular connections? Use the Speedify Pair & Share feature!

  1. Install Speedify on all devices
  2. Join the same Wi-Fi or local network
  3. Pull up the Pair & Share settings in Speedify and tap on the desired device to send an invitation to pair
  4. 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.

Related Articles