Can I combine a 3G/4G dongle and my iPhone's Internet connection on Ubuntu Linux? You can, with Speedify

This article explains how to use Speedify on Ubuntu Linux to combine a 3G/4G/LTE USB dongle and your iPhone's tethered cellular connection for faster upload and download speeds and a more reliable internet connection.

What You'll Need

  • An Ubuntu Linux computer
  • An iPhone with an active cellular data plan that supports Personal Hotspot
  • A USB cable to connect your iPhone to your computer
  • A 3G/4G/LTE USB cellular adapter (dongle) compatible with Ubuntu
  • Speedify installed on your Ubuntu computer

Let's Get Started

Step 1

Enable Personal Hotspot on your iPhone. A Personal Hotspot lets you share your iPhone's 4G/5G cellular connection with other devices via Wi-Fi, USB, or Bluetooth.

Go to Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot or Settings > Personal Hotspot and turn the switch on.

From this screen you can confirm the name of your iPhone (which doubles as the Wi-Fi network name/SSID) and set a password.

Note: If you don't see the Personal Hotspot option, contact your carrier to confirm that Personal Hotspot is included in your plan.

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

Step 2

Connect your iPhone to your Ubuntu computer using a USB cable. If your iPhone displays an alert asking "Trust This Computer?", tap Trust.

Your Ubuntu computer will recognize the tethered connection and it should appear in the System Menu as a "Wired Connection."

Note: There is a known issue where USB tethering to Ubuntu may not work on devices running iOS 14. See the Apple Discussions thread for more details.

Step 3

Connect your USB cellular adapter (dongle) to a USB port on your Ubuntu computer. In most cases, it will appear in your System Menu as a "Wired Connection."

Note: Before purchasing or connecting a USB cellular adapter, verify that it is compatible with your hardware and version of Ubuntu. Some devices require additional drivers or software from the manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer's setup instructions closely.

Step 4

Download and install Speedify for Linux. Once Speedify is running, it automatically detects your available internet connections, including both your tethered iPhone and your USB cellular adapter, and combines them.

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

Did you know - Speedify can combine more than two internet connections at once, including Wi-Fi networks, giving you even faster upload and download speeds and better coverage when one connection slows down or drops. Learn how to combine multiple internet connections with Speedify.