Which Internet connections should I bond with Speedify?

Speedify is a channel bonding VPN (Virtual Private Network) that combines multiple 4G/5G, Cellular, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Satellite connections into one faster, more reliable connection. Not all connections work equally well together, though - here's what to consider when choosing which connections to bond, and which combinations to avoid.

Connections With Similar Performance

Speedify's Bonding works best when the connections you're combining have similar bandwidth and latency. If one connection is significantly faster or has much lower latency than another, they may not combine well.

In those cases, it's best to set the slower connection to Backup priority in Speedify, so it stays available if your primary connection fails. See Connection Priority for more details.

Multiple 4G/5G Cellular Connections From the Same Provider

Using multiple 4G/5G cellular connections from the same provider is not recommended. Since the connections rely on the same network infrastructure - often the same cell towers - you won't gain meaningful redundancy. If you move into a low-coverage area or the tower has issues, both connections will drop at the same time.

Bonding two connections from the same provider also doesn't necessarily double your speed. They may compete for bandwidth on the same tower, which limits how much performance you actually gain.

Multiple 4G/5G Cellular Connections From Different Providers

Using 4G/5G cellular connections from different providers can improve reliability, but only if those providers operate on separate infrastructure in your area. If both providers share the same cell towers locally, the redundancy benefit is reduced. Check whether your chosen networks have distinct coverage in the areas where you use Speedify most.

Multiple Starlink Connections

Bonding multiple Starlink connections is possible because Starlink dynamically connects to different satellites. That said, both connections still rely on the same Starlink network backend, so a widespread Starlink outage will affect all of them.

For true redundancy, consider pairing Starlink with a different type of connection, such as a 4G/5G cellular connection or a DSL line, etc.

Multiple Wi-Fi Connections

When combining multiple Wi-Fi connections, there's potential for wireless interference between them. Even if two Wi-Fi networks are on completely separate internet connections, if they're operating on the same wireless channel or on conflicting channels, they may interfere with each other.

This is less of a problem than it used to be, as newer wireless standards and hardware support more channels and bands. Still, it's worth checking which wireless channel each router is using and, if possible, setting them to different non-overlapping channels.

Multiple Fiber, Cable, or Fixed Wireless Lines From the Same Provider

Bonding wired connections, fiber, cable, DSL, or fixed wireless works well, but only if you have separate service plans from your ISP (Internet Service Provider). Bonding your Wi-Fi connection and Ethernet connection from the same router on a single plan won't increase performance, since both connections are drawing from the same bandwidth pool.

Keep in mind that if your ISP experiences an outage, all of your bonded connections from that provider will go down together.

Traditional Satellite Connections

Traditional satellite internet (not Starlink) is typically slow and has high latency. Bonding it with other connections is not recommended, because the high latency will drag down your overall performance. Traditional satellite is best reserved as a backup connection in case all other connections fail.

Best Internet Connections to Bond With Speedify

Diversifying your internet connections is the best way to get maximum reliability and faster upload and download speeds with Speedify. Mixing different types of connections, like a home broadband line and a 4G/5G cellular connection, gives you the best combination of speed and redundancy.