Increase Starlink Bandwidth and Reduce Latency by Combining with a Tethered iPhone on Mac
A Mac can use Starlink and an iPhone’s Personal Hotspot at the same time: join Starlink Wi-Fi, connect the iPhone by USB, and Speedify uses both.
Speedify is an app that combines two or more internet connections at once, such as Starlink and an iPhone’s 4G/5G cellular connection, so you get faster uploads and downloads and stay online if one connection drops. With the iPhone unplugged, Speedify has only Starlink: it then works as an encrypted VPN and cannot stop Starlink from dropping.
This guide shows how to combine Starlink with a tethered iPhone on macOS using Speedify.
Note: Combine internet connections from different sources. Connecting to the same router over both Wi-Fi and Ethernet does not add speed, because both share one internet connection.
4 Steps to Combine Starlink Internet and Tethered iPhone on a Mac
Step 1: Connect to Your Starlink Wi-Fi Hotspot
First, set up your Starlink with the instructions that came in the box. This includes your Starlink Wi-Fi network name and password.
On your Mac, click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar and turn Wi-Fi on if it is off. Choose your Starlink Wi-Fi network and enter its password to connect.
Step 2: Enable Personal Hotspot on Your iPhone
Personal Hotspot shares the 4G/5G cellular connection of your iPhone or iPad with other devices over Wi-Fi, USB, or Bluetooth.
Open Settings, then tap Personal Hotspot (or Cellular > Personal Hotspot), and turn on Allow Others to Join. This screen also shows the Wi-Fi password. The Wi-Fi network name is the name of your iPhone or iPad.
Note: If you don't see Personal Hotspot, contact your carrier to make sure your plan includes it.
Step 3: Connect the iPhone to Your Mac via USB
Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Mac with a USB cable. If your iPhone or iPad asks "Trust This Computer?", tap Trust.
On your Mac, open System Settings > Network, click iPhone USB (or iPad USB), then click Details and turn off Disable Unless Needed. This keeps your Mac connected through your iPhone or iPad while it also uses your other internet connection.
On macOS 12 Monterey or earlier, open System Preferences > Network, select iPhone USB in the list on the left, and uncheck Disable unless needed.
Step 4: Download and Install Speedify
Download and install Speedify. Speedify is an app that combines your Starlink with the other internet connections on your device, so your internet is faster, more reliable, and more secure.
Once running, Speedify finds your internet connections on its own and splits your traffic across them. If Starlink drops, Speedify moves your traffic to the internet connections that still work. Video calls and live streams get priority over background downloads and updates.
To see how each internet connection is doing, or to set a data limit on one, click or tap it in Speedify.
Speedify's cellular sharing adds more 4G/5G cellular: phones and computers running Speedify on the same local network share their 4G/5G cellular with each other.
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Speedify combines Wi-Fi, 4G/5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink and satellite into one faster, more reliable internet connection. Free to try: 5 GB a month with a free account. No credit card required.
🚀 Speed
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📶 Stability
If one internet connection drops, Speedify moves your traffic to the others in milliseconds.
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