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How to Use a 4G/5G USB Cellular Adapter and Tethered iPhone at Once on Ubuntu Linux with Speedify

No Wi-Fi? Join a 4G/5G Cellular Adapter with your iPhone for Fast, More Reliable Internet on Ubuntu Linux

Even if you find yourself in a location without any wired ethernet or Wi-Fi networks available there's no need to panic. In this article, we are going to introduce you to Speedify, the channel bonding VPN and walk you through the steps to join a 4G or 5G USB Cellular adapter with a tethered iPhone on your Ubuntu Linux computer.

Speedify is the only app that joins together your Starlink, Wi-Fi, 4G / 5G cellular, wired, and even your friend’s phone signals – and turns them into one ultra-fast and super secure link that keeps you all connected for the best possible live streaming, video calling, or just posting to your favorite app.

Speedify can join any number or combination of Internet connections and will intelligently distribute your online traffic among them for optimal performance. Plus, if you get disconnected from one of your connections in the middle of an important video call or file transfer, Speedify will seamlessly failover to your other working Internet connection(s) without skipping a beat.

NOTE: For best results, use Internet connections from different sources. In general, joining the same upstream network multiple times (such as the same router via Ethernet and Wi-Fi) will not improve performance.

Quick answer

Should you have a backup 4G, 5G, Starlink, or cable internet connection?

Yes — every internet connection goes down, including Starlink, which drops for ~34 minutes a day on average. A backup connection from a different provider means one outage never takes you fully offline. The most common options are a 4G/5G cellular hotspot, a cable or DSL line, or a second satellite dish.

Speedify bonds any two connections into one — automatic failover, more speed, no dropped calls.

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Speedify

Speedify gives you faster, steadier internet by combining Wi-Fi, cellular, and Starlink

Speedify bonds Wi-Fi, 4G/5G cellular, Ethernet, and Starlink into one connection at the same time, giving you more speed, automatic failover when one drops, and AES-256 encryption on every link.

Download Speedify ›

More speed

Upload and download speeds combine across every active connection on your device.

🔄

Automatic failover

If a connection drops, Speedify moves your traffic to another in milliseconds. Calls stay connected.

🔒

Always encrypted

Every link runs through an encrypted tunnel, including public Wi-Fi, cellular, and Starlink.

Speedify Feature · Pair & Share

Speedify Pair & Share: share cellular between your devices, both ways

Most hotspots give. Speedify's Pair & Share gives and takes. Two devices running Speedify pair up and each uses the other's cellular connection simultaneously, so you both get faster uploads, faster downloads, and a steadier connection. No extra hardware, no new data plans, no setup beyond a tap.

Learn how Speedify's Pair & Share works ›

More speed

Every device you pair with adds its cellular to yours, and yours to theirs.

📱

Stays connected

If a paired device drops out, Speedify keeps you online on the remaining links.

🔒

Always private

Every shared connection runs through AES-256 encryption. Your traffic is yours.

🎉

No new gear

Runs on devices already running Speedify, over your local network. Pair once, reconnects automatically.

How do I use Wi-Fi and 4G/5G cellular at the same time with Speedify?

Pick your two internet connections and your device below and we'll take you to the step-by-step setup guide.

I want to combine

Use the selectors below to find the setup guide for your exact combination of connections.

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4 Steps to Join a USB Cellular Adapter with a Tethered iPhone on your Ubuntu Linux Computer

Step 1: Enable Personal Hotspot on your iOS device

A Personal Hotspot lets you share the cellular data connection of your iPhone or iPad with other devices via Wi-Fi, USB, or Bluetooth.

Go to Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot or Settings > Personal Hotspot and flip the switch to on. 
From this screen you can verify the name of the phone (which will be used as the Wi-Fi name/SSID) as well as configure the password.

NOTE: If you don't see the option for Personal Hotspot, contact your carrier to make sure that you can use Personal Hotspot with your plan.

Need help with this step? Visit Apple’s knowledge base to learn more.

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to your Ubuntu Linux computer via USB

Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Ubuntu computer with a USB cable. If you see an alert on your iPhone or iPad that says “Trust This Computer?” tap Trust. Your Ubuntu computer will start using your tethered iPhone or iPad and you should see it in the System Menu listed as a “Wired Connection.”
Note: It has been reported that in iOS 14, USB tethering to Ubuntu is broken. Learn More

Step 3: Connect and configure your USB Cellular adapter

Note: Before purchasing or connecting a USB Cellular Adapter, be sure to verify that it is compatible with your specific hardware and/or operating system. Some devices may require additional software or drivers from the manufacturer.

Connect your Cellular Adapter to a USB port on your Ubuntu computer. It will most likely appear in your System menu as a “Wired Connection.”

Some Cellular adapters require the use of proprietary dialer software to connect to the Internet. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's installation and operating instructions closely.

Step 4: Download and Install Speedify

Last but certainly not least, download and install Speedify. Once running, Speedify will automatically detect any available Internet connections and join them together 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.

Get started with Speedify today!

With Speedify you can combine Wi-Fi, 4G / 5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink and other satellites into one bonded super-connection to improve livestreaming, video calling, gaming, web browsing, and everything else you do online.

Speed

Get faster uploads and downloads for everything you do online.

Stability

Avoid buffering and disconnects while streaming, gaming, and browsing.

Security

Keep your personal data safe from hackers, snoops and cyber criminals

Speedify engineers love talking tech on YouTube, Tiktok, and Instagram!

Alex Gizis and the Speedify engineers discuss and explain technology including Starlink satellites, Wi-Fi 7 routers, Apple networking features, fiber optics, broadband internet, 5G mobile networks, AI, networking protocols, and much more. Follow Speedify on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

Alex and the Speedify team are always exploring the latest in networking and security technology—like 5G, 6G, WiFi 7, laser and satellite internet—and sharing it in new discussion content across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn every week.

Got a tech question? Let's go deeper! Pop into Speedify Office Hours live every Wednesday at 10 AM Eastern. Speedify CEO Alex Gizis and our network engineers are standing by to break down your questions about networks, tech updates, and Speedify features.

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