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How to Use Ethernet and Tethered Android at Once on Ubuntu Linux with Speedify

Get More Bandwidth on Your Ubuntu Linux Computer by Joining Ethernet with a Tethered Android Smartphone

In this article, we are going to introduce you to Speedify, the channel bonding VPN and walk you through the steps to join Ethernet with a tethered Android device 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.

Try free →
Live  Your phone · bonded across Wi-Fi, cellular, and 2 paired devices
YOUR PHONE Your traffic, split BONDED · 107 Mbps LANES · 4 · 2 PAIRED DROPS · 0 Wi-Fi Your network 40 Mbps Cellular AT&T 22 Mbps Friend 01 PAIRED · Verizon 26 Mbps Friend 02 PAIRED · T-Mobile 19 Mbps SPEED SERVER Reassembles your bonded session NET 107 Mbps
Your own Wi-Fi and cellular Paired devices, shared both ways Bonded and reassembled at the Speed Server

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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3 Steps to Join a Ethernet with a Tethered Android Phone on Ubuntu Linux Using Speedify

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 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.

Alternative: Join 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.

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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