How to Combine Ethernet (LAN) and Tethered iPhone at Once on a Mac
Use Ethernet & Tethered iPhone Together for Faster, More Reliable Internet
If your wired Internet connection is slow and disconnects at times on your Mac, then you need more that just a backup connection. Got an iPhone nearby? Then tether it to your Mac and combine both connections at the same time with a channel bonding (link aggregation) solution like Speedify.
Speedify is the only app that combines your wifi, 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 bond 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.
4 Steps to Combine Wired Ethernet and Tethered iPhone on Your Mac with Speedify
Step 1: Connect your Ethernet cable to your Mac
Connect an Ethernet cable between your router or modem and the Ethernet port on your Mac. In most cases, you’ll automatically connect to the internet. If your computer doesn’t have a built-in Ethernet port, try using a USB to Ethernet adapter, or a Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter.
Need help with this step? Visit Apple’s knowledge base to learn more.
Step 2: Enable Personal Hotspot on your iPhone or iPad
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 3: Connect your iPhone to your Mac via USB
Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Mac with a USB cable. If you see an alert on your iPhone or iPad that says “Trust This Computer?” tap Trust.
Next, visit System Preferences, click Network, then select iPhone USB/iPad USB from the list on the left. In the right pane deselect the “Disable unless needed” checkbox under Status.
Need help with this step? Visit Apple’s knowledge base to learn more.
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 combine them for increased speed, security, and stability.
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: Combine Wi-Fi and Tethered iPhone on Mac Easier
Want an even easier (and wireless) way of bonding cellular connections? Use our latest feature, Pair & Share!
- Install Speedify on all devices
- Join the same Wi-Fi or local network
- Pull up the Pair & Share settings in Speedify and tap on the desired device to send an invitation to pair
- 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.
Download Speedify
Speedify is the only app that combines your wifi, cellular, wired, and even your friend’s phone signals – 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.
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