Speedify Uses a Backup Cable or DSL Connection Alongside Starlink on Ubuntu Linux to Keep You Online
Yes. If you kept your cable or DSL internet service after getting Starlink, your Ubuntu computer can use both at the same time with Speedify, instead of leaving one sitting idle as a backup you switch to by hand. If your Starlink internet connection drops, Speedify switches your traffic to cable or DSL automatically, and the other way around.
You get the speed of both internet connections together, and SSH sessions, downloads and calls keep going when one of them drops.
Speedify combines Starlink with other internet sources for faster uploads and downloads, and failover
Starlink Internet Connection Drops Happen to Everyone
Speedify measures thousands of Starlink users in more than 140 countries. In September 2026, fixed Starlink dishes went offline for about 38 minutes a day on average, and Starlink dishes on RVs and boats for about 46 minutes a day.
All Starlink dishes also see short dropouts roughly every 15 seconds as the Starlink internet connection switches from one moving satellite to the next. Even a perfectly installed Starlink dish goes offline, and about 7 in 10 Starlink users on Speedify use Starlink together with a second internet connection, like 4G/5G cellular.
Why Cable or DSL and Starlink Cover for Each Other on Ubuntu Linux
Starlink reaches you from satellites. Cable internet runs over your provider’s coaxial cable lines, and DSL runs over telephone lines. What slows Starlink down, like something blocking your Starlink dish’s view of the sky, a busy Starlink network in the evening, or the short drop each time your Starlink dish switches satellites, doesn’t affect cable or DSL. A fault on your cable or phone line doesn’t affect Starlink.
Ubuntu on its own sends your traffic over one internet connection at a time. With Speedify, both internet connections carry your traffic all the time, so you get the combined download and upload speed of Starlink and cable or DSL, and a drop on one doesn’t stop what you’re doing.
How to Use Starlink and Cable or DSL Together on Ubuntu Linux with Speedify
Step 1: Connect Your Ubuntu Computer to Your Cable or DSL Router
Connect your Ubuntu computer to your cable or DSL router with an Ethernet cable or over Wi-Fi. Open Settings > Network (for an Ethernet cable) or Settings > Wi-Fi and check that it shows as connected.
Step 2: Connect Your Ubuntu Computer to Your Starlink Router
If you used an Ethernet cable in step 1, click the network icon in the top-right corner of the screen, open Wi-Fi and pick your Starlink Wi-Fi network. If your computer’s Wi-Fi is already on your cable or DSL Wi-Fi, connect to Starlink with an Ethernet cable instead, because the built-in Wi-Fi joins one network at a time. Some Starlink routers have no Ethernet port and need the Starlink Ethernet Adapter. A USB Wi-Fi adapter also works, if you’d rather use Wi-Fi for both. Check that Starlink and cable or DSL both show as connected.
Step 3: Install and Open Speedify on Your Ubuntu Computer
To download Speedify for Ubuntu, open the Terminal app, paste this command, press Enter, and type your Ubuntu password if it asks for it:
bash -c "$(wget -qO- https://get.speedify.com)"
When it finishes, open Speedify from your apps menu. Speedify finds both internet connections on its own and starts using them together, and you don’t need to set up any routing yourself. Speedify’s Linux install steps have more detail.
From then on, Speedify runs in the background, using Starlink and cable or DSL at the same time for faster downloads and uploads, and switching your traffic to the other internet connection when one drops. Speedify needs that second internet connection: with Starlink alone, it can’t add speed or stop drops.
Speedify also encrypts all your internet traffic on both internet connections.
Who Gets the Most from Starlink and Cable or DSL on Ubuntu Linux
- People who work from home on Ubuntu and need the combined upload speed of two internet connections for large file transfers and video calls.
- Developers and system administrators who want Starlink and cable or DSL used at the same time, instead of paying for one that only waits for the other to fail.
Speedify Also Shows Your Starlink Dish Status on Ubuntu Linux
Speedify shows real-time Starlink dish alerts in the app on your Ubuntu computer. If your Starlink dish has a stuck motor, a tilted mast or is overheating, Speedify shows an alert, so you know your Starlink dish needs attention.
Speedify
Get started with Speedify today.
Combine Wi-Fi, 4G/5G cellular, Ethernet, Starlink, and more into one faster, steadier connection. Free to try — no credit card required.
🚀 Speed
Faster uploads and downloads by bonding all your connections at once.
📶 Stability
Automatic failover in under a second when any connection drops.
🔒 Security
AES-256 encryption on every connection, on every network you join.
15M+ downloads worldwide. 75K+ five-star reviews on iOS and Android.