Speedify Uses Backup Wi-Fi Alongside Starlink on Ubuntu Linux to Keep You Online
This guide covers how combining Starlink with a backup Wi-Fi network works on Ubuntu, what you need, and how to set up Speedify in three steps.
Starlink disconnects all the time for ALL Starlink users. The Speedify Starlink Index report found that Starlink connections are down for an average of ~33 min per day. Plus, all Starlink dishes experience small drops and packet loss every 15 seconds, when the moving Starlink satellites hand off the connection to the next satellite overhead.
The best way to fix Starlink's connection drops is to combine your Starlink connection with another internet connection, such as 4G/5G cellular, cable, fiber, DSL, or another Starlink connection. Speedify makes this possible with channel bonding.
Most Starlink users already run a second connection.
From a sample of 6,228 Starlink users on Speedify, 71% ran at least one other internet connection while using Starlink. Cellular is the most common choice of backup connection.
What they pair with
Why Combine Starlink Wi-Fi with a Second Wi-Fi Network on Ubuntu Linux
Starlink’s satellite-based infrastructure makes it susceptible to weather interference, physical obstructions near the dish, and periods of congestion when many users share the same satellite. On Ubuntu Linux, a single Starlink Wi-Fi connection gives you no fallback when those issues occur.
If you have a second Wi-Fi network available at your location, such as a cable or DSL broadband router, a business access point, or a mobile hotspot, Speedify can combine it with your Starlink connection on Ubuntu. Both connections run simultaneously. If Starlink drops, Speedify moves all traffic to the second Wi-Fi connection instantly, without breaking active sessions.
How Speedify Combines Two Wi-Fi Connections on Ubuntu Linux
Ubuntu’s built-in Wi-Fi card connects to one network at a time. Adding a USB Wi-Fi adapter gives Speedify a second independent Wi-Fi path. One adapter connects to Starlink. The other connects to your second Wi-Fi network. Speedify bonds both and manages traffic distribution across them.
Speedify monitors both connections in real time, measuring latency, packet loss, and available bandwidth. When both are healthy, Speedify uses both simultaneously and delivers up to 95% of their combined upload and download capacity. When one connection degrades, Speedify shifts all traffic to the healthy connection at the packet level. No session interruptions occur.
Speedify also encrypts all your internet traffic passing through both connections, so your data is protected on every path.
How to Combine Starlink Internet and Wi-Fi on Ubuntu Linux with Speedify
Step 1: Connect a USB Wi-Fi Adapter
Plug a USB Wi-Fi adapter into your Ubuntu machine. Most adapters are recognized automatically by Ubuntu. Confirm the adapter appears as a separate network interface by running ip link or checking your network manager. You should now have two Wi-Fi interfaces available.
Step 2: Connect Each Interface to a Different Wi-Fi Network
Using your built-in Wi-Fi interface, connect to your Starlink Wi-Fi network via the Network Manager. Using the USB adapter interface, connect to your second Wi-Fi network. Confirm both connections are active and assigned IP addresses.
Step 3: Download and Run Speedify
Download Speedify for Linux and install it on your Ubuntu machine. Speedify will detect both active Wi-Fi connections and begin bonding them. No manual routing configuration is required.
Speedify runs in the background from that point, combining both connections for faster upload and download speeds, monitoring for drops, failing over automatically, and encrypting all your traffic.
Who Should Use Speedify to Combine Starlink and Wi-Fi on Ubuntu Linux
- Linux developers and engineers working remotely on Ubuntu with Starlink plus a secondary broadband router who need a reliable connection
- System administrators managing Ubuntu workstations or servers at locations where Starlink is the primary internet and a backup Wi-Fi path is needed
- Content creators and data scientists running Ubuntu who need combined upload and download bandwidth from two separate connections
- Businesses deploying Ubuntu machines in remote locations with Starlink as primary internet and a mobile hotspot as fallback
- Anyone running Ubuntu on Starlink who wants automatic failover to a second Wi-Fi network without manual intervention
Speedify Also Monitors Your Starlink Dish Status on Ubuntu Linux
Speedify displays real-time Starlink dish alerts in the app on Ubuntu Linux. If your Starlink dish has a stuck actuator motor, a non-vertical mast, or a thermal throttle condition, Speedify shows you the alert in the dashboard. Alerts appear when the condition has been present for at least 15 seconds and clear once resolved.
Speedify lets you monitor your Starlink hardware status and manage your internet connections from the same application.
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