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.
Daily Starlink downtime
~33 min
Starlink connections are unreachable for an average of 33 minutes every day — across 6,228 real-world dishes. That’s 2.3% of connected time.
Watch now
How Speedify's channel bonding technology works on any hardware
Get started with Speedify for your business
Speedify offers three commercial paths. They're not exclusive — most enterprise customers combine two or more.
01
Speedify Teams
Speedify on every supported OS for every team member
Centralized dashboard for billing, user provisioning, and usage analytics
CSV import/export and a RESTful management API
02
Speedify for Routers
License for supported OpenWrt routers
Powered by Speedify hardware lineup ready to deploy out of the box
Miri, GL.iNET, and other partner models
Whole-LAN bonding without per-device install
03
Embed Speedify into your product
A · DIY
Build it yourself with the Speedify SDK.
B · CUSTOM ENGINEERING
Have us build it for you.
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 Is Used on Millions of Devices Worldwide
Speedify has powered stronger Internet for millions of consumers since 2014
15M
Millions of Speedify downloads worldwide, and growing every day5⭐️
More than 75,000 5-star reviews for Speedify in the iOS and Android app stores82
Points of Speedify presence in datacenters around the globe500TB
Hundreds of terabytes of fast, secure data streamed every week via SpeedifySpeedify Partners
Speedify partners with these amazing organizations to deliver better internet and next-generation networking technology to their customers and employees.
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.
Speedify Business Solutions
Speedify Teams
Speedify for Routers
Speedify Embedded Solutions and Integrations
Embed Speedify software into your app or hardware products and leverage the core channel bonding technology of Speedify in new and interesting ways.