Speedify Uses Backup Wi-Fi Alongside Starlink on Ubuntu Linux to Keep You Online
If Starlink is your primary internet on Ubuntu Linux, Speedify can hold a second Wi-Fi network, such as a cable or DSL router or a mobile hotspot, as an automatic backup that takes over the moment Starlink drops. With a USB Wi-Fi adapter giving your machine a second Wi-Fi path, Speedify uses Speedify’s channel bonding technology to run Starlink and the backup Wi-Fi together, so weather, a dish obstruction, or satellite congestion no longer interrupts an active download, SSH session, or VoIP call. Your traffic shifts to the backup Wi-Fi with no dropped sessions, and when both connections are healthy Speedify bonds them for faster upload and download speeds and encrypts your traffic on both paths.
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.
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Quick answer
Should you get a backup connection for Starlink?
Yes. Starlink goes down every day — an always-on dish averages about 34 minutes of downtime daily from routine satellite handoffs. A second connection keeps you online when Starlink drops.
What’s the best backup connection for Starlink?
A 4G/5G cellular hotspot or SIM is the most practical backup for most Starlink users — it works anywhere Starlink works, requires no installation, and uses a different network so outages rarely overlap. Cable or DSL broadband is a strong option if you have it at a fixed location. A second Starlink dish is also possible if you need maximum throughput.
How do you use two internet connections at once with Starlink?
Speedify combines Starlink with any other connection — cellular, cable, Wi-Fi, or a second dish — into one bonded connection. Speedify runs on your phone, laptop, or router. When Starlink drops, Speedify moves your traffic to the backup instantly, so calls don’t cut out and downloads don’t stall. Speedify is free to try.
71% of Speedify’s Starlink users already run a second connection. The data below shows why.
Try Speedify free →Speedify Starlink Index — real-world performance from 6,209 Starlink users: 2.4% downtime, about 34 minutes a day for always-on connections
Starlink goes down every day.
Here’s what that actually looks like.
Speedify passively monitors every connection it bonds. These figures come from 6,209 Starlink users over 14 days — compared in real time against the other connections on the same devices. No speed tests, no lab conditions.
Daily downtime
~34 min
2.4% of connected time unreachable
Median latency
60 ms
p90 spikes to 257 ms
Avg packet loss
0.17%
vs 0.08% on T-Mobile
71% ran at least one other connection simultaneously — 4,381 of 6,209 users. Cellular is the most common backup.
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.
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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.
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