Most new Android phones support Wi-Fi tethering, creating a wireless hotspot for sharing the phone’s Internet connection with other devices. Android phones also support USB tethering (unless removed by carrier/manufacturer), which is a nice feature to have when wireless tethering isn’t ideal. In the past the problem has been the lack of USB drivers to connect the phone’s connection to Macs.
Now, fortunately there is HoRNDIS. A USB driver developed by Joshua Wise that allows Android’s built-in USB tethering capability to work seamlessly with Mac computers. No rooting, no hacking, or apps required. It just works.
- Go to the HoRNDIS page on Joshua’s website and download the latest package.
- Install the .pkg, follow prompts in the installer.
- Plug in your Android phone with a USB cable, and open Settings.
Settings -> Wireless & Networks -> More -> Tethering and portable hotspot
- Enable USB Tethering, check that box.
- Now on the Mac, open System Preferences -> Network. You should see your phone as one of the connections in the list. Like so:
- You should now be online.
In my testing, I was tethering a MacBook Pro with OS X 10.8 connected to a Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.2. The connection was fast, and more reliable than Wi-Fi tethering. The according to the developer, HoRNDIS is working with Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7, and 10.8.
The advantages of USB tethering :
- Wi-Fi frequencies may be congested in busy locations, slow Wi-Fi.
- Charge your phone while tethering.
- Reduce latency, more responsive connection
- Don’t have to worry about wireless security settings.
Horndis is awesome!
I’m so grateful to Horndis! Freeware of the year!
USB tethering from my GNex to my 10.6 Macbook at last! Yay!
USB tethering from my GNex to my 10.6 Macbook at last! Yay!
Great job!
I spent an hour trying to get my Brandluxe usb modem to work and eventually, frustrated, gave up after trying to install their own drivers form their website, trying apple stores version of it and failing as well. Plugging in my Galaxy and downloading Horndis’ patch finally gave me peace of mind. Apple, GRRRR!
Amazing work. Really appreciate it.
Awesome tip. Thanks!
yay
Wow man. This 5 min of tutorial gave me more help than 5 hours of tech support. You deserve a raise.
Thank you so much for this. I was installing a hundred apks and this was the best and fastest solution. Keep on with the good work!
Thanks for the app provided for the mac users like me and others who don’t get softwares or apps like windows users. How ever I love to use my mac…..
worked on mine MAC BOOK PRO thanks 🙂
Can’t get my Note 2 to work with my Mac Air. Can’t get the network preferences. any suggestions?
Works from nexus 4 on macbook pro
Thanks !
thank you for the great info
now i can take some pictures out from the android phone
my next phone will be an iphone 6 or 7
Thanks for this. I’ll try it out.
I was actually looking for a fix to get my Nexus 4 to connect to a shared connection from my Mac (has a 4G datastick, and shared Internet over wi-fi). The N4 connects to the Mac but has zero Internet access. Anyway… perhaps I’ll put the sim back into the N4 and tether over USB.
By the way… the link http://joshuawise.com/horndis is down. In fact the whole joshuawise site is down. Most likely just a temporary issue. But in case not, here’s the link where I downloaded HoRNDIS from http://ge.tt/4OFTC0m/v/0
mt6589t to macoax 10.8 working
Doesnt work. Phone says i need a hotspot subscribtion. Boo
Working for LG Optimus 4x 4.1.2 with MacOSX 10.9. Thank You!
I just purchased a Nexus 5 from the play store. It has Android 4.4 on it. Wifi Tether for Root Users isn’t working, I guess the developer needs to update that to work on KitKat(android 4.4). Until then I thought Id give this a try. Everything goes as planned until I reach step 6, you should now be online. Im not online and I don’t have any internet access… weird… Ill keep playing with it.
Hey man, I had the same problem – and after a while, I found that enabling USB debugging in developer options solves the problem! Cheers!
I have it working with Nexus 5 on 4.4. It just takes a moment for it to go through. Make sure USB tethering is checked in Android Settings, and give it a few seconds after it says Nexus 5 Connected in System Preferences on the mac.
Also you shouldn’t need wifi tether for root users on Nexus devices, they have pretty robust wifi tethering built in, and it’s independent of your carrier’s tethering policies.
My old mac have a 0sx 10.3.9 G4 power pc – & i can’t used a web – how o can to do? ( sorry 4 my english)
I’m not able to instal HoRINDIS to my mac. Is it because I have Maverick as opposed to Mountain Lion or older versions of their os x?
HTC One Android 4.2.2 MacBook Pro OSX 9 works beautifully. Had to ctrl-Open the .pkg because it’s not signed
Hi I have tried this with my Nexus 5 and the connection goes yellow and says ‘Nexus 5 had a self-assigned IP address and will not be able to connect to the internet’ Help?
Million Thanks to you. Let me know if you need any help. You literally saved my A**
Thanks, works on samsung s2 GT-N7100 and mac book Mac OS X, 10.7.5
Using Galaxy Beam
Great, thanks a lot. Works like charm !
Using Galaxy Beam
thanks man it really worked!!
Download file won’t open on Galaxy S4 with Android 4.3 operating system.
HHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHHAHA
NIGGA YOU RETARDED HAHAHAHAHAHA
Wow! Thanks a bunch for this…Quite helpful on the first trial.
BTW, I’m using the connection to post this right now. No more WI-FI, except I need to share my network with friends and enemies.
Cheerios!
With love from Nigeria.
not working on xcover2?
thx… this work
Thank you so much for this great tutorial. HoRNDIS works like a charm!
Galaxy S3 LTE works on 10.9.4 . thank you!
Is it possible to do the reverse? I would like to share the Mac Ethernet through USB to my Nexus 5. Thank you.
It’s possible to share internet from your mac, go to sharing -> internet sharing
Mac can sharing internet to the port the phone is connected to, but whether the phone will recognise it and use the data is another thing. I usually use my Mac as an AP by board cast wifi for my phone.
Thanks man, my macbook’s wifi stopped working & this tip just saved the day…
worked on my Nex5 and my macbook pro. Thanks!!!
The download file won’t open on my galaxy note 2.why??!!
Fucking awesome!
This is great Advice. BUT I have a problem I have had my android phone
tethered to my mac book many times before however this last week a
couple of times it has said its connected (with the green light) in
system prefrences but not been able to connect hmm so after a bit of
fidlling turning computer and device on and off and resetting the
settings it works again. This has happened more and more this last
couple of days and now I have also had my mac book kind of scrol down a
darkened page and demand to be turned off and on. I have just tried my
boyfriends android device and the same thing has happened so I presume
it is the mac with the problm. Any thoughts or tips on this?
Who told you to download the file on the phone dude… It’s meant to be installed on Mac lol.
I use a ghanian SIM in my unlocked HTC one X but I can neither WiFi thether, USB tether or Bluetooth tether my phone’s internet connection to my mac book pro, osX. Pls help
Reginald frm Ghana
I tried it on my Galaxy S5 and Macbook Pro 10.10.5 and it doesn’t work 🙁
This post might be old but my reply might help others!
Ofcz it is possible! You can even share your internet as WiFi so that all other devices can connect to your Mac.
I am using MacMini. Do the following :
1) Go to System Preferences -> Sharing -> internet sharing (don’t check teh checkbox)
2) Select “Share your connection from” to “Ethernet” (since you are connect from ethernet cable)
3) Select “Share your connection to” to “WiFi”
4) Click on “WiFi options” button and set your wifi password
5) Everything is done. Now check the Checkbox “Internet Sharing”
Thats it! Search and connect from you mobile device or any other device 🙂
PS: I usually do this in my office where my MacMini is connected using ethernet and system administrator don’t give me wifi password 😛
it is really good Thank you!!
downloaded and installed on my mac air 10.10.5 and then restarted and it works great. much better than wifi hotspotting. better latency and more consistent ping
Thanks, MacTip, for the info. I went ahead and installed HoRNDIS. Unfortunately, although I see my Samsung Android in the Network list, it’s color is not green, but yellow. It says “Status: Connected” but it also says “Samsung_Android has a self-assigned IP address and will not be able to connect to the internet.” I notice that the Router and DNS Server numbers are blank. Do you know how I can fix this? Thanks so much.
works great! THANK YoU HoRNDIS! 🙂
Didn’t work :/
Yeah, OK. There it is in Network preferences. But how do I transfer files back and forth if it doesn’t appear in Finder as a device?
Is HoRNDIS safe? Looks like too much 3rd party involvement with my data; like tapping an artery.”Free” makes me more suspicious. Nothing is ever free. There MUST be a better, more direct, way.
wont work with siera 10.12.6
Im in mojave, And it still helps!
It works on my Samsung Galaxy 8s to MacBook Pro 10.14.1
Saves me a bunch, phone provider never said “unlimited data” only included 5gb of hotspot?!?!
Searched for days to “solve” the wifi issue, till I found the issue is I was cut off, for “over sharing” my ‘unlimited’ data.
Now this appears to be the solution.
Still to test:
will the connection go thru a usb c to usb 3 converter??
more later….
i am still unable to use it with my one plus mobile device
Downloaded the file, but my issue is that I am unable to see my s8 in my network options, though my phone is plugged in and USB tethering is turned on.
Please help! How do I manually add an s8 to my network options on a macbook?
I needed to reboot to get the drivers working, but other than that, tethering seems to be working perfectly. Using a Google Pixel 2XL and my little 2010 Macbook Pro
I was follow the tutorial, but I am unable to see my Samsung J7Pro in my network options Macbook Pro Retina