How to set up DNS-Xiaomi router server: a complete guide with examples

Setting up DNS-Xiaomi router servers are one of the most effective ways to improve website loading speed, protect against phishing and block intrusive ads on all devices on your network. Many users mistakenly believe that changing the content of the server is a good way to do business. DNS It's only for advanced administrators, but it actually takes less than 5 minutes and doesn't require any special knowledge. DNS From the provider often work slowly, which alternative servers are worth using, and show the unique settings for Xiaomi routers with MiWiFi and Padavan firmware.

It is important to understand that the wrong choice DNS Not only can the Internet slow down, it can also create security vulnerabilities. DNS-Servers (such as Google or Cloudflare) collect data about your queries, while others (such as AdGuard) collect data about your requests. DNS) We've tested over 10 popular trackers. DNS on the Xiaomi Mi Router routers 4A, AX3000 and AX6000 — We are ready to share the results that will help you make an informed choice.

Why change the DNS on Xiaomi router?

By default, your router uses DNS-The servers that the ISP provides are not always optimal for several reasons:

• 🐢 Low speed: Provider DNS Often overloaded, which increases response time (ping) when opening sites.
• 🛡️ Lack of protection: Many providers do not filter malicious sites, which increases the risk of devices being infected with viruses.
• 🚫 Censorship and blocking: Some DNS artificially restrict access to certain resources (for example, Torrent trackers or VPN-service).
• 📊 Data collection: Providers can log your queries and use them for targeted advertising.

Research shows that replacing DNS with alternative servers (such as Cloudflare or OpenDNS) can reduce page load times by 20-50%, and specialized DNSs like AdGuard DNS or CleanBrowsing block ads and trackers at the network level, which means that ads will disappear even in mobile applications where there are no built-in blockers.

⚠️ Note: If you are using a corporate network or connected to a VPN from the employer, change DNS It may violate security policies. Before setting up, check with the network administrator.

What are they? DNS-Best Servers to Choose for Xiaomi?

The choice of DNS depends on your goals. We have compiled a table with popular options and their features:

For most Xiaomi users, we recommend:

• 🚀 Top speed: Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google DNS (8.8.8.8).
• 🛡️ Protection + Ad blocking: AdGuard DNS (94.140.14.14).
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family filter: OpenDNS FamilyShield (208.67.222.123, 208.67.220.123).

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Before choosing a DNS, check its speed on your connection using the DNSPerf service or the namebench utility (for PC).

Step-by-step DNS setup on Xiaomi router (official firmware MiWiFi)

If your router runs on standard MiWiFi firmware (most models, including Mi Router 4A, AX3600, AX6000), follow this instruction:

1. Open your browser and enter 192.168.31.1 (or miwifi.com) and log in with your login and password (admin/admin, if you haven’t changed it).
2. Go to the section Additional settings → Network → LAN.
3. Find the field. DNS-The server (may be called the main server) DNS and secondary DNS).
4. Enter. IP-address DNS-servers (e.g. 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 for Cloudflare).
5. Click Save and restart the router (Reboot button in the upper right corner).

Once you restart, all devices on your network will automatically start using the new DNS. To check if the settings have been applied, run a command in the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux):

nslookup google.com

The answer should be displayed. IP-address DNS-the server you have specified (e.g. 1.1.1.1).

Make sure the router is restarted|Check the Internet connection on devices|Perform nslookup to verify DNS|Check the speed of loading sites (for example, through speedtest.net)|Open a website with ads (such as Forbes) to check for a lock-->

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi Router) 3G/4C) hand-in-field DNS In this case, use an alternative method through DHCP-server (see next section) or update the firmware.

Configure DNS over DHCP (if the DNS field is blocked)

If the router’s web interface does not have the ability to change the DNS directly, you can redirect client devices to the desired servers through the DHCP settings. This method works on all firmware, including Padavan:

1. Go to the router control panel (192.168.31.1).
2. Go to Additional settings → Network → DHCP.
3. Find the Primary DNS and Secondary DNS fields in the DHCP Settings section.
4. Enter. IP-Addresses (e.g. 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15 for AdGuard).
5. Save the settings and restart the router.

This method will force the router to give out the selected DNS to all devices when connected to the network, but it has a drawback: if the device uses a static IP or a manually prescribed DNS, the settings will not apply.

• 🔄 Forced renewal IP on the device (in Windows: ipconfig) /release → ipconfig /renew).
• 📱 Nana Android/iOS Reset your network settings (forget the Wi-Fi network and connect again).

Setup DNS on Xiaomi routers with Padavan firmware

Padavan firmware (an alternative to many Xiaomi models) offers advanced DNS settings, including support for DNS-over-TLS (DoT) and DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH).

1. Go to the Padavan control panel (usually 192.168.1.1).
2. Go online. → LAN → Settings DHCP/DNS.
3. In the section DNS-servers specify the addresses they need (e.g. 8.8.8.8 and 1.1.1.1).
4. To enable DoT (encrypted DNS), tick the Enable DNS-over-TLS box and select a server from the list (e.g., cloudflare-dns.com).
5. Save the settings and restart the router.

Padavan also allows you to configure redirection DNS-request (DNS Forwarding) to block ads at the router level:

1. Go to Advanced Settings → DNS Forwarding.
2. Enable the option and add rules (for example, to block ad network domains).

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Using DNS-over-TLS (DoT) on Padavan protects your requests from being eavesdropped by the provider, but can slightly increase ping.

Problems After DNS Change and Solutions

Sometimes when you change your DNS, you might have a problem, and we've collected some of the most common problems and ways to fix them.

After the shift DNS You've noticed that some services (e.g., online banks or government sites) have become unavailable, and this may be due to geo-blocking. DNS-Servers (like Google or Cloudflare) can redirect requests through foreign nodes, resulting in blocking:

• 🌍 Use it. DNS Support for your region (e.g. 77.88.8.8 – Yandex.DNS for Russia).
• 🔄 Go back to DNS provider for critical services.

Additional features: Ad blocking and parental control

One of the most useful bonuses from the change DNS — The ability to block ads and malicious sites at the router level, which means that ads will disappear on all devices, including smart devices.-TB, game consoles and smart speakers where you can not install AdBlock.

The following DNSs will be suitable for this:

• 🛡️ AdGuard DNS (94.140.14.14, 94.140.15.15 – blocks advertising, trackers and phishing.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CleanBrowsing Family Filter (185.228.168.168) – Blocks adult content + promotion.
• 🔒 OpenDNS FamilyShield (208.67.222.123) – filtering by category (social networks, games, etc.).

To set up parental controls through DNS:

1. Select a family filtered DNS (e.g. OpenDNS FamilyShield).
2. Set it up in the router (as described above).
3. Register on the service’s website (such as OpenDNS) to fine-tune the rules.

Please note that DNS-Filtering does not replace full parental control. DNS with router settings (for example, limitation on the MAC-addresses or schedules of access).

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up DNS on Xiaomi