How to turn off WiFi Probe protection on Xiaomi routers: a complete guide with risks and alternatives

The WiFi Probe (or “WiFi probe”) feature in Xiaomi routers is often a source of controversy among users, and on the one hand, it is designed to optimize the operation of the wireless network – the router actively scans the air, analyzes the load of channels and automatically switches to less busy frequencies. On the other hand, it leads to constant transmission of data packets even when devices are not active, which raises suspicions about privacy and increases the load on the network.

Owners of routers Xiaomi Mi Router 3/4/4A/4C/AX1800/AX3600 and other models often face a situation when the function interferes with the work of smart devices (for example, cameras or sensors Mi Home), interferes with neighboring networks or simply seems excessive. In this article, we will analyze how to turn it off on various firmwares – from standard MiWiFi to alternatives like Padavan or OpenWRT, and also assess the possible consequences.

What is WiFi Probe and why do you want to turn it off?

WiFi Probe technology (sometimes referred to as 802.11k/v/r) is a standard mechanism in modern routers that:

• 🔍 Scans the airwaves for other networks and devices.
• 📡 Optimizes the channel by switching to less loaded frequencies.
• 🔄 Manages roaming (smooth transition of devices between access points in mesh networks).
• 📊 Collects statistics to improve performance.

In practice, this means that your Xiaomi router is constantly sending Probe Request packets, even if no device is connected to it. For some users, this becomes a problem for three reasons:

1. Privacy: Packets contain the MAC- address of the router, which theoretically allows you to track its location.
2. Interference: Active scanning can interfere with neighboring networks, especially in apartment buildings.
3. Compatibility: Some smart devices (such as Xiaomi Mi Home cameras or Aqara sensors) don’t work well with the sensing enabled.

It is important to understand that WiFi Probe ≠ is a surveillance feature, not a feature that transfers your personal data to Xiaomi or third parties, but it can be overactive, especially if you:

• 🏠 You live in a private home without a network.
• 📵 Use the router only for wired devices.
• 🔒 You have set up the network manually and do not need to be automatically optimized.

Official and informal ways to disconnect

How to deactivate WiFi Probe depends on the firmware of your router, and consider all options, from standard to alternative.

1. Standard MiWiFi firmware (no root rights)

The official MiWiFi firmware (China, global or Russian) does not have a direct switch to disable the sensing, but you can try to circumvent this restriction through hidden settings:

Disconnect all devices from WiFi| Connect to the router via cable | Backup settings in Settings → Additional → Backup | Make sure the firmware version is up to date

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Instructions for Mi Router 3/4/4A/4C/AX1800 models:

1. Open the router's web interface at 192.168.31.1 (or miwifi.com).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → WiFi settings.
3. Press F12 (or Ctrl+Shift+I in Chrome) and open the Console tab.
4. Enter: document.cookie=challenge=1;location.reload(); and click Enter. the page will update, a hidden menu will appear.
5. Now go to Settings → Advanced → Wireless network.
6. Find the 802.11k/v/r Support option and turn it off.
7. Save the settings and restart the router.

⚠️ Warning: This method doesn't work on all firmware versions. Once the software is updated, the hidden settings may disappear and the procedure will have to be repeated.

2. Padavan firmware (alternative)

If your router is running Padavan (a popular custom firmware for Xiaomi), it is easier to turn off WiFi Probe:

1. Go to the web interface (192.168.1.1).
2. Go to the Wireless Network → Basic settings.
3. Find the 802.11k/v/r block and uncheck all the ticks: 🔘 802.11k Radio Resource Measurement 🔘 802.11v Wireless Network Management 🔘 802.11r Fast Transition

Apply

In Padavan, you can also disable background scanning (which partially duplicates the Probe feature):

1. Go to the → Scheduled Tasks.
2. Find a task called wifi scan or autochannel.
3. Turn it off or delete it.

3. OpenWRT firmware

On OpenWRT, WiFi Probe is managed via configuration files. You will need access via SSH:

1. Connect to the router via SSH (for example, via PuTTY or Terminal).
2. Open the WiFi configuration file: vi /etc/config/wireless
3. Find the option line ieee80211k '1' and replace '1' with '0'.
4. Similarly, change ieee80211v and ieee80211r.
5. Save the file (:wq in vi) and restart the network: wifi down & & wifi up

Manual control of channels

If the main complaint to WiFi Probe is frequent change of channels, fix them manually:

1. Download the WiFi Analyzer (Android) or NetSpot (iOS/macOS) app.
2. Scan the ether and select the least loaded channel (e.g. 1, 6 or 11 for 2.4 GHz).
3. In the router settings (WiFi settings → Channel), set the selected channel and turn off the Auto.

3.Using the guest network

If the problem is only with certain devices (such as smart light bulbs), connect them to the guest network:

• 🔧 Guest WiFi is running in isolation and may not be using Probe as actively.
• 🛡️ This will also improve the security of the main network.

💡

Disabling WiFi Probe doesn't always solve the problem of interference. Often the real reason for slow WiFi is congestion with neighboring networks. Before changing your router settings, check for ether load using specialized applications.

How to check if WiFi Probe is disabled

To make sure that the function is actually deactivated, use one of the following methods:

1. via the web interface (Padavan/OpenWRT)

Just go back to the 802.11k/v/r settings and check that the ticks are removed.

2. via SSH (for power users)

Connect to the router and execute the command:

iwpriv wl0 get_mode

If the output has lines with 802.11k: disabled or 802.11v: disabled, the function is disabled.

3. With Wireshark

For a thorough check:

1. Install Wireshark on your computer.
2. Run packet capture on the WiFi interface.
3. Filter traffic by wlan.fc.type_subtype == 0x04 (this is Probe Request).
4. If packets continue to be sent, the function is still active.

⚠️ Warning: Some Xiaomi routers (e.g., AX6000) may ignore manual settings and turn on the WiFi Probe after rebooting, in which case only the modified core firmware (e.g., OpenWRT with a patch) will help.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When disabling WiFi Probe, users often face typical problems:

If you notice that your router has started to overheat or reboot more often after you turn off the WiFi Probe, this may indicate:

• 🔥 Increased CPU load (due to lack of channel optimization)
• 📶 Conflicts with neighboring networks (if the channel is selected unsuccessfully)

In this case:

1. Return the WiFi Probe settings back.
2. Update the router to the latest version.
3. Try alternative optimization methods (e.g. splitting 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions