Connecting the Xiaomi 4A router to the Internet via a smartphone: 3 working ways

Why connect your router to the Internet via your phone and when it is relevant

Situations where home internet suddenly disappears and access to the network is urgently needed are familiar to many. Xiaomi Router 4A is a popular budget router that can be used not only to distribute Wi-Fi from the provider, but also as a repeater of a signal from a smartphone.

First, if you have a cable connection cut off due to debt or maintenance, but your phone has mobile traffic, and second, if you are in a place where there is no wired connection (for example, in a country house or in a rented apartment), but there is a stable 4G/5G on your smartphone, and third, Xiaomi 4A can be used as a signal amplifier if the phone catches the network better than other devices.

It's important to understand that the router is going to be a bridge between the mobile Internet and your devices -- computers, tablets, smart speakers -- that's more convenient than handing out Wi-Fi directly from your phone, because the router supports more connected devices at the same time and provides a more stable signal.

Three ways to connect: comparing pros and cons

There are three main ways to connect the Xiaomi Router 4A to the Internet via a smartphone, each of which has its own characteristics, and the choice depends on your tasks and the tools available.

As you can see from the table, USB tethering is the best option for most users: it combines high speed, stability and minimal costs. Wi-Fi is suitable if you do not have a cable at hand, but be prepared for possible delays and communication breaks. Bluetooth should only be considered as a backup option due to low bandwidth.

Method 1: USB-tethering connection – step-by-step instruction

This method involves physically connecting a smartphone and router using a cable. - Xiaomi Router 4A lacking USB-So you're going to have to connect to a port directly, so you're going to need an intermediate device, a computer or a laptop:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer via a USB cable. On your phone in the notification curtain, select USB (or USB-tethering) mode.
2. Activate the Internet distribution in your phone settings. Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO The way will be: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Access Point and modem → USB-modem.
3. Connect the router to your computer via an Ethernet cable (to the WAN port on the router). Make sure that a new connection is available on the PC in Network Connections called Ethernet or Local Area Network.
4. Set up Internet Sharing on your computer: 🖥️ Open the control panel. → Network and Internet → Network control centre. 🔗 Select the connection by USB (Ethernet 2 or Remote NDIS). 🔄 Press Properties. → Access and allow other devices to use the connection. 🔌 In the drop-down list, select a connection to the router (usually Ethernet).

Smartphone connected to PC in mode USB-modem|

Internet sharing activated on PC |

The router is connected to the PC via Ethernet (WAN port) |

The router settings are enabled with DHCP-->

After this action, the router must get the Internet from the smartphone. To make sure of this, check the connection status in the Xiaomi web interface. 4A (address 192.168.31.1). If in the Condition section → The Internet is displayed IP-Address and status Connected, so everything is set up correctly.

⚠️ Note: On some versions of Windows 10/11 You may need to disable the firewall or antivirus because they block traffic between the two. USB If the Internet doesn't come up, try temporarily deactivating the security.

Method 2: Connect via Wi-Fi (Access Point Mode on the Phone)

This is the easiest way to do this, and it doesn't require any extra wires, but it has a limitation: the Xiaomi Router 4A can't connect to another Wi-Fi network in client mode (as some TP-Link or Asus models do), so you have to use a workaround to configure the router as a repeater from the phone.

Instructions:

1. Activate the hotspot on your smartphone. On Xiaomi, it's like, Settings → Access Point and modem → Portable hotspot. Set a network name (SSID) and a strong password.
2. Connect your computer to your phone's hotspot over Wi-Fi. Make sure the internet is working.
3. Connect the router to your computer via an Ethernet cable (WAN port).
4. Set up the router in repeater mode: 🌐 Go to the Xiaomi web interface 4A 192.168.31.1. 🔄 Go to Additional Settings → Mode of work → Repeater (WISP). 🔍 Select the network of your access point (SSID phone) and enter the password. 🔄 Save settings and restart the router.

Once rebooted, the router will connect to the phone’s hotspot and distribute the Internet to other devices. Note that this mode will lower the connection speed than a direct connection, as the data is routed dually: Phone → Router → Device.

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If the router can't see the hotspot, try changing the Wi-Fi channel on the phone. In the hotspot settings, select manual mode and set channel 6 or 11 - they are less prone to interference.

Method 3: Connect via Bluetooth (for advanced users)

This method is the least popular because of its slow speed and complexity, but it can come in handy if you don't have a cable and your phone's Wi-Fi is off.

• 📱 Smartphone with Bluetooth-tethering support (most modern Xiaomi supports it).
• 🔌 Bluetooth adapter for router (for example, ASUS USB-BT400 or similar).
• ⚙️ Firmware router with Bluetooth support (for example, OpenWRT or custom firmware for Xiaomi) 4A).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the Bluetooth adapter to USB-The port is disabled on standard MiWiFi firmware, so you will need to install an alternative firmware.
2. Activate Bluetooth tethering on your phone. On Xiaomi, it's done in Settings → Connections and Sharing → Bluetooth modem.
3. Set up a router to connect to your phone: ssh root@192.168.31.1 uci set wireless.radio0.disabled='0' uci set wireless.default_radio0.mode='sta' uci set wireless.default_radio0.ssid='Name phone'uci set wireless.default_radio0.key='Password'uci commit reboot

⚠️ Note: Using custom firmware can lead to loss of warranty on the router and unstable operation.This method is recommended only for experienced users who are ready for possible failures.

Common mistakes and their solutions

When connecting Xiaomi Router 4A to the Internet via a smartphone, users often face typical problems.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the router to factory settings. To do this, press and hold the Reset button on the back for 10 seconds. After reset, repeat the setting from scratch.

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Before resetting your router, record or take a picture of your current settings (wi-fi name, password, IP settings) and save time when you reset.

Security: How to protect your connection from traffic leaks

When using a smartphone as a router’s internet source, it is important to protect your data. Here are some recommendations:

• 🔒 Disable automatic connection to open Wi-Fi networks on your phone to avoid interception of traffic.
• 🛡️ Use it. VPN on your phone if you connect to public networks (for example, at a cafe or airport).
• 🔄 Regularly update your router firmware to close security vulnerabilities.
• 📵 Disable unnecessary services on a router, such as UPnP or Remote Management, if they are not in use.

Also, pay attention to mobile traffic limits. If you have unlimited rates, there will be no problems, but with a limited package, data can run out quickly. In the Xiaomi Router 4A settings, you can turn on Traffic Control (Additional Settings → Traffic Management) to track your consumption.

If you connect smart devices (cameras, speakers, light bulbs) to your router, create a guest network for them, which will limit their access to the main network and protect personal data. Guest network settings are located in the Wi-Fi → Guest network.

Frequently asked questions