How to use Xiaomi router as a repeater: full instructions with tips

If your home Wi-Fi doesn’t cover all the rooms, and if you don’t plan to buy a new, powerful router, you can use the old Xiaomi router as a repeater, which allows you to expand the coverage without unnecessary costs using existing equipment. However, not all Xiaomi models support the repeater mode out of the box — some require alternative firmware or manual configuration.

In this article, we will analyze three main ways to connect the Xiaomi router as a network amplifier: through a regular web interface (for supported models), using firmware. OpenWRT/Padavan (for advanced users and through the function WDS (You will also learn which Xiaomi Mi Router, Redmi Router and AiOT Router models are best suited for this task, and how to avoid typical setup errors.

Before you start, make sure your main router supports Bridge or WDS — without this, connecting a repeater may not be possible. If you are not sure about your router model, check it by the sticker on the bottom of the device.

Which Xiaomi routers support repeater mode?

Not all Xiaomi devices can work as signal repeaters, and below is a table of compatibility of popular models with the available customization methods:

Model router	Repetitor's staffing regime	Support for WDS	OpenWRT/Padavan firmware	Notes
Xiaomi Mi Router 3/3C/3G	❌ No.	✅ Yes (requires manual adjustment)	✅ Yes.	Popular model for custom firmware
Xiaomi Mi Router 4/4A/4C	✅ Yes (in the latest versions of the software)	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.	Best choice for beginners
Redmi Router AC2100	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.	⚠️ Partially.	High performance, but hard to get through
Xiaomi AiOT Router AX3600	❌ No.	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes (informally)	Requires experience with network equipment
Xiaomi Mi Router Mini	❌ No.	❌ No.	✅ Yes.	Weak technical specifications

If your model doesn’t support the repeater mode out of the box, don’t despair: alternative firmware (like Padavan) often add this feature. However, installing them requires certain skills and may be insecure. For beginners, we recommend choosing Mi Router 4/4A or Redmi AC2100 models, which support the repeater mode in standard software.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi routers with firmware for the Chinese market (for example, models with suffix) CN) You may not have Russian in the interface. Before buying, check the firmware version.

📊 What kind of Xiaomi router are you using?

Mi Router 3/3C

Mi Router 4/4A

Redmi AC2100

AiOT AX3600

Other

I don't know the model.

Preparation for setting up: what to do before connecting

Before turning your Xiaomi router into a repeater, follow a few mandatory steps:

🔌 Connect the router to power and make sure it turns on.If the device hasn't been in use for a long time, check the power supply.
📡 Place the repeater in the stable signal area of the main router — 50-70% maximum radius of coverage.
🖥️ Connect to the router via cable (via port) LAN) or through its own Wi-Fi network (the network name is usually indicated on the sticker).
🔄 Reset to factory if the router has already been used. 10-15 seconds.

Also, prepare the main network data:

📝 Wi-Fi network name (SSID) password.
🔢 Type of security (usually) WPA2-PSK or WPA3).
🌐 IP-the main router address (for example, 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).

If you don’t know your network settings, connect to the main router and check them in the web interface (usually at the address). 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1). Login and password for entry most often admin/admin or indicated on the device sticker.

Reset the Xiaomi router to factory settings|

Connect to the router via cable or Wi-Fi|

Record the name and password of the main network |

Check the security type (WPA2/WPA3)|

Find out. IP-main-router-->

Method 1: Set up a repeater via a web interface (for supported models)

This method is suitable for Xiaomi Mi Router 4/4A/4C and Redmi AC2100 routers with the latest firmware versions.

Connect to Xiaomi router via cable or its own Wi-Fi network. Open your browser and enter 192.168.31.1 (or miwifi.com).
Sign in. If you haven't changed your password, use the admin/admin combination or the sticker data.
Go to the section Additional settings → Mode (or Advanced Settings → Operation Mode in English version).
Select the option "Repeater Mode" and click Next.
In the list of available networks, find your main Wi-Fi network, enter its password and save your settings.
Wait for the router to restart. After that, it will broadcast the network with the same name (SSID), but with the suffix EXT or PLUS.

Important: If the repeater doesn’t connect to the main network after setting up, check if your main router supports WDS mode. Some models (such as routers from ISPs) block such a connection.

If the interface does not have a Repiter option, then your model does not support this mode in standard firmware, in which case you go to Method 2 (configure via WDS) or Method 3 (install custom firmware).

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If the repeater is periodically disabled after setting up, try manually setting a static Wi-Fi channel in the main router settings (for example, a channel 6 or 11 in the 2.4 GHz band).

Method 2: Configure via WDS (for models without repeater mode)

If your Xiaomi router doesn’t support repetitor mode but it does have WDS (Wireless Distribution System) functionality, you can use it to expand your network, which works on most models, including the Mi Router 3/3C and AiOT AX3600, but requires manual configuration.

Algorithm of action:

Connect to the web interface of the Xiaomi router (address 192.168.31.1).
Go to Wi-Fi Settings → Additional settings (or Wi-Fi Settings → Advanced).
Activate the WDS option and click Scan.
Select the main network from the list, enter its password and save the settings.
In the Settings section LAN (LAN Settings change IP-For example, if the main router has 192.168.0.1, ask the repeater 192.168.0.2.
Turn it off. DHCP-Xiaomi router server to avoid conflicts IP-address.
Save the settings and restart the device.

After the reboot, the Xiaomi router will work as a bridge, expanding the coverage area of the main network. Note that in WDS mode, the connection speed can decrease by 30-50% due to dual data transfer.

⚠️ Note: If after setting up the device in the network there are "conflicts" IP", check that DHCP-The server is disabled on the repeater, otherwise the two routers will give out the same addresses, which will lead to crashes.

What to do if the WDS does not work?

If the router is not connecting via WDS, try the following steps: 1. Make sure the main router supports WDS (some ISP models block this feature). 2. Check that the security type (WPA2/WPA3) and encryption (AES/TKIP) on both routers are the same. 3. Try manually specifying the Wi-Fi channel instead of automatic selection. 4. If nothing helps, update the main router's firmware to the latest version.

Method 3: Install custom firmware (Padavan/OpenWRT) for advanced features

If your Xiaomi router does not support the repeater mode either through the web interface or through WDS, the last option is to install alternative firmware.

🔧 Padavan - optimized firmware with support for repeater, VPN, other functions.
🐧 OpenWRT is an open system for advanced users.

The process of installing Padavan firmware on the example of Xiaomi Mi Router 3G:

Download the latest version of Padavan firmware for your model from the official repository (e.g. here).
Connect to the router via cable and log in to the web interface (192.168.31.1).
Go to Additional Settings → Update the firmware and download the downloaded file.
Wait for the process to complete (5-10 minutes). Do not turn off the power during the upgrade!
After the reboot, log in to the new Padavan interface (the address may change to 192.168.123.1).
In Network → Wireless mode (2.4GHz/5GHz), select Signal Amplifier mode and set up a connection to the main network.

Padavan firmware offers more features than standard software, but installing it resets all settings and can be insecure. If you are not confident in your abilities, you should turn to Method 2 (WDS).

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Installing custom firmware gives access to the repeater mode, but requires technical skills, and for beginners, we recommend using standard methods (web interface or WDS).

Typical problems and their solution

When setting up a Xiaomi router as a repeater, users often encounter common errors, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

Problem.	Possible cause	Decision
The repeater is not connected to the main network.	Incorrect password or type of security	Check the main router settings (should be WPA2-PSK or WPA3)
Low speed of the Internet via repeater	Dual data transfer in WDS mode	Connect the repeater to the main router via cable (if possible)
The repeater is periodically shut down.	Weak signal from the main router	Move the repeater closer to the main router or change the Wi-Fi channel
Access to the repeater settings is not working	Conflict IP-address	Change. IP-the repeater's address manually (e.g. 192.168.0.2)
Repiter does not save settings after restart	Firmware failure or lack of memory	Reset the settings to factory and repeat the settings

If none of these methods helped, check:

🔄 Update the main and auxiliary routers to the latest version.
📶 Change the Wi-Fi channel on the main router (for example, from automatic to fixed 6 or 11).
🔌 Try another power supply – sometimes problems are caused by unstable stress.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up a repeater on Xiaomi

Can you use the Xiaomi router as a repeater for the network of another provider (for example, Rostelecom or Beeline)?

Yes, but only if the provider's main router supports WDS or Bridge modes. Many routers from ISPs block these functions - check with technical support.

Why did the Internet speed drop 2 times after setting up the repeater?

This is normal for wireless repeaters: data is transmitted twice (router → repeater → device), which reduces bandwidth. To minimize losses, connect the repeater to the main router via network cable (if possible).

How to reset the Xiaomi repeater settings if I forget my password?

Press the Reset button on the back of the router on 10-15 After reset, connect to the router network (name usually) Xiaomi_XXXX) and re-set the setup.

Can you use Xiaomi router as a repeater for a 5 GHz network?

Yes, but only if both networks (main and repeater) are operating in the 5 GHz band. Note that the 5 GHz signal is worse through walls, so the repeater should be placed closer to the main router.

Which Xiaomi model is best for repeater mode?

For beginners, it is Xiaomi Mi Router 4A (easy setup via the web interface). For advanced users, it is Redmi AC2100 (high performance) or Mi Router 3G with Padavan firmware.