Have you noticed that your Xiaomi router is slower than it could be? Or some devices refuse to connect to the network, although the signal is stable? The reason may lie in the outdated Wi-Fi standard, which uses the default router. Modern Xiaomi routers (including the Mi Router 4A/4C/4Q/AX3600/AX6000 models) support several wireless standards - from outdated 802.11b to current Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). The right choice of the standard can increase Internet speed by 30-50%, reduce latency in online games and improve compatibility with older gadgets.
In this article, we will explain how to change the Wi-Fi standard in the Xiaomi router through the web interface and the Mi Wi-Fi mobile application, and also explain which standard to choose for different scenarios, from office network to home use with smart devices. You will learn why automatic mode (b/g/n/ac) is not always optimal, and how to avoid typical errors in configuration.
Why you need to change the standard Wi-Fi on the router Xiaomi
Most Xiaomi routers default to a mixed 802.11b/g/n/ac mode (or b/g/n for budget models), which should be compatible with all devices.
- 🐢 Speed reduction: the router has to adapt to the slowest device on the network, for example, if an old printer with only support is connected to the network. 802.11b (11 Mbps maximum, all other devices will be slower.
- 📶 Increased interference: standards b/g Use outdated modulation techniques that create more radio interference for neighboring networks.
- ⚡ Underutilization of opportunities: modern smartphones and laptops support Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) or Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), They cannot be used in a mixed mode.
According to tests from SmallNetBuilder, switching from b/g/n to n/ac increases the real data rate by 40% when using devices with support for 802.11ac. And switching to Wi-Fi 6 (AX) reduces game delays by 20-30 ms due to OFDMA technology.
What Wi-Fi standards support Xiaomi routers
The ability of the router to work with a particular standard depends on its hardware platform. Below is a compatibility table for popular Xiaomi models (relevant for firmware 2023-2026):
| Model router | 2.4 GHz | 5 GHz | Max, speed. | Wi-Fi 6 (AX) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Router 4A | b/g/n | — | 300 Mbps | ❌ No. |
| Mi Router 4C/4Q | b/g/n | a/n/ac | 1167 Mbps | ❌ No. |
| AX1800/AX3000 | b/g/n/ax | a/n/ac/ax | 1775/2976 Mbps | ✅ Yes. |
| AX3600/AX6000 | b/g/n/ax | a/n/ac/ax | 2976/5952 Mbps | ✅ Yes (160 MHz) |
Important: AX Series routers (Wi-Fi 6) automatically use the 802.11ax standard for compatible devices, but can switch to ac/n for older gadgets.This does not require manual adjustment, but in some cases, the forced disabling of outdated (b/g) standards improves performance.
If your model doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6, the best choice for most users is n/ac (for dual-band routers) or n (for single-band routers), which will provide a balance between speed and compatibility.
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Before changing the standard, check which devices are connected to your network. To do this, go to Settings → Devices in the Mi Wi-Fi app and look at models of smartphones, tablets and smart appliances. If there are devices older than 2015, they may not support modern standards.
Preparing for a change in the Wi-Fi standard
Before you change your settings, follow a few mandatory steps to avoid connection issues:
Make sure the router is connected to the internet.|Write down the current network settings (SSID password)|Check the list of connected devices|Update the router to the latest version|Prepare a backup access method (Ethernet cable)-->
Pay special attention to firmware updates. Older versions of Xiaomi router software (especially 4A/4C models) may have experienced bugs that caused the Wi-Fi standard to lose connection to update the firmware:
- Open the Mi Wi-Fi app.
- Go to Settings → General → Update firmware.
- If a new version is available, click Update and wait for the process to complete (the router will restart automatically).
⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi router is released before 2019 years (e.g. Mi Router) 3G/3C), Change of Wi-Fi standard can lead to unstable operation in the range 5 In this case, it is recommended to use separate networks for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz with different standards.
How to Change the Wi-Fi Standard Through a Web Interface
The router's web interface provides more fine-tuning than a mobile app, to change the Wi-Fi standard:
- Connect your computer or laptop to your router via Ethernet cable (recommended) or via Wi-Fi.
- Open your browser and type in the address bar 192.168.31.1 (or miwifi.com).
- Enter the login and password (by default – admin and password from the sticker on the router).
- Go to Settings → Wi-Fi (or Wireless mode for old firmware).
The following actions depend on the router model:
- 📡 For single-band routers (Mi Router) 4A): Select the standard from the drop-down menu Wi-Fi Mode: 11b/g/n, 11n or 11b (not recommended).
- 📶 For dual-band routers (AX1800/AX3600): Set up standards separately for 2.4 GHz 5 For GHz. 2.4 GHz optimally 11n, for 5 GHz — 11ac or 11ax (if maintained).
After selecting the standard, click Save and wait for the router to restart (it will take 1-2 minutes). If after rebooting some devices stop connecting, go back to the settings and select a more versatile mode (for example, 11b/g/n).
What if the router does not turn on after the change of the standard?
Change the Wi-Fi standard with the Mi Wi-Fi app
The Mi Wi-Fi mobile app (available for Android and iOS) offers a simplified interface for router management, but not all models support changing the Wi-Fi standard through the app — this feature is only available for routers based on the MiWiFi ROM firmware (for example, AX3600, AX6000).
Step instructions:
- Open the Mi Wi-Fi app and connect to your router.
- Go to Settings → Wi-Fi (or Wireless Network).
- Select the range (2.4G or 5G).
- Find Wi-Fi Mode or Standard (in newer versions of the application it may be in Additional settings).
- Select the standard you want from the list and save the changes.
If the application does not have the option to change the standard, use the web interface (described in the previous section) or update the application to the latest version. For routers with OpenWRT firmware (for example, Mi Router 3G with custom software), the Wi-Fi settings are changed through the LuCI panel at 192.168.1.1.
⚠️ Attention: In the Mi Wi-Fi app for routers AX-The Wi-Fi 6 Mode option can be displayed in the series, and activating it automatically activates the standard. 802.11ax for compatible devices, but may lead to problems with older gadgets (for example, smart light bulbs Yeelight 2018 release).
Which Wi-Fi standard to choose for different tasks
There is no universal answer to the question, "What is the best standard" - it depends on your devices and goals.
| Use case scenario | Recommended standard (2.4 GHz) | Recommended Standard (5 GHz) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home network with modern devices (2020+) | 11n | 11ac or 11ax | Turn off b/g to reduce interference |
| Smart home (datas, cameras, light bulbs) | 11b/g/n | — | Many IoT devices only work at 2.4 GHz |
| Office with laptops and printers | 11n | 11ac | Use separate networks for guests |
| Online Games and 4K Streaming | — | 11ax (if supported) | Set up traffic priority (QoS) |
For maximum performance on AX-series routers (for example, AX6000) it is recommended:
- 🎮 For 5 GHz: 11ax 160 MHz channel width (unless interference from neighboring networks).
- 📱 For 2.4 GHz: 11n 20 MHz channel width (improving stability for IoT devices).
If you are not sure which standard to choose, use automatic mode (b/g/n/ac), but disable support for 802.11b in additional settings (if there is such an option), this will reduce interference without losing compatibility.
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For Xiaomi routers with Wi-Fi 6 (AX) support, 11ax mode for 5 GHz and 11n mode for 2.4 GHz are the best choice.This provides top speed for new devices and compatibility with older ones.
Frequent mistakes and their solution
When you change the Wi-Fi standard, you often have typical problems, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:
- 🔌 Devices do not connect after changing the standard: check if the device supports the chosen standard. For example, smart sockets Xiaomi Smart Plug only work with the standard. 802.11b/g/n on 2.4 GHz.
- 📉 Internet speeds dropped after the settings changed: it may be that the router automatically narrowed the channel width. Go to the settings and set the channel width manually (for example, 40 MHz for 2.4 GHz or 80 MHz for 5 GHz).
- 🔄 The router is constantly rebooting: this may indicate incompatibility between the firmware and the chosen standard.
- 📡 5GHz network disappears after saving settings: some Xiaomi models (for example, Mi Router) 4C) require manual inclusion of the 5 GHz band in the country/region settings.
If you see frequent breaks after changing the standard, try:
- Return to the previous standard and check the stability.
- Change the Wi-Fi channel manually (e.g. from automatic to fixed 6 or 11 for 2.4 GHz).
- Disable the WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) feature in additional settings – it sometimes conflicts with older devices.
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If you lose access to the Internet after changing the Wi-Fi standard, but the router is working (indicators are burning), try connecting to it via cable and returning the settings. Often the problem is solved by switching from 11ac to 11n for 5 GHz.