Why 5GHz on Xiaomi may not work – and how to fix it
You bought a Xiaomi Mi Router 4A Gigabit router, Redmi Router AX6 or the flagship model AX9000, but 5GHz network stubbornly does not appear in the list of available? Or the connection is constantly broken, although 2.4GHz is stable? The problem is familiar to many users - and the reasons can lie in the settings of the router and in the limitations of your devices.
The 5GHz range promises high speeds (up to 1300 Mbps on 802.11ac and 2400 Mbps on Wi-Fi 6), but has a smaller coverage area and passes through walls worse. If your smartphone or laptop can’t see the network, it’s not always the router’s fault: older devices (released before 2015) may simply not support 5 GHz. However, 90% of the time the problem is solved by changing several parameters in the MiWiFi web interface.
In this article, we will discuss:
- 🔍 How to Check if Your Device Supports 5GHz (List of Compatible Chips)
- ⚙️ Step-by-step instructions for enabling range in MiWiFi and OpenWRT firmware
- 📡 Optimal channel settings for Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan (taking into account regulatory constraints)
- ⚡ Typical errors: why the network disappears after a reboot or is not visible to the public iPhone/Android
If you use a Xiaomi router with manufacturer firmware, most of the settings are hidden behind a simple interface, but even there are loopholes to activate 5 GHz — more on that.
Step 1: Check 5GHz support with your device
Before digging into your router settings, make sure your smartphone, laptop, or tablet is even capable of operating in the 5GHz band.
- 📱 Android: Install the WiFi Analyzer (or NetSpot) app and see if 5GHz networks are on the list. If not, your Wi-Fi chip doesn't support them.
- 🍎 iPhone/iPad: All models starting with the iPhone 5 (2012 year 4 support 5 GHz.Exception - some budget iPad mini first generation.
- 💻 Windows: Open Device Manager → Network adapters, find your Wi-Fi module and check its specifications in Google. e.g. Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 It supports 5 GHz and Realtek. RTL8188EE — no.
List of popular devices that do not support 5 GHz:
| The device | Model Wi-Fi chip | Maximum frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Old Xiaomi smartphones | Broadcom BCM4330 | 2.4 GHz |
| Laptops before 2013 | Atheros AR9285 | 2.4 GHz |
| Budget tablets (such as the Teclast P80) | Realtek RTL8188ETV | 2.4 GHz |
| Smart TVs (e.g. Xiaomi Mi TV 4A 32) | Amlogic S905 (built-in module) | 2.4 GHz |
If your device is on this list, there's no point in manipulating your router any further, and if you don't, we'll move on to settings.
Step 2: Log in to the Xiaomi router web interface
To turn on 5 GHz, you need to go to the router control panel, and you can do this in two ways:
- Through the Mi WiFi app: 📱 Download the app from Google Play or App Store. 🔗 Connect to the router network (even if it is 2.4 GHz). 🔑 Enter the password from the admin panel (by default it is indicated on the sticker at the bottom of the router).
Browser:
Recommended channels for 5 GHz in different countries:
| Country. | Allowed channels (5 GHz) | Max. power (dBm) |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | 36–48, 149–165 | 20 |
| Ukraine | 36–48, 52–64, 100–140 | 23 |
| Kazakhstan | 36–48, 149–165 | 20 |
| Belarus | 36–48, 52–64 | 20 |
If the 5GHz network does not appear after saving the settings, check:
- ⚠️ Is it worth checking the box at the point Hide the network (SSID).
- ⚠️ Is the name of the network in conflict (SSID) c 2.4 GHz (they must be different).
- ⚠️ Does the antivirus (e.g. Kaspersky) block access to the settings.
💡
If the speed is lower than 2.4 GHz after turning on 5 GHz, try changing the channel to 149 or 153 - they are less loaded in apartment buildings.
Step 4: Solving Connection Issues to 5GHz
The network has come along, but the devices are not connected, or the connection is constantly broken, and here are the typical reasons and ways to eliminate them:
Problem 1: Device “sees” the network but doesn’t connect
This is most often due to incompatible security settings.
- 🔒 Change the type of encryption with WPA3 on WPA2-PSK (In the Wi-Fi Protection section).
- 📶 Disable function 802.11r (Fast Roaming – It can conflict with older devices.
- 🔄 Reboot the router and device simultaneously (turn off for 30 seconds).
Problem 2: Network goes missing after router reboot
This is a firmware bug, typical of the Mi Router 4A Gigabit Edition and Redmi Router AC2100 models.
- 🔄 Update your firmware to the latest version (in the Update section).
- 🔧 Manually set a static channel (for example, 36) instead of Auto.
- 📥 Install an alternative firmware OpenWRT or Padavan (instruction below).
Problem 3: Low speed at 5GHz
If the speed does not exceed 100-200 Mbit / s, although the tariff allows more:
- 📡 Check the channel width: if it costs 20 MHz, change to 40 MHz or 80 MHz.
- 🔌 Connect to the router via cable and check the speed on Speedtest – maybe the ISP has a problem.
- 📱 On Android, turn on the Wi-Fi option+ (in Wi-Fi settings for channel aggregation.
Why is the iPhone not keeping up with 5GHz on Xiaomi?
Step 5: Alternative firmware (OpenWRT, Padavan) for advanced settings
If standard firmware does not allow you to turn on 5 GHz or limits functionality, you can install custom.
- 🐧 OpenWRT: Supports all models on a chip MT7621 (Like Mi Router. 4A, Redmi AC2100). Allows you to fine-tune transmission power, channels and even run AdGuard Home to block ads.
- 🚀 Padavan: Optimized firmware for MT7620/MT7621 stable 5 GHz. Supports WireGuard. VPN and SQM ping-lower.
- ⚡ Official International ROM: If you have a Chinese version of the router (for example, the router is a Chinese router, AX3600 CN), Flush the global firmware to unlock all 5 GHz channels.