QoS on Xiaomi router: what it is, how it works and how to set traffic priority

Have you ever noticed that while playing online, a video from another family member suddenly starts to “lay” on YouTube, or that the Zoom conference is interrupted while someone downloads a large file? It is for solving such problems in Xiaomi routers (including Mi Router models). 4A, AX3600, AX6000 QoS (Quality of Service) function is provided).

QoS is not just a “geek setting,” but a powerful tool that allows you to automatically distribute Internet bandwidth between devices and traffic types, prioritizing mission-critical tasks. For example, you can guarantee that your child’s online play won’t be slowed down by someone watching a movie. 4K But how exactly does this work in MiWiFi firmware, and what are the pitfalls in the setup.

What is QoS and why you need it in the Xiaomi router

QoS (Quality of Service) is a traffic management technology that categorizes network packets and distributes channel bandwidth based on their type. In the context of Xiaomi routers, this means you can:

• 🎮 Prioritize game traffic (such as Dota 2, CS2, Fortnite) to reduce ping and avoid lags.
• 📹 Ensure the stability of video calls (Zoom, Teams, Skype) even when the network load is high.
• 📥 Limit “glutty” devices, such as torrent clients or Windows updates that eat up the entire channel.
• 📱 Prioritize individual devices (such as a work laptop or smartphone).

Without QoS, all the devices on the network compete for bandwidth on an equal footing, as if there were an ambulance, a truck and a cyclist on the same road, all at the same speed, and QoS works as a traffic controller, letting the cars that really need speed right now go forward.

In routers, Xiaomi QoS is implemented at the MiWiFi firmware level and is supported by most modern models, including:

It's important to understand that QoS doesn't increase your real Internet speed, it only distributes it more intelligently. If you're on a 100 Mbps tariff, even with QoS, you won't get 200 Mbps. But you can avoid situations where one device clogs up the entire channel, leaving others out of touch.

How QoS works in MiWiFi firmware: technical details

In routers Xiaomi QoS implemented on the basis of the mechanism HTB (Hierarchical Token Bucket is an advanced traffic management algorithm that allows you to use the technology:

• 📊 Ensure minimum bandwidth for critical tasks (e.g. 20 Mbps for Zoom conferencing).
• ⚡ Limit the maximum speed for secondary devices (for example, no more than 10 Mbps for a torrent client).
• 🔄 Dynamically redistribute resources when network load changes.

MiWiFi firmware classifies traffic according to the following criteria:

1. Application type (games, streaming, downloads, etc.) – is determined by ports and signatures.
2. Source device – you can assign priority to a specific MAC-address.
3. Protocol (TCP/UDP/ICMP) and ports (e.g. port) 3389 for RDP).

QoS in Xiaomi is working at the same level. L7 (application layer, which allows you to recognize even encrypted traffic (for example, HTTPS) However, for maximum accuracy, it is better to use manual port-based or port-based binding. MAC-address.

⚠️ Note: If you are using your network VPN or proxy (such as WireGuard or Shadowsocks), QoS may not work properly, as all traffic will go through a single port and be encrypted.

Another important point: QoS in Xiaomi does not work in bridge mode (WISP), Because in this case, the router is not controlling the traffic, it's retransmitting it. If you want to prioritize, connect the Internet cable directly to the Internet. WAN-port.

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If you have a dual-band router (for example, AX3600), Set up QoS separately for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. Traffic between bands is not automatically synchronized!

Step-by-step setting up QoS in the Xiaomi router via the web interface

To set up QoS on Xiaomi router, follow the following steps. Instructions are current for MiWiFi firmware version 3.0 and later (check in Settings). → Status of the system).

1. Open the router's web interface: Connect to the router's network via Wi-Fi or cable. Enter 192.168.31.1 (or miwifi.com) in your browser. Sign in (admin is the default login and password).

Go to the QoS section.

Path: Additional settings → QoS (Quality of Service).

Turn on the QoS.

Switch the slider to the position On and save the changes.

Set up the prioritization rules

There are two options: automatic (by traffic types) and manual (by devices or ports).

Let us consider both options in more detail.

Option 1: Automatic prioritization by traffic type

This is the easiest way for most users to use, and the router itself categorizes traffic and prioritizes:

• 🎮 Games are the highest priority (low ping).
• 📞 Voice/Video – High Priority (Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp).
• 🌐 Web surfing is the middle priority.
• 📥 Downloads – Low priority (torrents, updates).

To activate this mode:

1. In the QoS section, select Automatic Configurement.
2. Specify the maximum speed of your Internet connection (in Mbps). It is important that the router knows how many resources to allocate. Why do you need to specify the speed of the Internet?If you do not specify the real speed, QoS will work incorrectly. For example, if you have a tariff of 100 Mbps and you specify 500 Mbps, the router will try to allocate non-existent resources, which will lead to delays.
3. Save the settings and restart the router.

Option 2: Manual device or port setting

This method gives you more control, but it requires knowledge of network protocols.

• Assign maximum priority to the working laptop MAC-address.
• Limit the speed of the torrent client to 10 Mbit / s.
• Prioritize Remote Desktop (RDP, port 3389).

Instructions for manual adjustment:

1. In the QoS section, select Manual Setup.
2. Add a new rule: Title: "Working Laptop" Type: "Device" MAC-address: 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E High Max Speed: Do not limit (or specify value)
3. To limit torrents, add the rule: Title: "Torrent Limitation" Type: "Port" Ports: 6881-6889 (Standard ports for BitTorrent Priority: Low Max: 10 Mbit/s
4. Save the rules and apply the settings.

⚠️ Note: If you notice an increase in ping in games after you turn on QoS, try turning off the speed limit for gaming devices or reducing priority for other types of traffic. Sometimes the automatic classification mistakenly places gaming packages in the category of downloads».

QoS for games: how to reduce ping and lag in the game CS2, Dota 2 and other games

For gamers, QoS is a lag-free solution, especially if other devices are running simultaneously on the network. Here's how to optimize settings for games:

• 🎯 Assign maximum priority to the gaming PC or console MAC-address.
• 🔧 Add rules for gaming ports: Game Ports (TCP/UDP) Protocol CS2 (Counter-Strike 2) 27000-27030 UDP Dota 2 27000-27030 UDP Fortnite 5222-5290 UDP Call of Duty: Warzone 3074, 27000-27050 UDP/TCP
• ⚡ Limit background downloads on other devices while playing (especially torrents and Windows updates).
• 📡 Use 5GHz Wi-Fi for a gaming device – this network is less busy and has less latency.

Example of a rule for CS2:

Title: “CS2 Priority”


Type: "Port"




Ports: 27000-27030 (UDP)




Priority: Maximum




Device: [MAC- Address of your PC]

After applying the rules, check the ping in the game before and after. 20-50 MS, especially if the network has been overloaded before.

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For maximum effect, combine QoS with settings DMZ for a gaming console or PC (in Port forwarding section).

QoS for streaming and video calls: how to avoid the “freeze” in Zoom and YouTube

If you often hold video conferencing or watch videos in the 4K, QoS will help avoid interruptions and "hangs."The rule of thumb is that video traffic should take a higher priority than downloads or updates.

Here are the best settings for streaming:

• 🎥 For Zoom/Teams/Skype: Ports: 3478-3481 (UDP), 50000-60000 (UDP). Priority: High. Max. Speed: No limit (or minimum) 5 Mbps).
• 📺 For YouTube/Netflix/Twitch: Ports: 443 (TCP) (HTTPS), Priority: Medium-high (lower than video calls, but higher than downloads).
• 🔕 Limit other devices: For example, set a 10 Mbps limit for smartphones if they are not used for streaming.

An example of the rule for Zoom:

Title: "Zoom Priority"


Type: "Port"




Ports: 3478-3481 (UDP), 8801-8810 (UDP)




Priority: High




Device: [MAC- Address of your laptop]

⚠️ Note: If you are streaming in OBS Studio or Streamlabs, add 1935 ports to QoS rules (TCP) (RTMP) 53 (UDP) (DNS), to avoid broadcast interruptions.

To check the effectiveness of QoS during a video call, use the Speedtest service on another device, and if the speed on it drops, and the video quality in Zoom remains stable, the settings work correctly.

Common errors when setting up QoS in Xiaomi and how to avoid them

Even experienced users sometimes face problems after enabling QoS. Here are the most common errors and their solutions:

• ❌ Not specified the real speed of the Internet: If the QoS settings indicate a speed of 1000 Mbps, and your tariff is 100 Mbps, the router will try to allocate non-existent resources, which will lead to delays. How to find out the real speed? → Internet in the router web interface.
• ❌ Too many rules with top priority: If you prioritize games, video calls, and downloads, QoS will be meaningless. Priorities should be hierarchical.
• ❌ QoS is on in bridge mode (WISP): In this mode, the router does not control traffic, so QoS does not work. Connect the Internet cable directly to the Internet. WAN-port.
• ❌ Do not restart router after changes: Some QoS settings only apply after rebooting.Always do so after making changes.
• ❌ Use outdated firmware: In older versions of MiWiFi (up to 2.0), QoS was unstable. Update the firmware in the Additional Settings section → Firmware update.

If the internet is slower after setting up QoS, try:

1. Disable QoS and check the speed without it.
2. Reduce the number of rules (leave only the critical ones).
3. Reset the router settings to factory and configure QoS again.

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If you have Xiaomi AX6000 or other model with support OFDMA, Turn this feature on in your Wi-Fi settings. It improves QoS performance on networks with more devices.

QoS vs. Other Traffic Management Methods: Which is Better?

QoS is not the only way to manage network resources, and Xiaomi routers also have:

So which method to choose?

• 🎮 For games. → QoS + Port Forwarding.
• 📥 To limit torrents → Bandwidth Control.
• 🏠 For guest Wi-Fi → Guest network + speed-limit.
• 💼 For remote work → QoS with priority for Zoom/RDP.

In most cases, QoS is the optimal solution, as it combines flexibility and automation, but Bandwidth Control can also be enough for simple tasks (such as limiting torrent speed).

FAQ: Frequent QoS questions on Xiaomi routers