How to turn Xiaomi into a modem: 3 ways to distribute the Internet from your phone

Why use Xiaomi as a modem?

Xiaomi's modern smartphones can not only receive mobile Internet, but also distribute it to other devices — turning into a full-fledged modem, this feature will come in handy when traveling, in the country, or when your home Wi-Fi suddenly turned off, for example, you can connect your laptop to the Internet through your phone to send an urgent letter or hold a video conference.

Unlike specialized 4G-Modems, Xiaomi smartphones are always on hand, and it takes less than a minute to set up. However, there are nuances: operator limitations, battery consumption and possible compatibility problems. USB-modem to Wi-Fi access point – and tell you how to get around typical errors.

Three ways to distribute the Internet with Xiaomi: a comparison

Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi, POCO and flagship series) support three main modem modems, each with its own pros and cons depending on the situation:

• 📶 Wi-Fi access point – the most versatile method, allows you to connect several devices at the same time (up to 10), but quickly puts the battery down.
• 🔌 USB-modem – stable connection with minimal charge consumption, but requires cable and works with only one device.
• 🔵 Bluetooth modem is an economical option for slow tasks (mail checkers, instant messengers), but the speed is limited ~1 Mbps.

The choice of method depends on your tasks. For example, for online games or streaming videos, it is better to use the method. USB-modem (less delays), and for a tablet or second phone - Wi-Fi. On models with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra) speed USB-The modem can reach 1 Gbit / s when connected to the 5G.

Setting up a Wi-Fi hotspot on Xiaomi

This is the most popular method, as it does not require additional accessories, and the instructions are suitable for all models on the MIUI 12-14, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Xiaomi 13 Lite.

To enable the access point:

1. Open Settings → Connections and Sharing → Access Point.
2. Slip the Wi-Fi Access Point slider.
3. Set up a network name (SSID) and password (minimum 8 characters).
4. Choose a frequency range: 2.4 GHz (long range) or 5 GHz (high speed but smaller radius).

On models with MIUI 14, the option “Auto-Switch off” appeared – it turns off the access point if devices are not connected to it within 5-30 minutes (configured in the Additional menu), which saves battery power.

Mobile Internet is on on the phone.|The device is in the coverage area 4G/5G|Password for the access point is remembered|On the connected device, it's off. VPN (can block the connection)-->

⚠️ Note: Some operators (e.g. Tele2 or Yota) block the distribution of Internet on tariffs without the option "Modem", in which case, after connecting devices, the Internet will only work on the phone, and other gadgets will display an error "Without Internet access".

USB-Modem: how to connect Xiaomi to a PC or laptop

This method provides the most stable speed and minimum battery consumption (the phone charges while running) suitable for Windows 10/11, macOS and Linux.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your computer with the original cable (cheap cables may not support data transfer).
2. On the phone, select the file transfer mode (MTP) or USB-modem (in the drop-down menu after connecting).
3. On PC: 🪟 Windows: Go to Settings → Network and Internet → Mobile hotspot and select the connection via USB. 🍎 macOS: the modem will connect automatically in the System settings section → Network.

If your computer does not recognize the modem, check:

• 🔌 Cable (try another one).
• 📱 The phone is on mode for developers → Debugging by USB (Not necessarily, but sometimes it helps).
• 🖥️ On the PC installed drivers Xiaomi (you can download on the official website).

💡

If the speed USB-modem below expected, try to turn off power saving to USB-ports in Windows power settings. This is especially true for laptops.

⚠️ Note: Windows 11 sometimes has an error "Unidentified network" when connecting through USB. Solution: go to Device Manager, find Xiaomi Remote NDIS and update the driver manually by selecting the option "Search on this computer" → "Select from the list" → "Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device".

Bluetooth modem: battery saving in exchange for speed

This is a method that is suitable for small amounts of data, such as email or instant messengers, and is limited by Bluetooth (maximum ~1 Mbps), but battery consumption is minimal.

How to set up:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and connected device.
2. On the phone: Settings → Connections and Sharing → Bluetooth modem.
3. Slip the name of the device you want to connect to.
4. On the PC/laptop, confirm pairing (code entry may be required).

On Windows, a new Bluetooth Network Connection will appear after you connect. If the Internet is not working,

• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on both devices.
• 📱 On your phone, check that the Bluetooth modem settings have enabled the option "Allow Internet access".
• 🖥️ On PC, update Bluetooth drivers (especially relevant for laptops with Intel modules) AX200/AX210).

Operator restrictions: how to bypass modem lock

Many Russian operators (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon) block the distribution of the Internet at basic rates. IP-The address, but the Internet is not working, and there are several ways to solve the problem:

• 💳 Change the tariff to the option with the option "Modem" (for example, MTS Smart or Beeline "All").
• 🔧 Use it. VPN on a connected device (not always working, but sometimes bypasses restrictions).
• 📡 Set up a proxy server (requires technical knowledge).
• 📱 Change. TTL (time parameter of packets) through ADB:

The latter method is the most reliable, but requires unlocking the Debugging over USB and commands:

adb shell settings put global tether_dun_required 0

Once done, restart the phone.Caution: This method may violate the terms of the contract with the operator.

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Before changing system settings through ADB, back up your data. Incorrect commands can cause your modem or mobile network to crash.

Problems and solutions: why the modem does not work on Xiaomi

Even after the right setup, errors can occur. Let's look at the typical cases and how to fix them:

If the problem persists, try resetting your network settings:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.
2. Confirm the action (password is not required).
3. Restart the phone and reset the modem.

In the models with MIUI 13+ After reset, re-activation may be required SIM-cards (enter PIN code).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions