How to set up Wi-Fi on Xiaomi Redmi: from connection to troubleshooting

Why setting up Wi-Fi on Redmi requires a special approach

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are known for their value for money, but their MIUI firmware has features that affect wireless networking. Unlike pure Android, it has additional power saving, background activity, and even built-in network diagnostics tools, which means that a standard Wi-Fi connection can work unstable if you ignore the nuances.

For example, many users experience a Redmi Note 12 or Redmi 10 smartphone “losing” the network after going to sleep, although the router is healthy. The reason lies in the aggressive optimization of MIUI, which turns off the Wi-Fi module to save charge. And in models with Dual Band Wi-Fi (5 GHz + 2.4 GHz) there is often confusion when choosing a range - the smartphone can cling to a less stable network.

In this article, we’ll look at not only the basic connection, but also the hidden MIUI settings that the manufacturer doesn’t advertise: network priority, limiting background traffic, manually configuring DNS to speed up the Internet, and even diagnosing problems through an engineering menu. If your Redmi is not holding a connection well or slowing down in online games, here you will find a solution.

Basic Wi-Fi Connection: Step-by-step

So, to start with, the simplest thing is to connect to a new network, and even this process in MIUI has some things that not everyone knows about, like the latest firmware, which has a Smart Network Switch feature that automatically switches a device from Wi-Fi to mobile data if the signal is weak, which is convenient, but can cause unexpected traffic consumption.

To connect to Wi-Fi:

• 📱 Open Settings (cog icon on the main screen).
• 🌐 Select the Wi-Fi section – it’s usually at the top of the menu.
• 🔍 Make sure the Wi-Fi slider is turned on (it will turn blue).
• 📋 In the list of available networks tap by your network name.
• 🔑 Enter the password (if the network is secure) and click Connect.

If the network is hidden (does not broadcast your name), click Add Network at the bottom of the screen and enter SSID (network name) manually. Here you can select the type of security (WPA2/WPA3 is recommended for maximum protection).

Make sure the router is on and the Wi-Fi indicator is on.|Check that the smartphone is not in the “on the plane” mode"|Remove old saved networks with the same name|Update the firmware MIUI last-minute-->

After connecting, pay attention to the icon next to the network name:

• 🔄 — receiving IP-Addresses (if hanging for a long time, see the section "Problem Solving").
• ⚠️ — No Internet access (check your router settings).
• 🛡️ — The network is secure, but the password is incorrect.

Optimization of connection speed and stability

Even if a smartphone is connected to Wi-Fi, it doesn’t guarantee top speed. There are a few hidden settings in MIUI that can speed up or slow down the internet, such as the Wi-Fi Assistant feature (in some regions) automatically connects the device to public networks, but this can reduce the priority of your home network.

To optimize the connection:

1. Turn off automatic connection to weak networks: Go to Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Autoconnect to open networks and deactivate the slider.
2. Enable 5GHz priority (if your router supports): In the same section, additionally find Wi-Fi Range and select 5GHz (or Auto if you want a balance between speed and range).
3. Change your DNS settings: Tap on the connected network → Change the network → Additional → IP → Static. In the DNS field, type 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare).

Only 2.4 GHz |Only 5 GHz |Automatic selection |Don't know-->

For gamers and streamers, it’s helpful to enable High Performance Mode (available on the Redmi K50, Note 11 Pro+ and later) which disables background traffic optimization, but can land the battery faster. Activates in Settings → Special Features → High Performance Mode.

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If you play online games, stick the app to memory: open Settings → Apps → Permissions → Autostart and enable autostart to play. This will prevent connection breaks.

Solving Common Wi-Fi Problems

If a Redmi smartphone is not connected to the network, permanently breaks the connection or shows "No Internet access", the reasons may be in the settings of the phone and in the router.

The problem that you should be particularly concerned with is the automatic Wi-Fi shutdown when you lock your screen, and it's connected to the Smart Wi-Fi function, which is trying to save power, to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi → More
2. Find the option to turn off Wi-Fi when blocked (or Smart Connection) and deactivate it.
3. Also check Settings → Battery → Select mode and set Performance.

⚠️ Note: If Wi-Fi stopped working after the firmware update, it may be due to resetting the module. Try resetting the network settings: Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting Wi-Fi, Mobile Network and Bluetooth.

Hidden MIUI features for Wi-Fi management

MIUI hides some useful tools for working with networks that are not visible at first glance, for example, in the engineering menu you can test signal strength, connection speed, and even force certain Wi-Fi standards (for example, 802.11ac for maximum speed).

To open the engineering menu:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the code ##4636##.
3. Select Wi-Fi Information.

Here you'll see:

• 📊 Wi-Fi signal strength is the current signal strength in dBm (optimum: from the current signal strength). -50 before -70).
• 🔄 Link speed – real connection speed (for example, 866 Mbps for 5 GHz).
• 📡 Frequency – frequency (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).

Another hidden feature is the priority of networks, and if you have multiple networks that are saved, the smartphone will connect to them in order to change the priority.

1. Go to Settings. → Wi-Fi.
2. Slip the net and hold for 2 seconds, then drag it up the list.

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The engineering menu allows you to accurately diagnose Wi-Fi problems, but changing parameters without understanding can lead to unstable operation.

Setting up a router for better work with Redmi

Sometimes the problem is not the smartphone, but the router, especially for newer Redmi models with Wi-Fi 6 support (such as the Redmi K60 or Note 12 Pro+). Older routers may not fully support new standards, leading to slowdowns or connection breakdowns.

Recommended router settings for Xiaomi Redmi:

• 📶 Mode of operation: Install 802.11a/n/ac/ax (If the router supports Wi-Fi 6).
• 🔄 Channel: For 2.4 GHz, choose a channel 1, 6 or 11 (they do not overlap). For 5 GHz, 36-48 or 149-165 channels.
• 🔒 Safety: Use WPA2-PSK or WPA3-PSK (not WEP, It's not safe!).
• 📦 MTU: Set the value of 1500 (standard for most providers).

If you have a dual-band router, give the networks different names (e.g., a different router, MyWiFi_2G and MyWiFi_5G). This will allow you to manually select range on your smartphone.Also disable Band Steering feature (if any), as it can force devices to switch between ranges, which is not always good for Redmi.

⚠️ Warning: If after changing the settings of the router smartphone stopped connecting, reset the network settings on the phone: → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting Wi-Fi settings. This will delete all the saved networks and reset the connection settings.

Energy Saving vs. Sustainable Wi-Fi: How to Find Balance

One of the most common complaints of Redmi owners is that they automatically shut down Wi-Fi in the background, which is due to aggressive MIUI optimization, which is trying to save battery life, and fortunately, this problem can be solved without compromising battery life.

Ways to turn off energy saving for Wi-Fi:

1. Turn off adaptive battery economy: Settings → Battery → Adaptive battery saving → deactivate the slider.
2. Add apps to exceptions: In the same Battery section, select App Choices and add instant messengers or games that need constant Wi-Fi.
3. Turn off Smart Connection: Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Smart Connection → Turn off.

If you want maximum autonomy, but you want stable Wi-Fi, use performance mode only at the right moments, such as before an online game or video call.

1. Deploy the notification panel.
2. Put the Battery badge on.
3. Choose Performance.

On models with MIUI 14 and later, Super Wallpaper has appeared, which can affect energy consumption and, indirectly, the stability of Wi-Fi. If you notice that the network has become worse after the update, try to turn off animated wallpaper.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up Wi-Fi on Redmi