How to transfer the Internet from computer to Xiaomi phone via USB

The situation where the Wi-Fi router is temporarily unavailable and the mobile 4G signal catches extremely weak, is familiar to many smartphone owners. In such cases, a device connected by a cable to a computer can use its network connection to access the network. This phenomenon, known as Reverse Tethering, is the reverse of the usual distribution of the Internet from the phone. For users of the Xiaomi ecosystem, this is especially true, since the MIUI shell or HyperOS has its own characteristics of managing network interfaces.

The main difficulty is that standard Android tools often hide this feature or completely disabled by the manufacturer. Unlike the usual modem mode, which is activated with a single button, the reverse distribution requires deeper intervention in the system. You will need not only quality. USB-It's a cable, but it's also an understanding of how bridges work in Windows or Linux, and without special utilities or superuser rights, it can seem like an impossible task.

However, there are proven methods to establish a stable communication channel between the PC and the smartphone. Using a wired connection guarantees high speed and minimal latency, which is critical for online games or video conferencing. In this article, we will discuss the technical nuances necessary to configure GNET and other tools, as well as consider possible errors and ways to fix them.

Technical requirements and equipment preparation

Before you start manipulating network settings, you need to make sure that your equipment is compatible. Not all Xiaomi smartphones respond equally to network throw attempts, especially if the device runs on the stock firmware of the global version. The key element here is yourself. USB-cable: it must support data transfer, not just charging; cheap charging-only cables cannot physically transmit a network packet.

On the computer side, it is important to have up-to-date ADB drivers. Without them, the operating system will see the phone solely as a drive or power source, ignoring its network capabilities. It is also recommended to disable antivirus programs during setup, as they can block the creation of virtual network bridges.

⚠️ Note: Using third-party utilities to modify network settings may result in temporary loss of network access.

To successfully implement the plan, you will need the following components:

• 📱 Smartphone Xiaomi or Redmi with enabled debugging USB.
• 💻 Computer running Windows 10/11 administrate.
• 🔌 Original or certified USB-cable.
• 🌐 A stable Internet connection on the computer itself.

Android versions are particularly worth paying attention to. On newer versions of the OS (Android 11, 12, 13 and above), security has become stricter, and some older methods may not work without root rights. However, for most mid-range devices, there are workarounds that do not require unlocking the bootloader.

Set up a Xiaomi smartphone to work with PC

The first step in the setup chain is to activate hidden features on the device itself. The standard MIUI interface hides the options you need, so we'll have to go to the developer menu. Find the MIUI version in the About Phone section and quickly click on it seven times in a row. The system will tell you that you've become a developer, and then a new section will appear in the settings menu.

Inside the menu "For developers" you need to find and activate the item "Debugging by USB". When connecting the cable, the phone will request confirmation RSA-If you want to check the key, make sure to tick "Always allow from this computer." Without this step, the computer will not be able to send commands to the device. USB (security settings)" if available in your firmware version.

This is followed by an important point that is often overlooked: some versions of the shell require you to manually select USB mode. Once you connect the cable, pull the notification curtain down and click on the notification "Charge via USB." Select "File Transfer (MTP)" or "PTP" mode, since Charge Only mode blocks data transfer. This is the basic condition for any interaction with a PC.

⚠️ Note: Do not leave your smartphone unattended during debugging in public places, as debugging mode gives full access to the file system.

If you plan to use advanced methods with superuser rights, then at this stage you need to get root access through unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk. However, we will consider methods that work on standard devices, so as not to complicate the process for the average user.

Using the Gnirehtet utility for reverse distribution

The most efficient and secure way to transfer the Internet from computer to phone without root rights is to use the open source Gnirehtet project, which creates a tunnel between the PC and the Android device, redirecting network traffic. It doesn't require the application to be installed on the phone, which is a huge plus for security and compatibility. It runs a Java and ADB-based program.

To get started, download the latest version of Gnirehtet from the official GitHub repository. Unpack the archive into a separate folder on your computer, such as the root of the C drive. Before you start, make sure that the ADB drivers are installed on your computer. If you have previously configured a smartphone for development, they should already be in the system. In the utility folder, run the gnirehtet-run.cmd file (for Windows) or the corresponding script for your OS.

adb reverse localabstract:gnirehtet tcp:31416

After launching the script on the smartphone screen, a request to create VPN-This is the normal behavior of the software: it creates a virtual network interface through which all traffic passes. Press OK or Allow. From now on, all Internet traffic from the phone will go through the cable to the computer. The connection speed will be limited only by bandwidth. USB-Port and Internet speed on PC.

It's important to understand that while the script is running in the command line, the connection is active. If you close the terminal window, the Internet on the phone will disappear. For permanent use, you can configure autorun or use modified versions of the utility with a graphical interface.

Network transfer through ADB and command line

For more experienced users who want to control the process in detail, manual configuration via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is available, which allows you to flip ports and adjust routing manually, and is especially useful if the automatic utilities are not working properly or you want to integrate the distribution into your own automation script.

First, check the device's connection. Open the Windows Command Prompt (cmd) or terminal in Linux/macOS and type in the adb device command. The list should show your device with the serial number. If it's "unauthorized" instead of the number, check the phone screen and confirm the connection. Only after the "device" status appears can you continue.

The next step is to set up port forwarding, and the team below creates a tunnel that links the local port on the phone to the port on the computer, but for the phone to start using that channel as the default gateway, additional actions are required, often unavailable without root.

adb shell settings put global http_proxy 127.0.0.1:8080

This team is setting up a global HTTP-The computer in this case should act as a proxy server (for example, through programs like CCProxy or built-in Windows tools). ICS). This method is less reliable for full network access, as many applications ignore the system settings of the proxy, preferring a direct connection.

Using pure ADB without third-party utilities often comes down to emulating how Gnirehtet works, but manually.This requires a deep knowledge of the Linux network architecture on which Android is based. For most users, the ADB + Gnirehtet bundle is the optimal balance between control and simplicity.

Solving common problems and errors

When you set up, you often find that the Internet doesn't appear despite following all the instructions, and one of the most common causes is a network adapter conflict, and if you have Wi-Fi and Ethernet on your computer at the same time, you might be trying to route traffic through an inactive interface, and then you might be able to temporarily shut down the extra adapter in the network control panel.

Another common problem is that the Windows firewall locks the connection. When you first run the distribution utility, the system asks for permission to access the network. If you accidentally click Cancel or deny access, traffic is blocked. Check the firewall settings and make sure that gnirehtet-run.cmd and adb.exe are allowed access to private and public networks.

⚠️ Note: Some corporate computers are not allowed to use tunneling policies, in which case the distribution of the Internet will not be possible without the consent of the system administrator.

Also worth mentioning is the driver problem: If the device manager defines the phone as "Unknown Device" or "Android" but not "Android Composite ADB Interface," you need to manually update the driver. Specify the path to the SDK Platform Tools driver folder. Without proper display in Device Manager, no data transfer is possible.

Sometimes a simple reboot of ADB helps. In the command line, perform sequentially:

adb kill-server


adb start-server

This resets the demon state and often solves problems with the "hung" connection.

Alternative methods and specifics of MIUI

Shell MIUI And the new HyperOS has an aggressive power saving system that can kill background processes, including tunnel connections. To avoid disconnection, look for the application in the battery settings that distributes it (if you're using it). APK-- client), and set "No Limits" mode. Also, lock the application in memory if you use a GUI.

Alternative methods exist, such as using the Reverse Tethering No Root app available in app stores. However, their effectiveness is highly dependent on the Android version. On modern versions, they often require VPN emulation, which actually duplicates Gnirehtet's work, but with a high resource consumption. Another option is using Android emulators on a PC (BlueStacks, Nox), which have built-in network-over functions, but this is no longer a direct distribution to a physical device.

For devices with an unlocked bootloader and Magisk installed, there are modules that integrate the back-up function directly into the system settings. This is the most convenient, but also the most risky way, requiring complete flashing of the device. It provides native support for Reverse Tethering in the notification curtain.