How to transfer Internet from phone to phone via Bluetooth Xiaomi

Situations where urgent network access is required and standard Wi-Fi distribution methods do not work are common. Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often wonder whether Bluetooth can be used to transfer Internet connections between devices. This technology, while inferior in speed to Wi-Fi, has a number of unique advantages, especially in the context of limited battery life or specific security settings.

Unlike a classic access point, which consumes a significant amount of power, a Bluetooth modem is much more economical, making it ideal for background tasks such as receiving notifications in messengers or synchronizing mail on a second device. However, the process of setting up on the MIUI shell or HyperOS has its own nuances that must be considered for a successful connection.

In this tutorial, we will go into detail on the technical side of the issue, explain how to set up both phones correctly and fix common errors. You will learn why this method can be the only working option in corporate networks or when Wi-Fi module crashes. Internet transmission over Bluetooth is possible only if there is active mobile traffic (3G/4G/5G) on the donor phone.

The principle of operation of Bluetooth PAN and features of MIUI

The technology that allows you to share the Internet is called PAN (Personal Area Network), which is built deep into the Xiaomi ecosystem, but often hidden from the surface of the user. When you activate modem modem over Bluetooth, the smartphone creates a virtual network bridge, the data packets of which are encapsulated in the Bluetooth protocol.

Transfer speeds are limited by the bandwidth of the Bluetooth module and the protocol version. If both devices support Bluetooth 5.0 and higher, the stability of the connection will be significantly better than on older versions of 4.2 or lower. However, even at best, you should not count on speeds comparable to Wi-Fi; here the limit is usually 1-2 Mbps.

⚠️ Note: Using a Bluetooth modem to view high-resolution video or download large files is highly inefficient due to low channel bandwidth.

MIUI has an aggressive energy saving system that can force a connection to break if it considers it inactive. So it's important to set priorities for system processes correctly for stable operation. It's also worth remembering that transferring files and distributing the Internet simultaneously through a single Bluetooth module can lead to a critical drop in the speed of both processes.

Preparation of devices for pairing

Before attempting to transfer the Internet, you need to make sure that both the sender (host) and the receiver (client) are ready to go. The first step should always be to turn on visibility. Without this basic condition, the phones simply won't see each other on the list of available devices.

On the phone that will be giving the Internet, go to the settings menu. The path usually looks like: Settings → Bluetooth. Make sure the switch is activated. Now you need to make the device visible to others. In some versions of HyperOS, the phone becomes visible automatically when you open the search menu, in others you need to click on the model name.

• 📱 Turn on Bluetooth on both smartphones through the notification curtain or settings.
• 🔍 On the receiving device, run the scan and find the name of your main phone.
• 🔐 When you request, confirm a match. PIN-code on both screens to create a secure connection.

Once paired successfully, the status of the device will change to Connected or Connected. It's important to understand the difference: simple pairing only connects devices to share contacts or files, but the Internet requires activation of an additional profile. Don't delete old pairings, if they don't conflict, this will speed up reconnection in the future.

Set up the distribution of the Internet on the phone Xiaomi

The most important step is to activate the modem mode on the SIM card device. Unlike the Wi-Fi hotspot, there is no separate "Enable" button on the home screen, all settings are hidden in the depth of the menu. You need to go to Settings → Wi-Fi hotspot.

Inside this menu, find the Bluetooth modem, which can be at the bottom of the list or in the optional "More" menu. Activate the switch. If the item is inactive (gray), check if the Bluetooth adapter itself is on, since these functions are rigidly linked programmatically.

Once the switch is turned on, the system can request confirmation of mobile network use. Confirm action. Now the phone is ready to broadcast the Internet, but not yet transmits it. The signal of readiness is usually displayed in the status bar with a Bluetooth icon with a characteristic arrow or PAN symbol.

Connecting the second phone to the network

Now, to a device that needs the Internet, even if the pairing is done, the Internet won't automatically come in, you have to manually start the data transfer through the network profile, go to the Bluetooth settings on the second phone.

Find the name of your Xiaomi main phone in the list of connected devices. Click on the gear icon next to the name or simply tap the device name to open the profile management menu. Here you will see a list of available services: Sound, Contacts, Media Sharing and, most importantly, Internet Access.

• 🔗 Open the details menu of the connected Bluetooth device.
• 🌐 Find the "Use to Access the Internet" or "Internet Access" switch".
• ✅ Activate the switch and wait for the network icon to appear in the status bar.

In some versions of Android, the process may look different: after turning on the Bluetooth modem on the dispenser, on the receiver you just click the “Connect” button in the main Bluetooth menu, and the system itself will suggest using the Internet connection. If this does not happen, try to forget the device and create a pair again.

⚠️ Note: If you request permission to access contacts or call logs when connecting, this is normal for the synchronization protocol, but it is not required for the Internet to work.

Solving Typical Connection Problems and Errors

Despite the simplicity of the concept, users often find that the Internet is not working even though the connection is installed. IP-The recipient phone may try to distribute the network itself instead of accepting it.

Check the date and time settings. Dissynchronizing the time for more than a few minutes can result in a failure to establish a secure connection with the operator's servers, which will be perceived as a lack of Internet, and also make sure that the donor phone does not turn on the "Traffic Savings" mode for background applications.

If the connection is permanently broken:

1. Turn off battery optimization for Bluetooth system services on both devices.
2. Make sure that the distance between the phones does not exceed 5-7 meters.
3. Try to turn off Wi-Fi on your receiving device to avoid routing conflicts.

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If the internet is gone after unlocking the screen, add the Bluetooth System Services app to the autostart and energy saving exceptions in the Security app.

Network resets sometimes help. Go to Settings → Connection & Sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth. This will remove all stored networks and pairs, but often resolves deep software failures of the protocol stack.

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The stability of the Bluetooth connection depends on the absence of interference in the 2.4 GHz band and the relevance of modem drivers.

Comparison of Bluetooth modem with other distribution methods

Is the sheepskin worth making? Let's compare Bluetooth to classic Wi-Fi and USB-Bluetooth only benefits in one aspect: power consumption, and battery life when running a Bluetooth modem is minimal, which is critical on long hikes or business trips.

USB-The cable gives you the maximum speed and charges the phone at the same time, but requires the physical presence of the cable and limits mobility. Wi-Fi provides the best speed without wires, but quickly puts the battery of the dispenser.

If you just need to hold an online messenger on a tablet or a second phone while the main one is dead, Bluetooth is perfect. If you want to download a 1GB app update, you better use cable or Wi-Fi, otherwise the process will take hours.