How to connect the Internet to a computer via Xiaomi phone: step-by-step instructions with a photo

Why Xiaomi Smartphone Could Be Your Primary Modem

Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones can not only receive mobile Internet, but also distribute it to other devices, from laptops to desktops. This solution helps when the home has turned off the lights, the provider is doing repairs, or you are in a place where there is no wired Internet, the main advantage of this approach is mobility: your computer will access the network where there is 4G/5G coverage.

But what you don't know is that the speed and stability of the connection depends on the distribution method you choose, USB-The modem is the fastest speed, but it requires cable, and the Wi-Fi hotspot is more convenient for multiple devices, but it puts the battery down faster. In this article, we'll look at all three methods, based on the features of the firmware. MIUI and hardware limitations of different Xiaomi models.

Important: If your tariff limits traffic or speed when you distribute the Internet (so-called "trottling"), check the conditions with the operator. Some mobile networks (for example, Tele2 or Yota) can block the distribution without additional option.

Method 1: USB-modem – maximum speed and minimum battery consumption

Connection through USB-cable is the most reliable and fastest way to distribute the Internet from Xiaomi to the PC, the speed here is limited only by the capabilities of your tariff and supported communication standards (LTE Cat.6/12/16 or 5G). For example, Xiaomi 13 Pro 5G can give up 1 Gbps under ideal conditions, while Redmi Note 10 on 4G limited ~150 Mbit/s.

To activate modem modem modem:

1. Connect your phone to your computer via the original cable (preferably from the kit – cheap cables may not support data transmission).
2. On your phone, go to Settings → Network and Internet → Access Point and modem.
3. Activate the switch. USB-Modem (on some models it can be called a modem) USB-web-based).
4. On a PC, check your connection: on Windows, open Settings → Network & Internet → Ethernet. A new network connection should appear.

⚠️ Note: If the PC does not appear on the Internet, check:

• 🔌 Cable: Try another one USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0 blue) or cable.
• 📱 Transfer mode: on the phone in the notification curtain, click on Charging through USB and select File Transfer or USB-modem.
• 🖥️ Drivers: on the PC you may need to install the Mi Phone Manager driver (download from the official Xiaomi website).

Make sure your phone is on mobile internet.|Use the original cable USB|Check the remaining traffic at the rate|Turn it off. VPN phone and PC-->

Advantages USB-modem:

• ⚡ Speed: up 90% The maximum speed of the mobile Internet (against 60-70% wifi).
• 🔋 Battery: the phone charges during operation, consumption is minimal.
• 🛡️ Security: The connection is not intercepted by foreign devices.

Disadvantages:

• 🔌 Cable binding: limits mobility.
• 🖥️ Drivers: Older PCs may require manual installation.

USB-modem|Wi-Fi access point|Bluetooth|I don't use the handout.-->

Method 2: Wi-Fi Access Point – Multi-device convenience

If you want to connect not only a computer, but also a tablet, a second phone or smart devices (such as a Xiaomi Mi Band or a speaker), a Wi-Fi hotspot is the best solution.

• 📶 Speed: lower than that USB-modem (lost) ~20-30% signal-transformation).
• 🔋 Battery: used in 2-3 times faster than when USB-connection.
• 🔒 Security: be sure to set a complex password (at least 8 characters with numbers and letters).

How to set up an access point on Xiaomi:

1. Open Settings → Network and Internet → Access Point and modem → Wi-Fi Access Point.
2. Click Access Point Settings and ask: 📛 Name of the network (SSID): Latin, without spaces (e.g, Xiaomi_Hotspot). 🔐 Password: minimum 8 Use letters of different registers and numbers. 📡 Range: 2.4 GHz (preferably coverage) or 5 GHz (higher speed but smaller radius).

Activate the Wi-Fi Access Point slider.

On a PC, connect to the network you have created as if it were a regular Wi-Fi.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) The access point is automatically disabled through 5-10 minutes without active connections:

1. Install the MacroDroid app from Google Play.
2. Create a macro with a trigger Access Point is enabled and Repeat every 4 minutes → Ping at 8.8.8.8.

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If the speed over the Wi-Fi point is low, try changing the channel in the settings. In urban settings, channels 1, 6 and 11 are usually the most loaded — choose another one manually.

Method 3: Bluetooth modem is economical but slow

Connecting via Bluetooth is important if:

• 🔌 No cable or it's broken.
• 📶 Wi-Fi on your phone is not working.
• 🔋 You need to save battery (consumer is lower than Wi-Fi).

The speed is the lowest, usually 10 Mbps, which is only enough for instant messengers or email, and it's not a good way to watch 1080p video or online games.

Instructions for setting:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and PC.
2. Connect devices: on PC in Settings → Devices → Bluetooth, find your Xiaomi and connect.
3. On your phone, go to Settings → Network and Internet → Access Point and modem → Bluetooth modem.
4. On PC in Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network Control Center find a new Bluetooth network connection.

⚠️ Attention: On Windows 10/11 You may need to manually adjust the connection settings:

1. Open Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network Control Center → Change the adapter settings.
2. Find Bluetooth Network Connection, right-click → Properties.
3. In the protocol list, mark IP version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
4. Set the boxes on Get IP-Address automatically and get the address DNS-server.

How to speed up the Internet when dealing with Xiaomi

If the internet speed through your phone is noticeably lower than expected, try these optimization methods:

• 📡 Change Wi-Fi range: If your Xiaomi supports 5GHz, but connected devices only work at 2.4GHz, the access point will automatically slow down. Forced to select 5GHz in the settings.
• 📶 Turn off traffic savings: in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Save traffic deactivate the option for the current SIM-map.
• 🔄 Reset your network settings: go to Settings → System system → Reset → Resetting network settings (data) SIM-maps will remain).
• 🛠️ Update the firmware: in older versions MIUI (Below 12) there were bugs with the Internet distribution. → The phone. → Updating the system.

For advanced users:

If you are giving away the Internet on a Windows PC, try manually prescribing DNS:

1. Open Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network Control Center → Change the adapter settings.
2. Right-click on Active Connection (Ethernet for USB or Wi-Fi) → Properties.
3. Select IP version 4 (TCP/IPv4) → Properties.
4. Install. DNS-Cloudflare servers 1.1.1.1 or Google 8.8.8.8).

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The fastest speed of the Internet is achieved through USB-modem, but only if the original cable and port are used USB 3.0. Wi-Fi access point is more convenient for several devices, but loses in speed on the Internet 20-30%.

Common mistakes and their solution

Even with the right setup, there can be problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

• 🚫 "No Internet access on PC: Check if the phone is on mobile internet (indicator) 4G/5G Reset both devices. Turn off the phone. VPN or Flight Mode.
• 🔄 Access Point is permanently disabled: In the access point settings (Settings) → Wi-Fi hotspot → Additionally) set Unplug inactivity: Never. Turn off Adaptive Battery in Settings → Battery.
• 🔌 USB-The modem is not working: Try another one USB-port (preferably on the back of your PC). Install the Mi Phone Manager driver from the official website. → Additionally. → For developers, turn on debugging by USB.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro or Mi) 9T) post-update MIUI 13+ may be missing the option USB-modem:

1. Connect the phone to the PC.
2. Enter the address bar of the browser on PC: 192.168.44.1/cgi-bin/luci (login/password by default: admin/admin).
3. Go to Network → Interfaces → WWAN and activate USB Tethering.

How much traffic does the distribution of the Internet consume?

Traffic consumption depends on your PC activity, and here are some indicative figures for different tasks:

⚠️ Attention: Many operators consider the traffic when giving the Internet separately from the main package. For example, MTS or Beeline may have a rule: "up to 10 GB per month for distribution, then the speed decreases to 64 Kbps!

To reduce traffic consumption:

• 📵 Disable background updates: on PC in Settings → Network and Internet → Data usage set a limit for background applications.
• 🎵 Press Media: In Chrome, enable Traffic Savings (Settings) → Light mode).
• 📥 Block Ads: Install the uBlock Origin extension – it reduces traffic consumption 10-15%.

FAQ: Frequent questions about giving away the Internet with Xiaomi