How to connect and configure mobile Internet on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones: the full guide

Why Xiaomi Redmi doesn’t have mobile internet and how to fix it

Have you just bought a new Xiaomi Redmi or upgraded your firmware, but your mobile Internet is stubbornly refusing to work? This problem is familiar to many owners of the brand's smartphones, from the budget Redmi 10A to the flagship Redmi K70 Pro. The reasons may lie in the wrong settings of APN, disabled data transfer options or even hardware malfunctions of the SIM card. 80% of the time, the solution takes no more than 5 minutes if you know where to look.

In this article, we will look at all possible scenarios, from basic Internet setup to diagnosing complex errors like no network or permanent connection breaks. We will focus on the unique features of MIUI 14/15 firmware, which often confuse users who are used to “pure” Android. If you switch from an iPhone or Samsung, you will especially need our guide on the specific settings of Xiaomi.

Checking the basic conditions before setting up

Before you go into your smartphone settings, make sure it's not the problem at all. Here's a minimum checklist that will save you an hour of time:

📱 Make sure that the SIM card is activated (call from it to another number)

📶 Check the coverage area of the operator (on the website or in the application "My" <operator>")

💳 Make sure that there is enough money in the account (the Internet can be blocked with zero balance)

🔄 Reboot your smartphone (hold the power button for 10 seconds)

🔧 Check if the "Airplane" mode is turned on (swipe down from the top edge of the screen)-->

If at least one of the points is not met, setting up APN or resetting network parameters will not help. For example, MegaFon and Beeline automatically block the Internet with a negative balance, and MTS can limit speeds to 64 Kbps. Check the tariff with the operator - perhaps you simply do not have a mobile Internet package.

⚠️ Attention: Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G And other models with support for two SIM cards, the Internet by default can only work on slot 1. Check which slot you inserted the SIM - sometimes it is enough to swap them.

APN Configurement for All Operators

APN (Access Point Name) is the bridge between your smartphone and the carrier's network, and if you're not settings correctly, the Internet won't work even if you have a network signal, and 90 percent of the time, the settings are automatically tightened, but sometimes you have to manually type them.

To set up APN on Xiaomi Redmi:

1. Open the Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Choose your SIM card (if there are several).
3. Slip on Access Point (APN).
4. In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select a New Access Point.
5. Fill in the fields according to the table below (for your operator).
6. Save the settings and restart the smartphone.

Once you save a new access point, select it from the list and restart your phone. If the Internet doesn't work, check if the settings are ticked against the old APNs (you need to delete them).

💡

On a firmware Redmi. MIUI 14+ manually APN Sometimes you need to manually enable data transfer for this SIM card. → SIM-map → Select a SIM card for mobile data and specify the desired slot.

Network mode setting: 4G, 5G or automatic selection

If the internet is running very slowly (like pages loading in 2005), the problem may be with the wrong network standard. Xiaomi Redmi defaults to Auto mode, but sometimes the smartphone gets stuck on 2G/3G, especially in low signal conditions.

To force 4G or 5G to be enabled:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Your SIM card name.
2. Select Network Type.
3. Install: 📶 4G (recommended for stable operation; 🚀 5G/4G/3G/2G (Cars – if you have a support rate 5G; ⚡ Only 3G — If you do not have your area 4G (rarely).

On models with 5G support (Redmi K60, Redmi Note 13 Pro+ and later), you may need to additionally activate this option in the settings.

1. Go to the Settings → About the phone → MIUI version.
2. Slap the firmware version 7 times until the inscription “You became a developer!” appears.
3. Return to the main settings, open additional → for developers.
4. Find the 5G Settings option and turn it on.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 9A Other budgetary models without support 5G This option will be missing. Don't try to activate it through the engineering menu, because it can cause the communication module to crash.

MTS

Beeline

MegaFon

Tele2.

Yota

Other-->

Error Fixing: The Internet is there, but the sites are not open

When the 4G/5G icon is on and the pages are not loading, it's more common than you think, and the reasons can range from a DNS lock to a proxy failure. Here's the diagnostic algorithm:

1. Check it out. DNS: Sometimes the operators use "curves" DNS-servers. Try manually typing Google. DNS: Go to Settings. → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Settings DNS. Select Manually and enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.

Turn off VPN: If you have apps like 1.1.1.1 or Psiphon installed, they can block traffic. Go to Settings → VPN and turn off all active connections.

Check the date and time: if they are lost (for example, after resetting), SSL-Site certificates will be considered invalid. Update date in Settings → Additionally. → Date and time.

Reset your network settings: this will delete all stored Wi-Fi and APN, but often helps. Way: Settings → About phone → Resets → Network settings Reset.

If the Internet is running after this manipulation, but it's gone again after a while, it could be energy saving, and MIUI has a back-end limiting function to save power, to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Application Power Management.
2. Find the browser (or application that does not work on the Internet) in the list.
3. Choose No Limits.

If you want the Internet to work through one SIM and the calls went through another, set it up like this:

1. Open the Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Select a SIM for mobile data (for example, MegaFon).
3. Slip on the second SIM (for example, Tele2) and turn on the Calls option.
4. In the Network Type section, select 2G only for the second SIM (this will save charge and prevent conflicts).

💡

On Xiaomi Redmi with two SIM cards, the Internet by default works only on slot 1. If you inserted the SIM in the second slot, move it or change the settings in the SIM card Selection for mobile data.

Diagnostics of hardware problems

If you've tried all the settings, but the mobile Internet still doesn't work, the problem may be in the hardware.

• 📵 The smartphone does not see any SIM card (even after the reboot).
• 🔍 B Settings → SIM-map IMEI: unknown.
• 📡 The network icon flashes or disappears every time 5-10 seconds.
• 🔌 After falling or getting moisture, the Internet stopped working.

For diagnosis:

1. Check IMEI: *#06# If the 15-digit code is Null or Unknown, the communication module is damaged.
2. Test the SIM card on another phone. If it works, Redmi is a problem.
3. Examine the SIM card tray for damage or oxidation of contacts.
4. Run the hardware test: ##4636### From the menu, select Phone Information and see network status. If the mobile network service bar is "Disabled", the module is defective.

If the diagnosis confirmed hardware breakdown, the options are as follows:

• 🔧 Repair in the service center: the replacement of the communication module will cost 1,500-4000 ₽ (model-wise).
• 📱 Replacement of sim tray: if the contacts are oxidized, a new tray costs 200-500 ₽.
• 🔄 Recovery IMEI: If the code is lost after firmware, it can be restored through MTK Engineering Mode (MediaTek processors only).

⚠️ Note: Redmi with Snapdragon processor (e.g. Redmi) K70) recovery IMEI At home, it can block the network forever!

FAQ: Frequent questions about mobile Internet on Xiaomi Redmi