How to distribute Wi-Fi from Xiaomi Redmi phone to laptop: all ways + error solving

Are you in a situation where you only have a Xiaomi Redmi phone with mobile Internet at hand and a laptop urgently needs access to the network? Or a home router suddenly stopped working, and every megabyte of traffic counts? In this article, we will examine all possible ways to connect a laptop to the Internet through a smartphone, from a standard access point to hidden MIUI features that few people know about.

Xiaomi Redmi phones (whether Redmi Note 12, Redmi 10 or older) have flexible Wi-Fi/Bluetooth settings that optimize the Internet for specific tasks, such as limiting speed to save traffic or enabling compatibility mode for older laptops, but about everything in order.

Important: If you have previously tried to distribute the Internet and encountered errors such as “Can not turn on the access point” or “Error” IP-configurations on a laptop — there is a section on solutions in this article, and we will also analyze what is the distribution method (Wi-Fi, USB Bluetooth or Bluetooth is better to choose depending on your Redmi model and type of laptop.

1. Method. №1: Wi-Fi hotspot (the fastest and most versatile)

This is the standard method that works on all Xiaomi Redmi phones regardless of the MIUI version. Data transfer speed is maximum (up to 150 Mbps on the Redmi Note 11 and later), and the connection takes less than a minute. The only caveat is that the phone battery will go down faster, especially if you use mobile data at the same time.

How to set up:

1. Open Settings on your phone and go to Network & Internet → Access Point & Modem (on older versions of MIUI, the path may look like Additional → Modem).
2. Select Wi-Fi Access Point and activate the slider.
3. Click Access Point Settings to Ask: 🔐 Name of the network (SSID) — Think of something unique (for example, Redmi_Hotspot_5G). 🔑 Password minimum 8 Symbols (use letters, numbers and signs for security). 📡 Range – If the laptop is new, choose 5 GHz for higher speed; for older devices, leave 2.4 GHz.

Save the settings and connect to the created network from a laptop by entering a password.

On Redmi models with Snapdragon 8xx chipsets (like the Redmi K50), the access point supports Wi-Fi 6, which increases speeds by 30-40% compared to budget smartphones. If your laptop also has a Wi-Fi 6 adapter, use this protocol for maximum performance.

Mobile Internet on the phone is turned on and working|Charging the phone battery > 30%|The laptop's off. VPN/proxy|Password for the access point is written in a notebook-->

2. Method. №2: USB-modem (the most stable and economical)

If you need a long connection without risking draining your phone, use it. USB-This method not only saves battery power (the phone is recharged from the laptop), but also provides a more stable connection than Wi-Fi. USB:

• 🔌 USB 2.0 (old laptops) – up to 40 Mbit / s.
• 🔌 USB 3.0/3.1 (modern devices - up to 100–150 Mbit/s.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your laptop with the original cable (cheap cables may not transmit data).
2. On the phone in the Settings section → Network and Internet → Access Point and modem activate USB-modem.
3. On your laptop, check the connection: 🪟 Windows: Open the Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network connections – a new connection over the local network should appear. 🐧 Linux: Run ip a and find the interface usb0 or ethX.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) at the first connection USB You may need to select the data mode. In the window that appears on the phone, select File Transfer (MTP) or USB-modem (RNDIS).

💡

If the speed is USB-modem below expected, try to turn off the power saving for USB-ports in the power supply settings of the laptop (Windows).

3. Method. №3: Bluetooth modem (to save traffic)

This is a good way to distribute the Internet to a laptop with minimal battery consumption and traffic. The speed will be low (up to 3-5 Mbps), but it is enough for messengers, mail or text pages. The main advantage is that the phone and laptop can be at a distance of up to 10 meters from each other.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and laptop.
2. Connect devices: On your phone: Settings → Connected devices → Bluetooth → find your laptop on the list and confirm pairing. On your laptop (Windows): Settings → Devices → Bluetooth and other devices → add a new Bluetooth device.

Access Point and modem

Bluetooth modem

Network Access Point

⚠️ Note: On Linux laptops, you may need to configure the bluetooth module via the terminal. If the Internet does not appear, follow the link:

sudo rfkill unblock bluetooth


sudo systemctl restart bluetooth

4. Method. №4: Wi-Fi Repeater Mode (to amplify the signal)

Few people know, but Xiaomi Redmi phones based on MIUI 12+ can work as Wi-Fi repeaters. This is useful if you have access to weak Wi-Fi (for example, in a cafe or hotel), but the signal does not reach the laptop.

How to set up:

1. Connect your phone to the original Wi-Fi network.
2. Open Settings → Network and Internet → Access Point and modem → Access Point settings.
3. Activate the option to Expand Wi-Fi network (or Wi-Fi Repeater on English firmware).
4. Select the original network from the list and set a new name/password for relay.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi Redmi phones with firmware MIUI 13+ There's a hidden feature called Intelligent Traffic Management, which automatically limits the speed of the distribution if the detects are high data consumption:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Transfer of data.
2. Click on the icon. ⚙️ near yours SIM-card.
3. Turn off the option of Intelligent Management.

FAQ: Frequent questions