How to connect Wi-Fi on Xiaomi devices: from a smartphone to a smart light bulb

Connecting to Wi-Fi on Xiaomi devices seems like a simple task – as long as you don’t encounter errors like “Authentication failed», «IP-No address received" or "Network saved but no internet access. "Even power users are sometimes lost when it comes to specific models like the Xiaomi Mi. TV or smart speakers Mi Smart Speaker, where the configuration interface is radically different from the usual MIUI.

In this article, we’ll break down not only basic connection steps, but also hidden settings that will help speed up Wi-Fi, protect your device from hackers, and even connect to the network without a password (if the router supports WPS).

1. Wi-Fi connectivity on Xiaomi smartphones (MIUI 12–14)

Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI have a unified Wi-Fi configuration interface, but there are nuances depending on the firmware version. For example, MIUI 14 introduced a feature called Smart Switching, which automatically switches to mobile Internet if the Wi-Fi signal is weak - it can be turned off if it interferes.

To connect to the network:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Wi-Fi (or swipe down the notification panel and hold the Wi-Fi icon).
• 🔍 Select the network you want from the list. If you don't have one, click Update or check if the plane mode is on.
• 🔑 Enter the password (registration is important!) and click Connect.
• ⚙️ For additional settings (e.g. static) IP) tap the network name after connecting.

Important! On some models (e.g. POCO F5), after upgrading to MIUI 14, the option Additional in Wi-Fi settings may disappear. To return it, reset the network settings to Settings → System → Reset settings → Reset Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile data settings.

Smartphone and router rebooted|Airplane mode is off.|Password entered without errors (check the keyboard in the input language)|Router doesn't block MAC-Device address (check in the router's web interface)-->

Features of connection on Xiaomi TVs (Mi TV)

Xiaomi Mi TVs (including Mi TV A2, Mi TV Q2 and Mi TV P1) use a modified version of Android TV, where the Wi-Fi setting has its pitfalls. For example, if you connect to a 5GHz network, make sure the router supports 802.11ac - otherwise the TV will not see the network.

Step-by-step:

1. On the remote, click Settings (cog icon).
2. Go to the Web and the Internet → Wi-Fi.
3. Select the network and enter the password using the on-screen keyboard (it is more convenient to use the Mi Remote app on your smartphone).
4. If the TV doesn’t connect, check if the router is running “WPA3 Devices Only” mode, and Mi TVs older than 2021 may not support this protocol.

Critical feature: On Xiaomi TVs with a diagonal of 55 inches and above, when you first connect to Wi-Fi, you may experience an error: “Can not get a Wi-Fi” IP-This is due to a bug in PatchWall's firmware before version 3.0. So the solution is to manually set the static. IP in the router settings for MAC-TV address.

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3. Connect Xiaomi smart devices (Mi Home, Yeelight, Roborock)

Xiaomi smart devices (Yeelight lamps, Roborock vacuum cleaners, Mi Home sensors) connect to Wi-Fi via the Mi Home app or Xiaomi Home. The main rule is that the device and smartphone must be on the same network during the setup stage. If you use a guest network or VPN, the connection will not work.

The algorithm for most gadgets:

• 💡 Turn on the device (e.g. Yeelight lamp – 5 times turn on/off the power supply).
• 📲 In the Mi Home app, click Add Device (+) and select a category.
• 🔄 Follow the instructions on the screen. At the Wi-Fi connection stage, select 2.4GHz (most smart devices don't support 5GHz).
• 🔐 Enter the Wi-Fi password. If the process is stalled, restart the router and try again.

⚠️ Attention: Roborock vacuum cleaners (e.g. model) S7 MaxV) may “forget” the network after updating the firmware. To avoid this, disable the “Auto Update over Wi-Fi” option in your device settings before upgrading.

4. Solving common connection errors

Even if you do everything right, Xiaomi’s Wi-Fi can be unstable, and here are the most common mistakes and their reasons:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting your network settings:

1. Go to Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile data settings.
3. Confirm the action and restart the device.

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If Wi-Fi is still down after a network reset, check to see if Xiaomi has custom recovery (such as TWRP) installed.

5. Hidden Wi-Fi Features on Xiaomi: How to Speed Up Connection

Few people know, but MIUI has hidden settings that allow you to increase Wi-Fi speeds by 20 to 30 percent, for example, you can manually select the width of the channel or disable Autoconnection to open networks, which inhibits scanning.

How to optimize Wi-Fi:

• 📶 Enable “High Performance Wi-Fi Mode” in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional (available on Xiaomi) 13/14 and POCO F5 Pro).
• 🔄 Turn off the Smart Switch if you are not using the mobile Internet.
• 🛡️ Change. DNS at 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) or 8.8.8.8 (Google) to reduce ping.
• 📊 In router settings, select channel 6 or 11 for 2.4 GHz – they are less loaded.

For advanced users: If your Xiaomi supports Wi-Fi 6 (such as Xiaomi 12T Pro), turn on the router mode 802.11ax and activate OFDMA. This will reduce delays when connecting multiple devices.

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On Xiaomi smartphones with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), Wi-Fi speeds may be limited due to thermal trottling. To avoid this, turn off “Heat Performance Limitation” in Settings → Battery → Performance Modes.

6.Security: How to Protect Wi-Fi on Xiaomi from Hackers

Xiaomi devices are often targeted for Wi-Fi attacks, especially if they use outdated security protocols, such as a vulnerability in Wi-Fi Direct modules on Redmi smartphones that allows you to connect to a device without a password was discovered in 2023.

Safety checklist:

• 🔒 Use only. WPA3 (if the router supports; or WPA2-PSK.
• 🚫 Turn it off. WPS In the router settings – this protocol is easy to crack.
• 📵 Hide. SSID Networks (but remember, this is not a panacea – experienced hackers will find the network and so on).
• 🔄 Regularly update the firmware of the router and Xiaomi devices.
• 🛡️ Install Mi Security app to scan network on suspicious devices.

If you suspect that your Wi-Fi has been accessed by outsiders, check the list of devices in the router's web interface (usually at 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1). MAC-Addresses can be blocked or changed.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (There is a bug that automatically connects the device to open networks with names like nomap or xfinitywifi, which can lead to data leakage. → Wi-Fi → Additionally.

7. Connecting to Hidden Wi-Fi Networks

Hidden networks (with SSIDs disabled) are often used in offices or public places, and to connect to such networks on Xiaomi:

1. Go to Settings. → Wi-Fi.
2. Click Add Network (or Other Networks in some versions of MIUI).
3. Enter the exact network name (SSID) and select the security type (WPA2-PSK, etc.).
4. Enter the password and save it.

If the network is not connected, check:

• 🔤 Correctness of input SSID (register!).
• 🔢 Type of security (for example, if the network is used) WPA3, You chose WPA2).
• 📡 Range (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz) – Hidden networks often only work on one of them).

On Mi TVs, the connection to hidden networks is possible only through the Mi Remote application (the standard interface does not have this option).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Wi-Fi on Xiaomi