Wi-Fi Connection on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Problem Solutions

Connecting to a wireless network on Xiaomi smartphones usually does not cause difficulties, but sometimes users face errors such as “Authentication", "IP-Address not received" or no network in the list. In this article, we'll look at not only the basic steps of connecting, but also the hidden settings. MIUI, This will help you stabilize your connection, speed up your internet, and even connect to closed networks without a password (if you have access rights).

We will focus on specific model-specific issues, such as the Redmi Note 12 with Wi-Fi 6 can conflict with older routers, and the POCO F5 sometimes “loses” networks after an upgrade, and learn how to bypass the limitations of public access points that block Xiaomi devices due to MIUI’s aggressive data collection policy.

1. Basic Wi-Fi connection on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

Start by checking the obvious: Wi-Fi is on on your device. On most Xiaomi models (Redmi 9A to Xiaomi 14 Ultra), the connection algorithm is the same, but the paths in the menu may differ due to MIUI versions (12-14).

To connect:

• 📱 Open Settings (cog icon on the desktop).
• 🔗 Select the Wi-Fi section (in some firmwares – Connections) → Wi-Fi).
• 🔄 Activate the Wi-Fi slider at the top of the screen.
• 🔍 In the list of available networks, find your own and tap on its name.
• 🔐 Enter the password (registration is important!) and click Connect.

If your network is WPA3 secure and your Xiaomi is released before 2020, you may need to change the encryption type on your router to WPA2-PSK (see the connection errors section).

Is Wi-Fi on your smartphone enabled |

The router is on and gives the network away.|

The device is in the coverage area |

Password entered without typos |

No router. MAC-filtering-->

2. Hidden networks: how to connect if Wi-Fi is not displayed

Some routers (especially enterprise routers) hide their name (SSID) from the list of available networks, to connect to such a network on Xiaomi:

Go to Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional (or Other Networks in the newer versions of MIUI). Select Add Network Manually and fill in the fields:

• 📡 Name of the network (SSID): The exact name of the hidden network (taking into account the register!).
• 🔒 Type of security: usually WPA2-PSK or WPA3-PSK.
• 🔑 Password: Enter the security key.

If you don’t know the type of security, try connecting with No Protection – some public networks (such as hotels) use portal authentication without encryption.

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If the network still doesn't connect, try temporarily disabling Smart Connection in your Wi-Fi settings, which sometimes conflicts with hidden networks.

3. Common Connection Errors and Their Solutions

Errors such as “Authentication", "IP-Address not received" or "Save but without Internet access" are most often associated with incorrect router settings or conflicts in the Internet. MIUI. Below is a table with solutions for the most frequent problems:

If the problem persists, try “forgetting the network” (Wi-Fi settings → Additional → Network Management → Forget) and reconnect. On some firmware, Xiaomi helps reset network settings (Settings → About Phone → Settings → Resetting Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth).

Constantly.|

Sometimes |

Nearby|

Never.-->

4.WI-Fi Optimization on Xiaomi: How to Speed Up the Internet

Even if the network is connected, the speed can be slow due to MIUI settings or hardware constraints.

• 🚀 Turn on 5GHz mode: If your router supports two frequencies, select a network with a suffix _5G — it's less loaded.
• 📶 Turn off Smart Switch: The feature automatically switches to mobile data when Wi-Fi is weak, which may interfere.Way: Wi-Fi settings → Additionally. → Smart switching.
• 🔄 Change your router channel: in densely populated areas, 2.4 GHz channels are congested. Use applications like WiFi Analyzer to find a free channel.
• 🛡️ Turn it off. VPN: some VPN-services (e.g. built-in services) MIUI Mi Browser can limit speed.

For models with Wi-Fi 6 (Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi K60), check if your router supports this standard. If not, the smartphone will work in compatibility mode (Wi-Fi 5), which will reduce speed.

5. Connect to public Wi-Fi (hotels, cafes, airports)

Public networks often require additional authentication through a browser (called a “captive portal”). On Xiaomi, this may not work automatically.

1. Connect to the network (even if the “No Internet Access” notification appears).
2. Open your browser (preferably Chrome or Firefox, not Mi Browser).
3. In the address bar, type http://captive.apple.com or http://neverssl.com, which will force the authorization window to be triggered.
4. Enter the data for the entrance (room number, code from the check, etc.).

If the authorization page does not open, try:

• 🔄 Reconnect to the network.
• 📱 Reboot your smartphone.
• 🌐 Use a different browser or incognito mode.

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Some public networks block Xiaomi devices due to aggressive policies MIUI If the authorization fails, try changing the data. MAC-address (requires root rights) or use another device to obtain an access code.

6 Wi-Fi issues after MIUI update

Firmware updates sometimes reset network settings or make bugs in the Wi-Fi module. Typical symptoms after an update:

• 🔌 The smartphone does not see the network that previously connected.
• 🔄 Permanent connection breaks.
• ⚠️ Error: Save but without the Internet".

Decisions:

1. Network Reset: Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile Network and Bluetooth.
2. Update rollback: if the problem appeared after the update, you can roll back through Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three points → Select an update package (you need an old firmware file).
3. Manual DNS setting: In network settings, write 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare).

For POCO X3/X4 and Redmi Note 10/11 models, disabling Wi-Fi Direct in the developer settings can help after upgrading to MIUI 14.

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If the Wi-Fi module is missing after the update (it doesn't turn on), it could be a hardware problem. Check if the driver crashes: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on the Kernel line. In the menu that opens, select Wi-Fi and check the driver status.

7. Connect to Wi-Fi without password (for legal access only!)

⚠️ Note: this section is only for connecting to your networks that you have forgotten your password from, or to networks you are allowed to access (such as guest Wi-Fi in the office). Unauthorized access to other networks is punishable by law.

If you forgot your password from your network but previously connected to it on Xiaomi, you can extract the password through the configuration files (root access is required):

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
2. Go to /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml.
3. Find the string with your network name (SSID) – next to the PreSharedKey field with the password.

For non-root devices, you can use a backup of your MIUI settings (if it was created before you lost your password). Connect your smartphone to your PC, find the backup file in your MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder, and extract your Wi-Fi data from it with an archiver.

8. Frequent questions about Wi-Fi on Xiaomi