How to distribute Wi-Fi from the phone Xiaomi Redmi: all the ways and hidden settings

Why Redmi Owners Choose Wi-Fi from Phones and When to Use It

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones have long ceased to be just “callers” – they have become full-fledged hubs for Internet connection. You can distribute Wi-Fi with the Redmi Note 12, Redmi 10C or even the budget Redmi A2 in literally 3 touches, but not all users are aware of the hidden capabilities of this feature. For example, that the access point on MIUI 14 supports dual mode 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz at the same time, or that traffic restriction can be configured separately for each connected device.

When is it that mobile Internet is not a whim, but a necessity? First, on trips where there is no hotel Wi-Fi and mobile Internet is available (albeit with speed limits). Second, when setting up Xiaomi smart devices – from Yeelight light bulbs to robot vacuum cleaners, which often require a connection to an access point exactly from the right location. 2.4 GHz: Third, when the main router broke down, and you need access to the network for a laptop or tablet, and finally, Redmi on Snapdragon chipsets. 6xx/7xx (For example, Redmi Note 11 Pro+) give the Internet more stable than some budget routers - thanks to an optimized protocol stack in the Internet MIUI.

But there are pitfalls: fast battery drain, operator restrictions on hotspot traffic, or sudden connection breaks on older versions of firmware, and this article provides not only basic instructions on how to turn on, but also solutions to typical problems that are not covered in Xiaomi’s official documentation.

Method 1: Classic hotspot (mobile hotspot)

This is the most obvious and versatile method that works on all Redmi models, from the Redmi 9A to the flagship Redmi K60.The main advantage is that you do not need additional hardware, and the speed is limited only by your tariff and network support (4G/5G).

How to set up:

1. Open Settings → Access Point and modem (on some firmware, the path may differ: Settings → Connections → Modem and access point).
2. Select Wi-Fi Access Point (or Portable Access Point in older versions of MIUI).
3. Activate the Wi-Fi Access Point slider.
4. Click Access Point Settings to Change: 🔄 Name of the network (SSID) — It is better to use Latin without spaces. 🔒 Type of security - choose WPA2-PSK (safest). 🔑 Password – minimum 8 characters, with numbers and letters. 📶 Range – If the device can’t see the network, try changing from 5 GHz to 2.4 GHz.

Mobile Internet is on and working

The phone has enough charge (minimum 30%)

The tariff supports the distribution of the Internet (check with the operator)

The connected device is within a radius 5-10 meters-->

The speed of distribution depends on several factors:

💡

If the speed of the distribution suddenly dropped, restart the phone - in MIUI sometimes "hangs" service WifiHotspotService, responsible for hotspot.

Method 2: Distribute the Internet via USB (Reverse Tethering)

Few people know, but Redmi can be used as a USB-A modem for a PC or a laptop. This is useful when you're using a modem:

• 💻 You need to connect a device without a Wi-Fi adapter (for example, an old laptop).
• 🔋 You want to save your phone battery power USB-The phone is even slightly charged).
• 🛡️ You need more stable communication than Wi-Fi (relevant for online games or video conferencing).

Instructions for Windows:

1. Connect Redmi to your computer via USB-cable (preferably original).
2. On the phone, select the connection mode Data transfer (or USB-modem in some firmware).
3. On PC, open Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network Management Center.
4. Find a new Remote NDIS connection – that’s your phone.

⚠️ Note: Some operators (e.g. Tele2) block USB-the distribution of tariffs with "unlimited Internet", in which case only a change in tariff or use of the VPN phone-on.

Method 3: Distribute via Bluetooth (slow but economical)

If Wi-Fi and USB are not available for some reason, you can distribute the Internet via Bluetooth.

• 📱 Connecting older devices without Wi-Fi (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Band) 1/2 car-tape).
• 🔋 Cost savings – Bluetooth consumes in 2-3 Less energy than Wi-Fi.
• 🛡️ Situations where you need to hide the fact of distribution (Bluetooth connection is harder to detect).

How to set up:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both devices.
2. On Redmi, open Settings → Access Point and modem → Bluetooth modem.
3. Connect the device to your phone via Bluetooth (couple confirmation may be required).
4. On the connected device, select the option "Use the Internet connection of the phone" (the wording depends on the OS).

Cons of the method:

• ⚡ Speed rarely exceeds 1-2 Mbit/s (enough for messengers, but not for video).
• 🔄 Radio: no more than 10 meters without obstacles.
• 📱 Not all devices support Bluetooth modem (for example, many smartwatches can not use the Internet phone).

Wi-Fi hotspot

USB-modem

Bluetooth

Another option-->

Method 4: Hidden functions of the access point in MIUI

MIUI hides some useful features that even experienced users don't know about.

1. Traffic Limitation for Connected Devices

If your access point is connected to "freeloaders" that pump torrents, you can set a limit:

1. Open Settings → Access Point and modem → Wi-Fi Access Point.
2. Press Connected Devices.
3. Select a device and set a data limit (e.g. 500MB per day).

Automatic shutdown in case of inaction

To ensure that the access point does not work in vain when no device is connected:

1. Go to Settings → Access Point and Modem → Timeout.
2. Set a time (e.g. 5 minutes) after which the hotspot will turn off automatically.

3. Changing Wi-Fi Channel for Stability

If the network is permanently shut down, try changing the channel manually:

1. In the access point settings, click Additional (or Advanced Settings).
2. Select a channel in the 1-11 range for 2.4 GHz or 36-165 for 5 GHz.
3. Avoid channels 6, 7, 8, and they are often overloaded.

💡

Redmi with MIUI 13+ has dual-band hotspot feature – the phone simultaneously distributes 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi under the same name, which is handy if you have devices that don’t see 5 GHz (like some smart light bulbs).

Method 5: Sharing the Internet from Redmi to another Redmi (Mi Share)

If you have multiple Xiaomi devices, you can use Mi Share's proprietary technology to distribute the Internet.

• 📱 You need to quickly share the Internet between two Xiaomi smartphones (for example, Redmi Note 11 and Xiaomi). POCO X5).
• 🔒 I do not want to enter a password from Wi-Fi (connection is on the Internet). QR-code).
• 📶 You need to save traffic (Mi Share optimizes data transfer).

How it works:

1. On the donor phone (which distributes the Internet), open Settings → Connections → Mi Share.
2. Select the Mi Share Access Point.
3. On the second phone, open Mi Share and scan. QR-screencode.

⚠️ Note: Mi Share only works between devices with MIUI 12 and newer. On older firmware, this feature may be missing or may not work smoothly.

Typical problems and their solutions

Even the flagship Redmis sometimes have Wi-Fi issues, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

1. Devices do not connect to the access point

• 🔄 Check if the mobile internet is on on the phone.
• 🔒 Make sure the password is entered correctly (the registry is important!).
• 📶 Try changing the range from 5 GHz to 2.4 GHz (or vice versa).
• 🔄 Reboot your phone – sometimes even helps when the Wi-Fi module is “hanging.

2.The Internet is available, but some sites are not working

This is a problem if the operator blocks certain resources when distributing.

• 🌐 Use it. VPN on a phone (e.g. Cloudflare) WARP or ProtonVPN).
• 📱 Check the settings. APN (access points – sometimes it helps to change to the Internet or Internet.beeline (depending on the operator).

3. The battery goes down fast.

Wi-Fi distribution is one of the most energy-intensive functions, and to extend the time you're running:

• 🔋 Connect your phone to charge (even a portable power bank will help).
• 📉 Reduce screen brightness and turn off background apps.
• ⚡ Enable Power Saving Mode, but exclude WifiHotspotService from optimization (in battery settings).

4. Low speed of distribution

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions