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

Turning Xiaomi's smartphone into a full-fledged laptop router is easier than it seems. - Redmi's modern models, POCO or Mi support the distribution of the Internet through a Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth and even USB-cable, but each method has nuances, like when you connect through a wire. USB laptop will receive not only the Internet, but also access to the files of the phone, and modem via Bluetooth more economically consumes battery power, but limits the speed to 1-3 Mbit/s.

In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to distribute the Internet from Xiaomi to a laptop, including hidden settings. MIUI, This is a way to get around carrier restrictions (e.g., locking an access point on tariffs without this option), and also to find out why a laptop may not see the network from the phone, and how to fix typical errors from a crash. IP-configuration to problems with DHCP.

If you use Xiaomi with MIUI 12/13/14 or newer firmware, the access point setting algorithm remains similar, but the location of some menu items may differ. For owners of older models (for example, Redmi Note 4X or Mi A1), we will give separate recommendations – these devices sometimes require manual APN settings to correctly distribute the Internet.

1. Preparing Xiaomi phone for Wi-Fi distribution

Before you turn on the hotspot, make sure your Xiaomi is ready for this task. First, check the availability of mobile Internet, without it, the handout will simply not work. Second, pay attention to the battery charge: when the hotspot is active, the smartphone discharges 1.5-2 times faster than in normal mode. If the charge level is below 30%, connect the phone to charge - some models (for example, POCO F3) automatically turn off the hotspot at a critical battery level.

Also worth considering is the limitations of the mobile operator, because many tariffs (especially budget ones) block the distribution of the Internet or charge an additional fee for it.

1. Open your browser on your phone and try to load any page.
2. Turn on the access point and try to connect to it from a laptop.
3. If the Internet does not work on a laptop, and on a phone it works, then the operator blocks the distribution.

💡

At some rates, MegaFon and Beeline, the distribution of the Internet is unlocked after sending it. USSD-team *111*77# (for MegaFon or *110*181# (Please check with your operator.

Finally, upgrade your MIUI firmware to the latest version. Older versions (such as MIUI 10) had access point bugs that were fixed in new builds. Check firmware relevance at Settings → About Phone → System Update.

2. Method 1: Distribute Wi-Fi through the settings menu

This is the most reliable and versatile method that works on all Xiaomi models - from Redmi 5 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra. MIUI 12–14:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the section Network and Internet → Access Point and modem.
3. Slip on the Wi-Fi Access Point.
4. Activate the Wi-Fi Access Point slider (it will turn blue).

After activation, the phone will start broadcasting the network with the default name (usually Xiaomi_XXXX or Redmi_XXXX, where XXXX — last-minute IMEI). The password from the network can be found in the same menu or change it by tapping on the item Setting up the access point.

Name of the network (SSID) It should not contain Cyrillic or special symbols|Password – at least 8 characters (a mixture of letters and numbers is recommended)|Security regime — WPA2-PSK (most compatible)|Frequency range: 2.4 GHz (if the laptop does not support 5 GHz)-->

Important: If after switching on the access point, the laptop does not see the network, try manually specifying IP-address on the laptop:

1. On your laptop, open Network Settings → Wi-Fi → Managing known networks.
2. Select a network from Xiaomi, click Properties.
3. In the IP-destination section, select Manual.
4. Indicate. IP-Address: 192.168.43.100, Mask: 255.255.255.0, Gateway: 192.168.43.1.

Method 2: Quick activation through the notification panel

If you need to give away the internet without digging into your settings, use the notification bar.This method works for all Xiaomi with MIUI 11 and newer:

1. Swipe your finger down to open the notification panel.
2. Find the Access Point icon (usually hidden – tap three points or arrows to unfold all the icons).
3. Hold your finger on the Access Point icon for 1-2 seconds.
4. In the window that appears, activate the slider.

This is convenient, but it has a limitation: you can't change the network name or password, just turn the distribution on/off. You still have to go to Settings to edit the settings.

Through the settings menu |Through the notification bar |Voice assistant (Alice/Google)|I don't use the handset-->

On the POCO X3 Pro and Redmi Note 10 Pro, the notification panel may not have an access point icon, in which case you can manually add it: tap the pencil icon in the upper right corner of the panel, find the access point in the list and drag it to the active zone.

Method 3: Distributing the Internet through USB (USB-modem)

If you do not have access to Wi-Fi (for example, a laptop adapter is broken), you can distribute the Internet through the Internet. USB-This method is more stable than wireless, because it's free of interference, and it also charges the phone while you're running:

• 🔌 Requires original or quality USB-C/Micro-USB cable (cheap cables may not transmit data).
• 💻 The laptop must have drivers installed for Xiaomi (usually installed automatically when you first connect).
• 🚫 Does not work on MacBook without additional drivers (you need to install Android File Transfer).

Instructions for setting:

1. Connect your phone to your laptop through USB-cable.
2. On the phone in the notification panel, select the connection mode Data Transfer (not Charging!).
3. Open Settings → Network and Internet → Access Point and modem.
4. Activate the slider USB-modem.

After that, a new network connection will appear on the laptop.

⚠️ Note: On some Windows laptops 10/11 You need to manually turn on the network adapter. → Network adapters, find Remote NDIS Internet based Sharing Device and activate it.

5. Method 4: Distribution via Bluetooth (Saving Mode)

If you need the Internet for easy tasks (email checkers, messengers) and your phone battery is running out, use a Bluetooth modem. This method consumes minimal energy, but limits speeds to 1-3 Mbps (enough for Telegram or WhatsApp, but not for 1080p video).

How to set up:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and laptop.
2. Connect devices: on the phone, open Settings → Bluetooth, find the laptop in the list and confirm the connection.
3. On the phone go to Settings → Network and Internet → Access Point and modem.
4. Activate the Bluetooth modem slider.

On a Windows laptop, you may need to manually connect to the Internet after pairing:

1. Open Settings → Devices → Bluetooth and other devices.
2. Find your Xiaomi in the list, click Connect through → Access Point.

6. Problem Solving: Laptop Cannot See Network or No Internet

If after all the manipulations, the laptop does not connect to the access point or the Internet does not work, check the following points:

If the problem is not solved, try resetting the network settings on your phone:

1. Open Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Select Network Reset (don’t reset all settings!).
3. Reboot the phone and turn on the access point again.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) If you reset the network, you may lose access to the mobile Internet, and then you'll have to manually configure it. APN In Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Access points (APN).

7. Hidden MIUI settings for power users

MIUI firmware has hidden features that can bypass operator restrictions or improve distribution stability, such as forcing compatibility mode on older devices or changing the MTU (maximum packet size) if the Internet is running at cliffs.

To access hidden settings:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination ##4636##.
2. In the menu that appears, select Phone Information.
3. Scroll down to the Wi-Fi block information.
4. You can change the Wi-Fi frequency band or Wi-Fi channel.

For advanced users: if the operator blocks the distribution, try changing the Tethering hardware acceleration.

1. Install Activity Launcher from Google Play.
2. Find the list of Settings → TetheringSettings.
3. Enable the Hardware acceleration option (if disabled).

💡

Changing hidden settings can lead to unstable network operation or overheating of the processor. Before experimenting, back up the settings in Settings → Additional → Backup.

FAQ: Frequent questions about giving away Wi-Fi with Xiaomi