How to give Wi-Fi from a Xiaomi phone: full instructions for all models

Xiaomi smartphones today are not just call and instant messenger devices, but also full-fledged mobile routers. The ability to distribute Internet from your phone comes in handy when you travel, at the country house or when your home Wi-Fi suddenly goes off. However, many users face difficulties: the access point does not turn on, the devices do not connect, then the traffic “burns” in a few minutes.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the ways you can distribute Wi-Fi from Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones, from the standard Access Point feature to hidden modes on the engineering menu, how to set up your network for maximum speed, why some devices can’t see your hotspot, and how to save battery power with long handouts, and also unique MIUI chips that aren’t mentioned in the official instructions.

1. Preparing the phone before handing out Wi-Fi

Before you turn on the hotspot, check out a few key points that will save you from common problems like “no internet connection” or “restricted access.”

First, make sure your phone has mobile internet activated. To do this, open the notification panel and look at the data icon, it should be illuminated. If the mobile network is disabled, turn it on in Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Mobile Internet.

Second, check the balance and the tariff, because many operators block Internet distribution at cheap rates or limit speed after high-speed traffic runs out, for example, MTS and Beeline access points can only work at rates marked "No limit to give."

• 📶 Check the signal level: if you have 1-2 If you divide the network, you'll be extremely slow, you'd better move closer to the window or go outside.
• 🔋 Battery Charging: Wi-Fi Distribution Uses Energy in the 2-3 Charge your phone at least as fast as usual. 50%, Otherwise, it may turn off at the most inopportune moment.
• 🔒 Update: In older versions MIUI There are bugs with the access point. Update through Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.

⚠️ Note: If you use two of these SIM-The access point will only distribute the Internet from the one selected as the main one for data transfer. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Transfer of data.

2. Standard method: access point in MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in Modem Modem feature, which is available on all Xiaomi smartphones, regardless of the model and version of MIUI. The instruction is suitable for the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13 and other devices.

Open Settings → Access Point and modem → Wi-Fi Access Point. Here you will see a slider to turn on the function. But before you activate it, click on Setting up the Access Point to set the network settings:

• 🔑 Name of the network (SSID): Think of a unique name so you don't confuse it with other access points.
• 🔐 Type of security: Select WPA2-PSK (safest). WPA3 Not all devices support all devices.
• 🔢 Password: minimum 8 characters, with numbers and letters. Do not use simple combinations like 12345678.
• 📡 Frequency Range: If your phone supports 5GHz, choose it for higher speeds (but note that older devices may not see such a network).

Once set up, save the changes and turn on the access point, and now other devices can connect to your network, and the maximum number of connected gadgets depends on the phone model — usually 5-10 devices.

Make sure that the mobile internet is enabled |

Check balance and distribution rate |

Set up a network name and password |

Enable the access point in the settings |

Connect the device to the created network

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3. Alternative ways of distributing the Internet

If the standard method doesn't work, or if you need to give the Internet a different way, you can use one of these options. They'll come in handy in unusual situations.

3.1. Distribution via Bluetooth

This is a good way to connect only one device (like a laptop or tablet) to the Internet and save battery power, but it's faster than Wi-Fi, but it's less energy efficient.

Activate Bluetooth on both devices, then go to Settings → Access Point and Modem → Bluetooth modem on your phone. Select the device from the list and confirm your connection. The second gadget will have a new item in the network settings, “Bluetooth Connection”.

3.2. USB-modem (for PC)

If you want to give the Internet to your computer or laptop, the most stable way is to connect via USB, which is a method that consumes no battery and provides high speed.

Connect your phone to your computer with a cable, then on your smartphone select Settings. → Access Point and modem → USB-A new device will appear on a PC in the network connection list, and Xiaomi drivers (usually installed automatically) may need to be installed).

⚠️ Note: When connecting to USB Some Xiaomi models block charging from your computer. To keep your phone from running out, use a Y cable with an additional power port.

Hidden settings of the engineering menu

In rare cases, the access point may not work due to software constraints, so the engineering menu will help, and be careful, because the wrong changes can disrupt the network.

Open the phone application and enter the combination:

##4636##

Go to Phone Information and scroll down to the Wi-Fi hotspot, where you can manually change the channel, Wi-Fi standard (802.11n/ac) and other settings. If you're not sure, don't change anything!

4.Why are devices not connected to the access point?

One of the most common problems is that other gadgets (laptops, tablets, TVs) can't see your network or can't connect to it, and the reasons can be different, and we'll take them all apart.

If none of these things worked, try resetting your network settings. Go to Settings → System & Device → Settings Reset → Reset your Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth settings. Once reset, all the saved networks and passwords will be deleted, but the access point problem should disappear.

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If you connect smart TV Or the prefix, try manually entering IP-address DNS. Sometimes automatic settings don't work properly. Use DNS from Google: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.

5 How to Save Traffic and Battery When Distributing Wi-Fi

Not only is it convenient, it's also expensive, and mobile traffic is consumed faster than normal surfing, and the battery goes down in a couple of hours, and here's how to minimize the loss.

Speed Limitation for Connected Devices

MIUI has a hidden speed limit feature for each device, which is useful if you have multiple gadgets connected to your access point and one of them eats all traffic (for example, updates or downloads torrents).

Open Settings → Access Point and modem → Connected devices. Click on the device you want and select Limit Speed. Set a limit, for example, 2 Mbps for background tasks.

5.2. Automatic disabling of the access point

To keep your phone from running out, set up automatic hotspot shutdown. To do this, activate the option to turn off when no connections are available and set a timer (for example, 5 or 10 minutes). Now Wi-Fi will turn off if no one is connected.

Optimization of battery consumption

Wi-Fi is a huge strain on the processor and the communication module, which causes the phone to warm up and discharge quickly.

• 🔄 Turn off the background apps: shut down all programs except the ones you need, especially messengers and social media.
• 🌡️ Remove the case: overheating increases energy consumption. Put the phone on a flat surface for better cooling.
• 🔋 Use Power Saving Mode: Activate it in Settings → Battery and productivity.
• 📴 Reduce screen brightness: Even if you don’t use your phone, backlights consume charge.

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The most economical way of distributing — USB-It doesn't use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so the battery goes down in the air. 2-3 times slower than when wirelessly distributed.

6.Security: How to Protect Your Access Point

Open access points are not just a risk to your traffic, but also to your personal data, and attackers can intercept information being transmitted or connect to your network for illegal activities. Here's how to avoid that.

First and foremost, set a complex password. Don't use dates of birth, names or simple combinations. A good password is k7#pL9!mQ2 (a random set of letters, numbers and characters). To keep it in mind, save it to a password manager like Google Password Manager.

The second is to hide the network name (SSID), and in the access point settings, activate Hide the network, and now your Wi-Fi will not appear in the public list, and only those who know the exact name will be able to connect to it.

Third, limit the number of connected devices, and you can set a limit in MIUI (e.g., 3 devices) to protect against unauthorized connection of foreign gadgets.

⚠️ Warning: Never give out the internet over an open network (without a password), even if you "need urgently" this violates the rules of most operators and can lead to blocking SIM-Cards for “misuse of traffic».

7. Solving specific problems on Xiaomi

Xiaomi smartphones have several unique Wi-Fi-related bugs that are not described in general instructions, but they are often found in users.

Error "Cannot turn on the access point"

This problem occurs on MIUI 12-14 phones, and it's related to a conflict of services.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Settings app and open it.
3. Select Permissions and enable all permissions, especially Location and Warehouse.
4. Restart your phone and try to turn on the access point again.

The access point is switched on but immediately switched off.

This bug is related to battery optimization, and MIUI aggressively shuts down background processes, including the Wi-Fi distribution module, to fix:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Consumption Management by Apps.
2. Find Settings (app with gear) and select Without restrictions.
3. Do the same for the mobile network application.

Low speed at 5 GHz

If you chose the 5GHz band for high speed, but it was lower than 2.4GHz, the problem is channel settings. Manually set the channel 36, 40 or 44 — they are usually less loaded.

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