How to distribute the Internet with Xiaomi Redmi 9 to your computer through the USB-cable

Mobile data has become an integral part of modern life, and there are often situations when the Wi-Fi router is unavailable or unstable, and access to the network is necessary right now. Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones have at their disposal a powerful tool to solve this problem – a feature USB-This allows you to turn your Redmi 9 into a full-fledged network adapter for a desktop PC or laptop, providing a more stable connection compared to Bluetooth or even Wi-Fi hotspot.

Use of a wired connection through USB-cable not only gives you an advantage in data transfer speed, but also significantly reduces latency (ping), which is critical for online games or video conferencing. In addition, with this method of distribution, the smartphone does not overheat as much as when working in the wireless access point mode, and its battery is simultaneously charged from the computer. In this article, we will discuss in detail the configuration process, possible nuances with drivers and ways to eliminate typical errors characteristic of the shell. MIUI.

Before you start setting up, make sure that your mobile operator plan includes data service and available traffic. USB-The cable, preferably original, that came with the device, because cheap analogues often only support charging and do not transmit data. The setup process takes only a couple of minutes, but requires careful choice of modes of operation in the system menu.

Preparation of equipment and checking of settings

The first step to a successful setup is to physically connect and basic device preparation. Make sure your Redmi 9 has mobile internet on and you are in a 4G/LTE network signal receiving zone. Without an active connection on the smartphone itself, it is technically impossible to distribute the internet to other devices, so check the indicators at the top of the screen.

Use a high-quality cable to connect your phone to your computer. USB-When you connect to a port on your PC motherboard or directly to your laptop, pay attention to your smartphone screen: Android may ask permission to access data or offer you to choose the mode of operation. USB.

🔌 Check integrity USB-cable and no damage to the connectors.
📶 Make sure that mobile data is activated in the notification curtain.
🔋 Charge your smartphone at least before 20-30% before a long distribution session.

It’s important to note that older USB 2.0 ports may not provide enough bandwidth for high speeds, so use blue ports (USB 3.0) on your computer whenever possible. If your computer makes a device connection sound but doesn’t recognize it as a network adapter, it may be the drivers or port mode that are the problem.

Activation of the regime USB-modem on Redmi 9

After you physically connect, you need to activate the corresponding function in the software part of the smartphone. The MIUI shell installed on the Redmi 9 has a standard algorithm of actions that is slightly different from pure Android. You will need to go to the settings menu, where the basic network parameters are hidden.

Open the Settings app and find the Wi-Fi hotspot section, which is where all the tools for sharing the Internet are concentrated. Don't confuse this with the regular Wi-Fi menu, as the distribution functionality is put into a separate category for user convenience.

⚠️ Note: If you can’t see the item «USB-modem immediately after connecting the cable, try to switch the mode of operation USB in notifications or reconnect the cable by unlocking the smartphone screen.

Inside the access point menu, find the switch «USB-The system can issue a warning that the current Wi-Fi connection will be severed - this is normal behavior, since the antenna cannot simultaneously receive and broadcast a signal in different modes without special equipment. USB The appropriate icon should appear in the notification curtain.

Windows will automatically start searching for and installing the drivers needed for a new network device. In most cases, the operating system will find the components in its database itself, and in 10-15 seconds a wired connection icon will appear in the tray. If this does not happen, you will need to manually install the drivers, as discussed below.

☑️ Pre-launch checks

Mobile Internet enabledCable connected to PCScreen unlockedDrivers set up

Done: 0 / 4

Installation of drivers and solving problems with PC

When a computer does not see a phone as a modem, it is often due to the lack of specific drivers for Xiaomi devices. Standard Android drivers may not correctly determine modem mode, requiring user intervention.

Find your phone in the list of devices that may show as “Unknown Device” or have a yellow exclamation point. Right-click and select “Update Driver.” Select manual search on that computer and specify the driver folder if they were downloaded from the official website, or let the system find them automatically through Windows Update Center.

Symptoms.	Possible cause	Decision
The computer makes sound, but there is no internet.	No RNDIS driver installed	Update the driver through Device Manager
The phone is just charging.	Poor quality cable	Replace the cable with the original
Error "failed to configure the modem"	Blocking by the operator	Check the tariff plan

In some cases, disabling the digital signature check of drivers in Windows helps, but this is a measure for advanced users. Most often, just wait a few minutes until the operating system's background services complete the network interface configuration.

What to do if the drivers are not found?

If automated search didn’t help, try downloading Google’s universal driver. USB Driver or specific package Xiaomi USB Drivers from the official developer portal. After downloading, unpack the archive and when updating the driver, specify the path to the folder with.inf files. Sometimes you need to manually select a device model from the list of Network Adapters» -> «Microsoft» -> «Remote NDIS based Internet Sharing Device».> Settings APN One of the most common causes of broken Internet with a successful modem connection is incorrect settings of the access point (APN) Many mobile providers block or charge separately the distribution of Internet to other devices, as defined by the value of this. TTL (Time To Live). To circumvent restrictions, it is often necessary to change the value TTL In the smartphone itself, so that the data packets look like they're coming directly from the phone, not from the connected computer. However, before you resort to complex methods, check the access point settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Choice SIM-map → Access points (APN). 📝 Make sure your operator’s active access point is selected. ⚙️ Check if there are specific proxy parameters that can interfere with the work. 🔄 Try resetting the factory settings via the menu. If the operator uses a hard lock, change APN In this case, users often turn to changing system parameters through an engineering menu or special applications, but this requires root rights, obtaining which on Redmi 9 can lead to loss of warranty. Energy consumption and temperature regime USB-The modem, while more efficient than the Wi-Fi hotspot, still puts a strain on the smartphone's processor and radio module. Redmi 9 features a MediaTek Helio processor. G80, It can get hot when you're actively transmitting large amounts of data, and when you're wired, it can both recharge and recharge, which creates a double heat load, and it's important to monitor the temperature of the device during long sessions. If the phone gets too hot, the system MIUI can automatically limit the data rate or completely disable the modem to protect components.In the summer or in hot rooms, it is recommended to remove the protective cover for better heat sink. ⚠️ Warning: Do not cover the phone running in modem modem with a cloth or other objects, this can lead to overheating of the battery and its bloating. The use of the original charger and cable helps minimize energy loss and heating. Cheap cables have high resistance, which leads to a voltage drop and additional heating at the point of contact, which negatively affects the stability of the connection. Comparison of distribution methods: USB vs. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Users often wonder which distribution method to choose. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. USB-The modem provides the highest speed and stability, and also charges the phone, but tethers the device to the computer with a cable.The Wi-Fi hotspot is convenient for connecting multiple devices, but quickly lands the battery and warms the phone. Bluetooth modem is the slowest option, suitable only for text transfer or mail, but it consumes minimal amount of power. For Redmi 9, which supports modern communication standards, the use of the USB It's the most efficient choice for heavy content, and it depends on what you're doing, if you want to download a large file or have a hangout, USB-You can use Bluetooth to get a message or a link to a fast one, saving you charge. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Why does a computer see a phone but write "No Internet access"? Most often the problem is the settings. DNS or IP-Try the network connection properties on your computer (Protocol) IP 4) set the receipt of addresses automatically, also check if the antivirus does not block the new connection, can you give out the Internet if the phone has a password on it. SIM-The PIN is requested when you turn on the phone. After SIM-The card is unlocked and the Internet works on the smartphone itself, the distribution is carried out without additional restrictions on the part of the Android system. USB? The speed can be slightly lower than a direct modem connection due to the overhead of processing data by the phone's processor. However, on modern devices like Redmi 9, this difference is almost invisible to the user. USB-modem OS? To work on macOS, you often need to install additional drivers (HoRNDIS or similar), since the built-in support for Android modems on the Mac is limited.