How to improve the quality of the Internet on Xiaomi devices: from smartphones to routers

Slow internet on Xiaomi’s smartphone, persistent connection breaks or weak Wi-Fi signal are problems that every second user faces. The reasons can lie in both the settings of the device itself and external factors, from an overloaded router to an unsuccessful location of antennas. In this article, we will discuss 10 proven ways to improve the quality of the Internet on any Xiaomi device, from budget Redmi to flagship Xiaomi 14, as well as on Mi Router and AiOT Router routers.

It's important to understand that there's no one-size-fits-all solution. If you have a provider that's limited in speed or has low 4G/5G coverage, setting up your phone won't help much. But 80 percent of the time, it's software-solved -- just know where to spin it, what to do. We've compiled instructions for all sorts of scenarios, from optimizing MTU to choosing the right DNS, and we've added hardware tips (like how to position a Xiaomi router for maximum coverage).

Some methods require root rights or access to an engineering menu, but most are suitable for standard users, starting with the simplest one: checking the current state of the network.

1. Diagnosis of the problem: how to understand what exactly inhibits

Before you set up something, you need to identify the weak link. The Internet on Xiaomi can slow down for several reasons:

• 📶 Weak signal. Wi-Fi/Mobile network - the phone catches 1-2 "Chopsticks" or constantly switching between 4G and 3G.
• 🖥️ Problems on the router side - overheating, outdated firmware, incorrect channel settings.
• 📱 Phone software limitations – background optimization MIUI, Traffic limits, errors in settings APN.
• 🌍 External factors – overloaded network provider, geoblocking, slow DNS-server.

First, check the real speed of the Internet using the following applications:

• Speedtest by Ookla (shows ping, download/return speed).
• NetMon (Real-time Connection Stability Monitor)
• WiFi Analyzer (analyzes the load of Wi-Fi channels).

Run the test next to the router, then in another room. If the speed drops by 2-3 times, there's a problem with Wi-Fi coverage. If the speed is low even near the router, check the DHCP settings or the provider's tariff. If the mobile Internet is slowing down and Wi-Fi is working properly, the APN settings or the operator are to blame.

2. Optimizing Wi-Fi on Xiaomi smartphones

If your Redmi or POCO is not good at catching Wi-Fi, try these steps first:

1. Switch to 5 GHz (if the router supports). In the Wi-Fi settings on your phone, select a network with 5G suffix. This range is less prone to interference, but has a smaller coverage area.
2. Turn off "Smart Switch." MIUI automatically switches between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz by default, which can cause lags. Turn off the option in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Intelligent Switch.
3. Forget the network and connect again. Sometimes the saved settings conflict with the new router settings. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi, click on your network → Forget, then connect again.

If the problem is not solved, check the channel width in the router settings. 80 MHz (maximum speed) is recommended for 5 GHz, but if the network is unstable, try 40 MHz. At 2.4 GHz, it is better to set 20 MHz for greater stability.

💡

If after reconnecting to Wi-Fi the Internet does not work, but next to the network name there is an exclamation point – check whether the router is enabled protocol. DHCP. Without it, the phone won't get it. IP-address.

3. Mobile Internet setup (4G/5G)

Weak mobile internet on Xiaomi is often associated with incorrect APN settings (access points). Even if the operator claims that “everything is set up automatically”, it is better to check manually:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → [yours SIM] → Access points (APN).
2. Click on the current profile (usually one) and compare the parameters with the reference for your operator. For example, for MTS, the following values should be: Name: MTS INTERNET APN: Internet.mts.ru Authentication type: PAP APN Protocol: IPv4/IPv6
3. If the settings don’t match, create a new APN manually (click “+” in the top corner).

Other ways to speed up mobile internet:

• 📡 Forced to turn on. 4G/5G. B Settings → SIM-map → Preferred network type select only 4G or 5G/4G/3G (The auto can connect to the slow 3G).
• 🔄 Turn off "traffic savings" in Settings → Connections and sharing → Traffic savings: This feature limits background activity, but sometimes blocks important data.
• 📴 Check it out. IMEI. If the phone doesn't catch the network at all, it may have gone offline IMEI (You can find it by command #06# and restore it through the engineering menu (#4636##*).

4. Modifying DNS to speed up loading

Xiaomi is using the default DNS-ISP servers that are often overloaded or blocked by some sites. DNS Can reduce ping and speed up page opening.

How to change DNS to Xiaomi:

1. For Wi-Fi: Go to Settings → Wi-Fi, click on your network → Change network → Additional. In the IP Settings field, select Static. In the DNS 1 and DNS 2 strings, enter addresses (for example, 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 for Google DNS).
2. For mobile internet: Install the app DNS Changer (required) VPN-Select one of the proposed modes DNS (Cloudflare, OpenDNS, AdGuard).

A critical nuance: if some sites (e.g. banking sites) are no longer open after the DNS change, return the provider settings. Some services block access from public DNS for security reasons.

5. Optimize Xiaomi router for maximum speed

If you have a Xiaomi Mi Router (any model from Mi Router 3 to AX6000), its settings directly affect the speed of the Internet.

• 🔧 Update your firmware. Go to the router's web interface (192.168.31.1), check the Update section. New versions fix bugs and improve stability.
• 📡 Choose the best Wi-Fi channel. In the Wi-Fi section → Settings set manual mode and select a channel with minimal load (WiFi Analyzer will help).
• 🔄 Turn it on. MU-MIMO And Beamforming. These technologies improve multi-device experience. Find them in the Wi-Fi Settings.
• 🔒 Disable the guest network if you're not using it. It takes away the resources of the main channel.

For advanced users:

• Install an alternative firmware OpenWRT or Padavan (requires unlocking the bootloader), which gives you access to advanced settings, such as SQM for combating lag in games.
• Configure QoS (Quality of Service) under the Internet → QoS section to prioritize traffic (e.g., give maximum speed to YouTube or Zoom).

Update the firmware to the latest version

Switch to a 5 GHz channel with a width of 80 MHz

Disable WPS (Security Vulnerability)

Enable Beamforming and MU-MIMO

Set up static DNS (For example, Cloudflare)-->

6. Hardware methods of signal enhancement

If the software settings didn't work, it could be physical interference or weak hardware.

• 📍 Move the router. Optimal location in the middle of the apartment, at altitude. 1-1.5 Avoid being near microwaves, wireless speakers and metal objects.
• 📶 Use a repeater or a Mesh system. For larger spaces, one Xiaomi router may be missing. Connect Mi Wi-Fi Repeater 2 or Mesh node (e.g., Xiaomi Mesh System).
• 🔌 Check the cables. If the Internet is over Ethernet, make sure you use a Cat cable. 5e or higher (older Cat 5 limits speeds to 100 Mbps).
• 📱 Buy an external antenna for your phone, for models with a removable back cover (like the Redmi Note). 8 Pro) antenna can be connected 4G/LTE plug-in IPEX.

If you have Xiaomi with Wi-Fi 6 support (such as the Mi 11 or AX3600) but the speed is still low, check out:

• Does your laptop/phone support Wi-Fi 6 (not all devices are backward compatible)
• Is 802.11ax enabled in the router settings (sometimes it is disabled by default).

💡

Mesh systems (for example, Xiaomi Mesh) are more efficient than repeaters, as they create a single network without losing speed when switching between nodes.

7 Hidden MIUI settings to speed up the internet

MIUI has hidden features that can improve connectivity, but they're not available in the standard menu.

• 🔧 Enable "Developer Mode": Go to Settings → About the phone. Press 7 times on the version. MIUI, until the notice "You've become a developer" appears. → Additionally. → For developers.
• 📊 Turn off "Background Limitation": In the developer menu, find Background Limitation. Turn it off, allowing apps to use the internet in the background without restrictions.

Change the value of MTU

1. In the same menu, find the MTU size (usually 1500 by default).
2. Try to reduce to 1472 or 1400, which can reduce packet fragmentation and speed up the connection.

For Xiaomi routers, you can install AdGuard Home, which is a network-level ad blocker that simultaneously speeds up page load by filtering out unnecessary traffic.

1. Install AdGuard Home on the router via SSH (OpenWRT firmware required).
2. Configure filters in the web interface (http://[IP-router]:3000).
3. In the DHCP router settings, specify AdGuard Home IP as the primary DNS.

⚠️ Attention: free of charge VPN And proxies often slow down the connection themselves because of overloaded servers. For permanent use, choose paid services with servers in your country.

FAQ: Frequent questions about improving the Internet on Xiaomi