How to improve the Wi-Fi signal on Xiaomi smartphones: from phone settings to router optimization

Weak Wi-Fi signal on Xiaomi is a problem that every second user faces, whether the smartphone “can’t see” the network on the balcony, or video in the video. 1080p It's always hanging, or VoWiFi calls are interrupted, and there are a dozen reasons, from router settings to phone hardware limitations, but the good news is that 90 percent of the time, you can fix it without buying new hardware.

In this article, we will look at all possible ways to improve the signal, from basic (reboot router) to advanced (change Wi-Fi channel or phone firmware), focus on Xiaomi models with MediaTek and Qualcomm Snapdragon, as they have different “weaknesses” in working with the network, and learn how to check the real connection speed (not the one that the router shows), and what to do if the problem is only in one application.

Before you start settings, answer two questions: 1. Does the problem only appear on Xiaomi, or on other devices too? 2. Is the signal weak everywhere or only in certain places (for example, in the back room)?

The answers will help narrow down the range of possible causes.

Basic checks: what to do first

Start with the basics – they solve the problem 30% of the time, but many users miss them.

• 🔄 Reboot the router and smartphone. corny but often helps: Xiaomi routers (especially Mi Router models) 3/4) They have a bug that freezes the Wi-Fi channel after a long period of operation. 30 So, you turn it back on. On your smartphone, you press the power button for a long time. → Reboot.
• 📶 Check the distance to the router. The optimal distance for a stable signal is up to 10 meters in line of sight. Walls of concrete or brick weaken the signal by 50-70%. If the router is in the hallway and you are in the back room, even Xiaomi 13 Pro with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will "lose" data packets.
• 🔌 Make sure that the power saving mode is not on. MIUI There's an Adaptive Battery feature that limits background Wi-Fi activity. Go to Settings → Battery. → Power saving mode and turn it off.

If the signal has not improved after these actions, move to deeper settings.

2. Wi-Fi setting up on Xiaomi smartphone

A lot of the problems are with the software settings of the phone itself, even if the router is perfect, MIUI Artificially restricting the speed or stability of the connection.

Step 1: Enable the “High Wi-Fi Performance” mode.

• Open the Settings. → Wi-Fi.
• Tap on your network name (not on the switch!).
• Activate the option High performance Wi-Fi (available on the Internet) MIUI 12+).

This feature disables power saving for the Wi-Fi module, which is especially important for the Redmi Note and the Redmi Note. POCO with MediaTek Helio processors.

Step 2. Change the settings. DNS.

Xiaomi is using the default DNS-A provider that can be overloaded or block some traffic, try replacing it with 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) or 8.8.8.8 (Google):

1. Go to Settings. → Wi-Fi → Name of the network → Change the network.
2. In the field DNS enter 1.1.1.1 (or 8.8.8.8).
3. Save the changes.

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After the shift DNS Some websites (for example, banking sites) have stopped opening, return the settings to the standard ones or try DNS from Yandex: 77.88.8.8 and 77.88.8.1.

Step 3: Turn off the Smart Switch function.

V MIUI There is a function of intelligent switching. Wi-Fi/It's a mobile data system that automatically switches to the mobile Internet when there's a weak Wi-Fi signal, and the problem is that it's too aggressive, even when Wi-Fi is still working:

Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Intelligent switching

The mode "High performance Wi-Fi" is enabled"|DNS modified to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8|"Intelligent switching" is disabled"|Energy saving mode deactivated-->

3. Router optimization for Xiaomi devices

If the problem is not the phone, then the router is to blame, especially for budget models Xiaomi Mi Router (for example, Mi Router). 4A or Mi Router 3G), which have a weak transmission module.

Step 1. Change the Wi-Fi channel.

By default, routers work on automatic channel selection, but often choose overloaded (e.g., channel 6 in the 2.4 GHz range). Use the WiFi Analyzer app (available on Google Play) to find the least loaded channel, then change it in the router settings:

192.168.31.1 → Wireless Mode → Wi-Fi settings → Channel

For the 5GHz band, choose 36-48 or 149-165 channels (they are less busy).

Step 2. Adjust the width of the channel.

In the 2.4 GHz band, set a 20 MHz channel width, which will increase stability, although it will slightly reduce the top speed. For 5 GHz, you can leave 40 MHz or 80 MHz (if the router supports).

Step 3. Turn it on. WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia).

This feature prioritizes traffic for multimedia (video, voice calls), which is especially important for VoWiFi and streaming. Activate it in the router settings:

192.168.31.1 → Wireless Mode → Additional settings → WMM

Step 4. Update the router's firmware.

Outdated firmware may contain bugs that affect the stability of Wi-Fi. Check the current version on the Xiaomi website and update the router through the web interface (192.168.31.1). → Firmware update).

4. Advanced settings for experienced users

If the basic methods didn't work, try these methods. They take a little more effort, but often they give you better results.

Method 1: Change the router region.

Some Xiaomi routers (e.g. Mi Router 4) have transmission power limits depending on the region. If you live in Russia but the router is set to Europe, the maximum signal power will be lower.

192.168.31.1 → Additional settings → Region

⚠️ Attention: changing the region may violate local transmission power regulations.

Method 2: Configure QoS (Quality of Service)

QoS allows you to prioritize traffic for certain devices. If your Xiaomi is constantly “braking”, mientras otros dispositivos funcionan bien, add it. MAC-priority-list:

1. Find out. MAC-Phone address: Settings → The phone. → General information → MAC-Wi-Fi address.
2. In the router web interface, go to QoS → QoS Rules.
3. Add a new rule with MAC-Your Xiaomi address and set the highest priority.

Method 3. Turn it off. IPv6 (if not used).

Some providers are not working well with IPv6, This causes delays and interruptions in the connection:

192.168.31.1 → Network → IPv6 → Disconnect

5 Hardware Solutions: When Software Methods Don't Help

If you’ve tried all the settings but the signal is still weak, the problem could be in the hardware — either the phone or the router.

Solution 1. Buy a repeater (signal amplifier).

The repeater (or Wi-Fi extender) connects to the main network and relays the signal to remote areas.

• 📡 Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi Range Extender Pro – supports Mesh networks and works with Xiaomi routers without additional settings.
• 📡 TP-Link RE605X — More powerful option with Wi-Fi 6 support.

Install the repeater halfway between the router and the low signal area. Avoid placing near microwaves or other sources of interference.

Solution 2. Replace the router antennas.

Xiaomi low-cost routers (such as Mi Router) 4C) They're equipped with weak antennas, and they can be replaced with more powerful ones with 5-9 dBi amplification:

• 📶 TP-Link TL-ANT2408CL (8 dBi, for 2.4 GHz).
• 📶 Alfa Network APA-M25 (7 dBi, universal).

⚠️ Warning: When replacing antennas, do not exceed the recommended power for your router. too strong antennas (12 dBi)+) They can overload the transmitting module and disable it.

Solution 3: Check the phone for hardware malfunctions.

If the signal is weak on only one device (for example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro, but not on the iPhone), there may be problems with the phone's Wi-Fi module.

1. Install the Network Signal Info app and check the signal strength (in dBm: -30 before -50 dBm is a great signal. -50 before -70 dBm - good/medium. -70 before -90 dBm - weak (possible breaks). -90 dBm and below critical (virtually no compound).

-70 dBm

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If the phone falls off the network when it overheats (such as while charging or playing), the problem may be thermothrottle - the Wi-Fi chip shuts down to protect against overheating. Try removing the case or using the phone without charging.

6.Problems with specific Xiaomi models

Some Xiaomi smartphones have “innate” Wi-Fi issues, and here are the most common cases and solutions:

Redmi Note 8/9/10 (MediaTek Helio G85/G95):

• 🔧 Problem: frequent connection breaks at 5 GHz.
• 🔧 Solution: Force your phone to 2.4 GHz (in router settings, turn off 5 GHz or change the network name for 5 GHz).

POCO X3/X3 Pro (Snapdragon 732G):

• 🔧 Problem: Low loading speed with high signal level.
• 🔧 Solution: Turn off the Wi-Fi Assist function in Settings → Wi-Fi → Additionally.

Xiaomi Mi 11/12 (Snapdragon 888/8 Gen 1):

• 🔧 Problem: overheating and disconnecting Wi-Fi during prolonged load.
• 🔧 Solution: Limit processor performance in Settings → Battery. → Performance mode → Balanced.

All models on the MIUI 13+:

• 🔧 Problem: Slow connection to the network after sleep.
• 🔧 Solution: Turn off the Wi-Fi Optimization function in Settings → Special facilities → System settings → Optimizing Wi-Fi.

7. Alternative ways of connecting

If Wi-Fi is persistently unwilling to work consistently, consider alternative internet connectivity options.

Option 1. Use the mobile Internet (4G/5G).

Modern tariffs offer unlimited or almost unlimited traffic at a price comparable to home internet. 5G (for example, Xiaomi 12T or POCO F4 GT), The speed can exceed the home Wi-Fi.

To save battery power:

• Enable Traffic Saving Mode in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
• Turn off background data transfer for unnecessary applications.

Option 2. Connect through USB-cable (USB tethering).

If you have a laptop or PC with wired internet, you can “distribute” it to Xiaomi via a wireless network. USB:

1. Connect your phone to your computer via USB.
2. On the phone, activate Settings. → Access Point and modem → USB-modem.
3. On PC, allow Internet sharing (in the Control Panel) → Network connections).

This method provides maximum stability, as it eliminates interference with Wi-Fi.

Option 3: Mesh system instead of a regular router.

If you have a large house or office, a regular router may not be able to handle Mesh systems (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Mesh Router). AX3000) They create a single network of multiple access points, automatically switching devices between them:

• 🏠 Coverage up to 300 m2 without “dead zones».
• 🔄 Smooth roaming between nodes (no breaks when moving).
• 📶 Automatically select the least loaded channel.

8. Frequent user errors

Many actions that seem logical actually degrade the signal.

• ❌ Install the router on the floor or in the closet. The optimal position is at an altitude of 1-1.5 meters from the floor, in the center of the room.
• ❌ Use "enhanced" antennas 12 dBi+ They create a beam that's too narrow, and the signal flies past the devices.
• ❌ Turn it on. WPS Not only is this feature not secure, but it can cause conflicts with some Xiaomi devices.
• ❌ Ignore firmware updates in new versions MIUI Firmware routers often fix bugs associated with Wi-Fi.

Myths about Wi-Fi that you should not believe:

• 🚫 «Dual-band router is always better than single-band router – only if your devices support 5GHz.
• 🚫 «The more antennas a router has, the better the signal is – it is not the quantity that matters, but the quality and configuration of the antennas.
• 🚫 «Disabling encryption will speed up Wi-Fi: modern standards (WPA3) They have little effect on speed.

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If after all the manipulations the signal is still weak, the problem may be on the provider's side. SNR and dBm).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions