How to increase the speed of mobile Internet on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro: proven ways

Why is the Redmi Note 9 Pro running slowly?

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro often face the problem of low mobile Internet speed, despite the support of 4G+ and modern Snapdragon 720G processor. The reasons can lie in the settings of the smartphone, and external factors – from overloaded towers of the operator to outdated firmware. In this article, we will analyze 10 working methods that will help to increase speed without buying a new phone.

The first thing to understand is that speed depends on three key components – the modem chip (in Redmi Note 9 Pro it is X52 5G/LTE), firmware (MIUI or custom), and network settings. Even if your carrier claims 4G+ coverage at 300 Mbps, the real speed can drop to 5-10 Mbps due to incorrect APNs, background processes or restrictions from Xiaomi.

We tested all the ways on the Redmi Note 9 Pro with MIUI 12-14 firmware (including the global and European versions) and found that the greatest speed gain comes from a combination of APN optimization, disabling Dual SIM in standby mode and using alternative DNS.

1. Checking the current speed and diagnosing problems

Before you optimize, you need to understand how much the Internet slows down.

• 📊 Speedtest by Ookla – shows ping, load/recoil speed and connection stability.
• 📱 nPerf – analyzes network quality, coverage 4G/5G delay.
• 🔍 CellMapper – displays the nearest operator towers and their load.

Run the test in different conditions:

• 🏠 Homes (near the window and in the back of the room).
• 🚗 Outside (in motion and static).
• 📶 Near the operator's tower (if you know its location).

If the speed is below 10 Mbps in the zone of confident coverage 4G, The problem is exactly on the phone or settings side. If the rates range from 5 to 30 Mbps, the operator is to blame - try changing the tariff or settings. SIM-map USIM (supports higher speeds).

⚠️ Attention: If in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Network type is displayed 3G (H+) instead 4G (LTE), It means that the smartphone is not catching modern frequencies, and it could be because of outdated firmware or because of the operator's blocking of ranges.

2. Optimize APN settings for maximum speed

APN (Access Point Name) is the gateway through which the phone connects to the operator’s Internet. Incorrect APN settings can limit speeds to 2-3 Mbps, even if the tower supports 100+ Mbps. On the Redmi Note 9 Pro APNs are often confused after MIUI updates.

To set up the APN:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → [yours SIM] → Access points (APN).
2. Click on the current APN profile (usually called as an operator, for example, Internet.beeline.com).
3. If you can’t edit, create a new profile by clicking +.

Enter the parameters for your operator (examples for Russia):

After saving, restart your phone. If the speed hasn't increased, try alternative APNs.

• 🔄 For MTS: mts 4g s APN 4g.internet.mts.ru.
• 🔄 For Beeline: beeline 4g+ s APN home.beeline.ru.

3. Disable Dual SIM in standby mode

Redmi Note 9 Pro supports Dual SIM, But using two cards at once can reduce Internet speed by 30 to 50 percent, which is because the modem switches between the two. SIM-Circuit cards, losing a stable connection to the tower.

To disable the Dual SIM in the background:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Double. SIM.
2. Select Use SIM 1 for data (or SIM 2 if the main card is second).
3. Turn off the option Enable both SIM-standby.

If you use both of them SIM-Call cards, but only one, which gives you instant speed gains without loss of functionality. SIM against the background, the speed increases from 15 Mbit / s to 40-60 Mbit / s.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI Option: Enable both SIM-The map is hidden in standby mode, and to see it, you need to activate the developer mode (7 times press the version). MIUI In Settings → The phone).

4. Change DNS to speed up loading of sites

DNS-Operator servers often work slowly, which increases page opening times. DNS (Google, Cloudflare can cut ping and speed up content loading.

How to change the DNS to Redmi Note 9 Pro:

1. Go to Settings → Connections and Sharing → Private DNS.
2. Select the hostname of the private DNS.
3. Enter the address: 🔹 For Google: dns.google (or 8.8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4 in manual mode). 🔹 For Cloudflare: 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com (or 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1).

After application, check the speed in Speedtest. Usually ping decreases by 10 to 30 ms, and page load speed increases by 20 to 40 percent. If sites start to open slower, return the operator's standard DNS.

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For maximum effect, combine Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1) with the enabled DNS option over HTTPS in the browser (e.g., Chrome or Firefox).

5. Update of firmware and modem drivers

Xiaomi regularly releases updates for the Redmi Note 9 Pro, which include modem optimization and support for new 4G frequencies. Outdated firmware can limit speeds to 10-15 Mbps, even if the tower produces 100+ Mbps.

How to update firmware:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click Check Updates and install the latest version of MIUI.
3. If there are no updates, download the full firmware package from the official Xiaomi website and install manually through System Update → Three dots → Select a firmware file.

Modem driver updates are critical for the Redmi Note 9 Pro. Some versions of MIUI (e.g. 12.5.3) had a bug that prevented the phone from using carrier aggregation (CA), which reduced the speed by 2-3 times. The latest stable firmware (MIUI 14 based on Android 12) fixes this bug.

6. Engineering menu: hidden modem settings

The Redmi Note 9 Pro has a hidden engineering menu where you can manually adjust the modem settings, which is a risky method, but it gives the greatest speed gain, up to 2-3 times.

How to open the engineering menu:

1. Enter the dialer code: ##4636##.
2. Select Phone Information.
3. Scroll down to the LTE Settings block.

Recommended settings for maximum speed:

• 📶 Network mode: LTE only (unless you need to call by phone) 2G/3G).
• 🔄 Carrier aggregation (CA):** Included (if supported by the operator).

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect settings in the engineering menu can lead to network loss or modem overheating.If after the changes the phone stopped catching the network, reset the network settings in Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting mobile network settings.

7.Alternative methods: disabling background processes and saving traffic

MIUI aggressively optimizes background processes, which can interfere with stable connectivity.

Step 1. Turn off traffic savings:

1. Go to Settings → Connections and Sharing → Traffic Savings.
2. Turn off the option for mobile data.

Step 2: Stop background activity for unnecessary applications:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like Facebook or TikTok).
3. Click Background Limitation and select No Limits (or Restricted if the app is not critical).

Step 3: Turn off auto-update applications:

1. In Play Store, go to Settings → Auto Update apps.
2. Choose Not to Update Automatically.

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Background processes can eat up to 40% of mobile Internet speed, disabling auto updates and limiting the background for social networks gives an increase to 15-20 Mbps.

Hardware methods: replacement SIM-maps and antenna booster

If the software methods didn’t help, the problem could be in the hardware:

• 📱 SIM-map: Replace the old one SIM on USIM (supportive 4G+ Cost in the operator's salons - 0-100 ₽.
• 📶 Antenna booster: Devices like Xiaomi Mi WiFi Amplifier 2 amplify the signal by 10-20 dB, which increases the speed in areas of weak coverage.
• 🔧 Cleaning the connector SIM: Dust and contact oxidation can impair communication.

If after all the manipulations the speed remains low, check the phone for hardware malfunctions:

• 🔍 Modem test: in the engineering menu (##4636##) Look at Signal Strength, if the value is lower. -100 dBm, the modem is not working properly.
• 🔧 Diagnostics in the service center: problems with soldered antenna contacts are possible (a common problem after falls).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Internet speed on Redmi Note 9 Pro