How to find your neighbor’s Wi-Fi password via Android on Xiaomi Redmi: 5 ways (with risks and alternatives)

Xiaomi Redmi smartphone owners often face a situation where their own mobile Internet is slow or absent, and the neighboring Wi-Fi network shows excellent signal level. There is a temptation to “connect for free”, but before looking for ways to hack Wi-Fi passwords through Android, it is worth assessing all the risks, from technical to legal. This article does not call for illegal actions, but talks about existing methods, their vulnerabilities and consequences.

It is important to understand modern safety standards (e.g, WPA3) While most popular hacking methods are useless without specialized hardware, Xiaomi Redmi devices (especially root-access models) still have some technical techniques that you should know about, if only to protect your network from such attacks. Below you will find a breakdown of each method with step-by-step instructions, warnings and an estimate of real effectiveness in 2026.

1. Legal ways to get a password from a neighbor's Wi-Fi

Before you go into technical manipulation, try social methods — they don't require hacking skills and they don't break the law. In many cases, neighbors agree to share a password if they offer something in return or just ask politely.

• 🤝 Direct request: Explain the situation (e.g., urgent work or school) and offer to pay for some of the traffic. Many agree if they see that you are not going to abuse.
• 💳 Exchange of services: Offer help with equipment setup, repairs or other household tasks in exchange for Wi-Fi access.
• 📡 Buying a router together: If both signal is weak, you can tip over to a powerful router and split the network into two SSID.
• 📄 Lease agreement: Some homes practice collective payment of the Internet with the distribution of access to residents.

If social media has failed and the Internet is urgently needed, consider alternatives:

• 📶 Tariffs with unlimited traffic (for example, from MTS or Tele2) now cost from 500 rubles per month.
• ☕ Public Networks: Cafes, libraries, and shopping malls often provide free Wi-Fi.
• 🏠 Own router: Connect home Internet (for example, from Rostelecom or Dom.ru) and set up a guest network for friends.

⚠️ Note: Even if your neighbor gave you a password verbally, sharing it with third parties may be considered a violation of the contract with the provider.

2.Technical methods: what really works on Xiaomi Redmi

If legal methods are not suitable and the risks do not scare you, consider the technical methods that can theoretically be applied on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones. Importantly, most of them require root rights or specialized applications that can disrupt the device or lead to locking.

The list of methods from the least risky to the most dangerous:

On Xiaomi Redmi smartphones, without root rights, only saved passwords and phishing (the latter is fraud) really works. The rest of the methods either require deep technical knowledge or are ineffective against modern routers with a wide range of phishing. WPA3.

3. How to view saved Wi-Fi passwords on Xiaomi Redmi (without root)

If your Xiaomi Redmi previously connected to a neighbor’s network (for example, it gave you a password temporarily), you can extract it from system files.This method does not require root rights and works on all models, including the Redmi Note. 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10 older.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with access to system folders, such as FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer.
2. Cross the path: /data/misc/wifi/ (firmware /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml).
3. Find the WifiConfigStore.xml file and open it with a text editor.
4. Look for lines of view: <string name="Network_SSID">Name network</string> <string name="Network_Password">password</string>
5. Copy the password from the tag Network_Password.

If the folder /data/ Unavailable, try an alternative method through ADB (Android Debug Bridge):

adb shell


su




cat /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml | grep "Network_Password"

⚠️ Attention: Starting with MIUI 12, Xiaomi encrypts passwords in WifiConfigStore.xml. If you see a set of characters instead of a password, like a1b2c3d4e5, The file is encrypted and cannot be read without root.

4. WPS-Attack: Does it work on modern routers?

Protocol WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup was designed to make it easier to connect devices to the network, but because of vulnerabilities, it has become a popular target for attacks. PIN-code WPS.

However, there are three critical issues:

1. WPS Deactivated by default on most modern routers (for example, TP-Link Archer) C6, Keenetic, ASUS RT-AX55).
2. Even if WPS Many routers block brute force attempts after 3-5 failed attempts.
3. The attack takes 2 to 10 hours and requires a constant connection to the network.

If you want to try it, follow the instructions (root and Termux are required):

pkg update && pkg upgrade


pkg install root-repo




pkg install reaver




reaver -i wlan0 -b [MAC- router address] -vv

Where:

• wlan0 — The name of your Wi-Fi adapter (check with ifconfig).
• [MAC-router address] – unique network identifier (you can find out through the WiFi Analyzer application).

5 Brute-force and dictionary attacks: is it possible to find a password?

The brute-force method may theoretically work, but in practice it is extremely ineffective against modern networks.

• 🔢 Complicated password (e.g, k7#pL9!qW2) It will take millions of years to get through even on a powerful PC.
• ⏳ WPA2/WPA3 use PBKDF2, It artificially slows down the verification of each option.
• 🚫 Most routers are blocked IP 5-10 failed attempts to connect.

However, if a neighbor uses a simple password (like 12345678 or qwerty), chances are there.

1. Install Termux and update packages: pkg update & & pkg install hydra
2. Download a password dictionary (e.g. rockyou.txt).
3. Launch attack: hydra -l "" -P rockyou.txt [IP router /

The brute force time depends on the power of the processor.+ (With the Snapdragon 695, the speed will be ~50 passwords per second. For a password of 8 characters (Latin) + numbers ~200 years of continuous operation.

⚠️ Note: Using Hydra or Aircrack-ng on someone else's router is qualified as unauthorized access to computer information (Article 272 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Exploitation of vulnerabilities: KRACK, Dragonblood and others

In 2017-2019, critical vulnerabilities were discovered in the protocols. WPA2 (KRACK) and WPA3 (Dragonblood.com could theoretically be run on Xiaomi Redmi with root, but there are nuances:

• 🛡️ KRACK It allows you to intercept traffic, but not to crack the password.
• 🔥 Dragonblood is only working against the WPA3 mode SAE, which is disabled on most routers.
• 🔄 Vulnerabilities already closed in current router firmware (updates after 2020).

To check the vulnerability of the neighbor router, you can use the aircrack-ng tool:

airmon-ng start wlan0


airodump-ng wlan0mon




aireplay-ng --deauth 10 -a [MAC router] wlan0mon

If the router is vulnerable, you will see packets. EAPOL, which can be deciphered:

• On Xiaomi Redmi without an external Wi-Fi adapter (for example, Alfa) AWUS036ACH) interception speed will be extremely low.
• Modern routers (for example, Xiaomi Mi Router) 4A Gigabit: Protect against deauth attacks.

💡

If you really need the internet, consider buying. USB-modem (e.g. Huawei) E3372) It's a no-limit tariff (~RUB 3,000 is comparable to the risk of Wi-Fi hacking.

7. Phishing: How to trick you into getting a password (and why it's a bad idea)

One of the most “reliable” ways is to create a fake Wi-Fi login page and get your neighbor to enter a password, which Xiaomi Redmi will require:

1. Install a web server (e.g., Apache via Termux).
2. Download a phishing page template (e.g., a clone of the login page 192.168.0.1).
3. Run an access point with a name similar to a neighbor network (e.g, TP-Link_5G_FREE).
4. Redirect all requests to your server where there will be a form to enter the password.

Problems with method:

• 🕵️ A neighbor may notice a substitution (for example, by the lack of Internet after logging in»).
• 📵 Modern browsers (such as Chrome or Firefox) block suspicious browsers. HTTPS-page.
• ⚖️ This qualifies as fraud (Article 159.6 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) with a sentence of up to 5 years imprisonment.

Example of code for a phishing page (for educational purposes!):

<!DOCTYPE html>


<html>




<body>




<h2> Network Login TP-Link_5G</h2>




<form action="save.php" method="POST">




<input type= "password" name="wifi_password" placeholder=" Password from Wi-Fi">




<button type="submit">Connect</button>




</form>




</body>




</html>

⚠️ Note: If a neighbor reports to the police, law enforcement can seize your Xiaomi Redmi for examination.Even if you remove all traces, router logs may contain proof of connection.

8 Legal consequences: what happens if you get caught

In Russia, the hacking of Wi-Fi networks is qualified under several articles of the Criminal Code:

Real cases:

• In 2021, in Moscow, a student was fined 100,000 rubles for hacking a neighbor’s Wi-Fi network through a network of a student. WPS.
• In 2022, in St. Petersburg, a man received 1.5 years of probation for a phishing attack on a router in the entrance.
• In 2023, a teenager was put on police record for using Aircrack-ng against a local cafe chain in Yekaterinburg.

Even if you don’t get caught, there are technical risks:

• 📵 Lockdown MAC-Addresses on your neighbor’s router (your Redmi won’t be able to connect even with the correct password).
• 🔄 Loss of warranty on the smartphone when obtaining root rights.
• 💥 Brick device when using Termux or Magisk incorrectly.

💡

Any method of hacking Wi-Fi is against the law, and even if you don't get caught, modern routers make such attacks useless, and it's better to spend time looking for legal alternatives.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Wi-Fi hacking via Xiaomi Redmi