How to turn on mobile Internet on Xiaomi Android: a complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones often face a situation when after installing a new one. SIM-This is a common feature of the shell, and it's not automatically connected to the network. MIUI And HyperOS, which requires manual adjustment of network settings, and the problem can be both a banal switch and incorrect settings of access points. APN, necessary for authorization in the operator's network.

The lack of access to the World Wide Web via a mobile network limits the functionality of the gadget, making it impossible to use navigation, instant messengers and online services on the go. In this article, we will analyze in detail the algorithm for activating data transfer, check the settings of SIM cards and manually prescribe the necessary parameters for stable operation. 4G/LTE linkage.

Before you get into the complicated manipulations of the engineering menu, make sure the basic requirements are met. SIM-The card has the means, and the card itself is installed in the right slot that supports high-speed data transfer, sometimes the problem is solved by simply restarting the communication module or the smartphone itself.

Basic activation of data transfer via curtain and menu

The fastest way to get the internet running on any Android device is to use the Quick Access Panel, which requires unlocking the screen and swiping your finger from top to bottom to open the notification curtain, and in the menu that appears, find an icon labeled “Mobile Internet” or “Data Transfer” and tap it to make it active (usually painted blue or green).

If the icon is not activated or is lit in gray, check the status. SIM-maps in the main settings. Go to the Settings section → SIM-maps and mobile networks. All maps installed are displayed here, and you can separately control access to each map. Make sure that the slider opposite the right SIM is put into active position.

The important thing is to choose the default card for data transmission, especially if the device uses two SIMs. The system should clearly understand which channel to send traffic through. If you just inserted a new card, the phone can request confirmation to activate it, agree with this action.

It's worth noting that in some versions of MIUI firmware, the switch may be hidden in the second line of the curtain widgets. Pull the menu down again or click on the edit button (usually a pencil or three dots) to add the "Mobile Internet" shortcut to a prominent place.

Setting up SIM-maps and network selection 4G/LTE

Once the data is enabled, you need to make sure the smartphone uses a modern communication standard. 2G and 3G You may not be able to support the speed required for modern applications. → SIM-Maps and mobile networks select an active SIM card.

In the submenu that opens, find Network Type or Network Type Preferred, and you need to select “Preferred 4G (LTE)” or the like, which will force the modem to look for towers that support high-speed Internet, and if there is no 4G coverage in your region, the phone will automatically switch to the available standard, but the speed connection will be given priority.

⚠️ Attention: If after the selection 4G The network icon is missing or the “E”/”H” symbol appears+» instead «4G», Maybe yours. SIM-The card is too old and does not support LTE. In this case, you need to replace the SIM from the operator with a new one with support USIM.

Also in this section, the "Use mobile Internet" option is often found, which sometimes needs to be activated separately from the general switch in the curtain. Make sure that the right SIM card is ticked or the data switch is active. Without this permission, the system blocks traffic at the kernel level.

💡

If the phone can't identify the network for a long time after changing settings, turn on flight mode for 10 seconds, and then turn it off. This will force you to restart the search for towers with updated parameters.

Two-sim devices allow you to flexibly set priorities, so you can assign one card to call and another card to the Internet, and this configuration is useful if the data plans differ in terms of traffic cost or coverage quality in different areas.

Manually configuring APN access points

The most common reason for the broken Internet on Xiaomi smartphones is the absence or incorrect settings of the access point. APN (These parameters tell the phone which gateway to access the operator's network. They usually come automatically with the help of the phone. SMS-message when you first install the SIM card, but sometimes they have to be entered manually.

To enter the settings menu, go on the Settings path → SIM-maps and mobile networks → (Select a SIM card) → Access points (APN). In the list that opens, you can see existing profiles. If the list is empty or the Internet is not working, click the New Access Point button (often indicated by a plus in the bottom or top corner of the screen).

Here you need to enter the data provided by your carrier. It is critical to fill in the fields "Name" and "Access Point (APN)". The remaining fields, such as username and password, are often left blank unless the operator has indicated otherwise. After entering all the data, be sure to click the "More" button (three dots) and select "Save", and then activate the created point by placing a marker next to it.

Below is a table with the current settings for major Russian operators. Check the data carefully before entering, as one extra letter can lead to an authorization error.

After saving the settings, it is recommended to restart the device, which is necessary to apply changes at the radio level. If after the reboot the 4G icon appears, but the pages do not load, try turning off Wi-Fi and check the operation over the mobile network.

Resetting network settings and reflashing parameters

If manually configuring APN didn't help, there may have been a software failure of the network modules in the system, in which case the effective solution is to reset the network settings to factory values, which will remove stored Wi-Fi passwords, Bluetooth settings and all APN user access points, returning them to their original state.

You can reset via the Settings menu → Connection and Sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth. The system will warn you of the consequences of this operation. Confirm the action, then the phone will restart. This method often helps when standard switches stop responding to commands.

⚠️ Note: Before performing a network reset, make sure you remember passwords from important Wi-Fi networks, as they will be deleted from the device's memory.

In rare cases, when even a reset does not help, you may need to update the firmware or, conversely, roll back to the previous version if the problem occurred after the system update. Check for updates in the About Phone section by clicking on the MIUI version. The current version of the software often contains patches for modems of various operators.

There is also a hidden engineering menu available through dial ##4636##. In the Phone Information section, you can find the button "Run a Ping Test" or "Switch the radio module", but using this tool requires caution, as incorrect changes can lead to the complete disappearance of the network.

Diagnosing problems with coverage and SIM-card

Sometimes the problem lies not in the software settings Xiaomi, and in the physical state. SIM-If the SIM card is working normally on other devices and your phone is not, you should carefully examine the chip itself. The presence of scratches, contact oxidation or non-standard size (if a transition frame was used) can cause unstable operation.

Try to get it out. SIM-Make sure the card sits tightly in the tray and doesn't hang around. If you use a mini-SIM to nano-SIM adapter, you're likely to have bad contact or chip damage when you cut it out. In such cases, it is better to request a replacement SIM card in the cabin of the operator, which is often done for free.

Also worth considering is coverage: In basements, metal structures, or remote areas, the signal may be too weak to establish a stable connection, even if the indicator shows 1-2 divisions.

For deep diagnostics, you can use network monitor applications that show the signal level in dBm. A value better than -90 dBm is considered good, from -90 to -105 dBm - medium, and below -110 dBm - the signal is very weak, and the Internet may work intermittently or not at all.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

💡

In 90% of cases, the problem is solved by manually registering the correct APN settings and selecting the “Preferred to 4G” mode in the SIM card settings.