Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often experience a situation where the Internet on a smartphone is much slower than on other gadgets on the same network, this can manifest itself in long loading pages, buffering high-quality video or sudden connection breaks. The problem is rarely a hardware breakdown of the communication module; most often the cause lies in software conflicts, incorrect settings of the MIUI or HyperOS system, as well as the peculiarities of interaction with a particular router.
Modern smartphones of the Chinese brand are equipped with powerful processors and advanced antenna modules that can support high data rates. However, the optimization of the Android shell by the manufacturer sometimes leads to aggressive energy saving, which can limit the operation of the network adapter in the background.
Before you bring your device to the service center, you need to conduct a comprehensive diagnostics of the software part. In most cases, the recovery of normal WiFi speed takes no more than 15 minutes and requires only a careful study of the settings. In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible causes of slowdown and offer step-by-step instructions for eliminating them.
Diagnostics of current network speed and status
The first step in solving the problem is to objectively assess the situation. You can not rely only on a subjective sense of “slow” Internet, as some sites may slow down due to problems on the server side, not your connection. To accurately diagnose, you need to use specialized tools that will show the real bandwidth of the channel at the moment.
It is recommended to use proven applications such as Speedtest by Ookla or Fast.com. Run the test on your smartphone from the vicinity of the router and compare the resulting figures with your provider's tariff plan. If the declared speed is 100 Mbps, and the tests show 5-10 Mbps, the problem is clearly on the device or LAN side.
It's also important to check how the network behaves on other devices, and if another brand's laptop or tablet flies, and Xiaomi barely loads pictures, then the conflict is in the settings of the phone, and if low speed is everywhere, there may be a problem in the communication channel or overloading of the provider's equipment.
⚠️ Note: When conducting tests, make sure that your smartphone does not run background downloads of game updates or synchronize large amounts of data in the cloud, as this will distort the verification results.
Effects of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands
One of the most common reasons for low speed is the use of congested 2.4 GHz band. This frequency spectrum is used not only by WiFi routers, but also by Bluetooth devices, microwave ovens and even wireless phones. In apartment buildings, the air is so clogged with signals from neighboring routers that your Xiaomi is simply lost in this noise, constantly switching between channels.
Modern Xiaomi smartphones support 802.11ac and ax (WiFi 6), which operate in the 5GHz band. This range provides significantly higher data rates and is less susceptible to interference. However, it has a shorter range and it passes through capital walls less. If your router is dual-band but distributes networks with the same name, the phone can "clung" to the longer-range but slower 2.4GHz.
To remedy this, it is recommended to divide the networks in the router settings by giving them different names, for example, Home_WiFi_2.4 and Home_WiFi_5G. Afterwards, forcefully connect your smartphone to the network with the prefix 5G. Also in the WiFi settings on the phone you can find the option “Use WiFi on frequency”. 5 GHz or similar and activate it.
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If your router is old and does not support 5GHz, try changing your WiFi channel manually from “Auto” to free (1, 6 or 11) to avoid crossing with neighbors.
It’s worth noting that some low-end Redmi models may have antennas optimized primarily for 2.4GHz, but even on them, proper channel allocation can give you speed gains.
DNS settings and resetting network parameters
Often, the “slow” internet is actually a problem with the long response of domain name servers (DNS). When you enter the site address, the phone asks the provider. IP-- The server address. DNS-The server of the provider is slow or congested, the page will open with a delay, even if the channel speed is high. DNS Faster public servers (such as Google or Cloudflare) often work wonders.
To change your DNS settings on MIUI or HyperOS, go to Settings → WiFi → Click on the arrow next to your network → DNS settings. Select Manual and write 8.8.8.8.8 (main) and 8.8.4.4 (alternative) addresses. This action will redirect requests to Google's fast servers.
If changing the DNS didn't help, you might have accumulated network stack errors, and then you might have a complete reset of your network settings, which won't delete your photos or contacts, but will forget all your stored WiFi passwords and Bluetooth device settings.
☑️ Checklist of net reset
After reset, the phone will return to the factory parameters of networking, which often eliminates software glitches that arose after system updates.
Aggressive energy saving and MIUI optimization
MIUI and HyperOS shells are famous for their strict power management policies, which can mistakenly classify a WiFi network module as an application that consumes too much power and limit its operation to save battery power, causing the connection speed to drop to almost zero when the screen is locked or in the background.
To turn off unnecessary restrictions, go to the battery settings. Find Energy Saving or Battery and make sure that Saving Energy is off. Also check the settings for specific applications that should work in the background: go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → (Application needed) → Battery Saving and select the No Limits option.
There is also a hidden feature called WiFi Assistant, which can interfere with stable operation, designed to speed up the network, but in practice often causes conflicts. Turn off the option "Switch to mobile Internet if WiFi is unstable" if it is active so that the phone does not constantly try to reconnect.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling battery optimization can cause the device to discharge faster, as the processor and communication module will be running at full power even in the background.
Hardware restrictions and covers
Physical factors are also not to be discounted: WiFi antennas in Xiaomi smartphones are located at the top or bottom of the case (usually in plastic inserts). If you use a case with metal elements, magnetic fasteners or just a very thick protective bumper, the signal can be shielded, this is especially true for the 5 GHz range, which is worse penetrates obstacles.
Try removing the case and running the speed test again, and if the readings go up, the cause is found, and it's also worth checking if there's any mechanical damage to the antenna area on the smartphone body that might have occurred after the falls.
In addition, overheating of the processor can lead to trottling (decreased performance) of all modules, including WiFi. If your Xiaomi is very warm during use, the system can artificially lower the power of the transmitter to cool down, in which case you need to close heavy games or applications and let the device cool down.
Comparison of factors on WiFi speed:
| Influence factor | Effects of influence | Symptoms. | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Range 2.4 GHz | Tall. | Low speed, interference. | The 5GHz transition |
| DNS server | Medium | Long loading of pages | Shift to 8.8.8.8 |
| Energy conservation | Tall. | Breaks in the background | No-limits regime |
| metal case | Medium | Weak signal. | Removal of the case |
Reset network settings and advanced settings
If simple methods didn’t work, you should look at deeper settings. In the developer menu (which is activated by seven times clicking on the build number in the About Phone section), you can find parameters that affect the network operation.
Find WiFi Aggregation or Wi-Fi Scan Throttling. Disabling scan restriction can help the phone find networks faster, but will increase battery consumption. You can also try resetting TCP/IP settings through the terminal if you have root rights, but for ordinary users it is risky.
Should I reset the settings to the factory?
In some cases, the problem is with the specific version of the firmware. If the problem has occurred after the update, it makes sense to search the bug forums in the current version of MIUI. Sometimes waiting for the next patch is the only solution.
It is also important to check if you have “cracked” software or modified versions of applications that may contain malicious code that uses your Internet feed to mine or send spam. Check your device with an antivirus, such as a built-in security scanner from Xiaomi or Dr.Web.
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Integrated approach: Most often the problem is solved by a combination of switching to 5 GHz, changing the DNS and turning off energy savings for network services.