Why Xiaomi is not connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot: a complete troubleshooting guide

You try to connect a Xiaomi smartphone (whether it's a Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 or Mi 11) to a home or public Wi-Fi hotspot, but the device stubbornly refuses to connect? The situation is familiar to many: the indicator spins endlessly, there is a "Connect..." or "Save, WPA/WPA2 protection" error, and the Internet was not, and 80% of the time the problem is solved in 5 minutes - if you know where to look.

In this article, we will examine all possible reasons why Xiaomi can not connect to Wi-Fi – from banal (incorrect password) to hidden (firmware failures). MIUI You'll get step-by-step instructions for each situation, including the rare cases where the router is not the phone, and if you're unique, at the end of the article, you'll find that the router is the one who's the one who's the one who's the one who's the one who's the one who's the one who's the one. FAQ Answer specific questions (e.g. why Xiaomi isn’t connecting to Wi-Fi 6 or hidden networks).

We warn you that not all methods are universal, for example, resetting the network settings will help with a software failure, but it is useless if the problem is in the Wi-Fi hardware module (this happens after falls or moisture). To avoid wasting time, start with simple steps and gradually move to complex ones.

1. Check basic settings: password, network mode, access point visibility

Start with the obvious: 9 out of 10 Wi-Fi connection problems on Xiaomi are due to incorrect router or phone settings. Even if you “remember the password accurately,” double-check it — it’s possible someone has changed it in the router’s web interface.

How to check:

• 🔑 Wi-Fi password: Try connecting from another device (laptop, tablet) and if you can't, the password is wrong. On some routers (such as TP-Link or Keenetic), the password can be seen in the web interface at 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 (logins/passwords for login are usually on the bottom sticker).
• 📡 Network visibility: If your access point does not appear in the list of available networks on Xiaomi, check if it is hidden in the router settings (Hide option). SSID or "Hide the network"). To connect to a hidden network, click Add Network manually in your phone's Wi-Fi settings.
• 🔄 Router mode: Some older routers only work in mode 802.11b/g, A modern Xiaomi (especially with Wi-Fi) 6) They can ignore these networks. Go to the router's settings and set the mode. 802.11b/g/n/ac (or ax, if maintained).

If the password is correct, the network is visible, but the connection is still not happening, move to the next step. Special attention: on some MIUI firmware (for example, in the global version for the Redmi Note 10 Pro), there is a bug that prevents the phone from connecting to networks with the Cyrillic name SSID. Rename the network to Latin!

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To quickly check if the router is to blame, try connecting Xiaomi to another phone’s mobile hotspot, and if the connection is established, the problem is with your router’s settings.

2. reset network settings on Xiaomi: when and how to do

If the basic settings don't work, the next step is to reset the network, which will delete all stored Wi-Fi networks, passwords, Bluetooth and VPN settings, but will not affect personal data (photos, messages, etc.), the method works in 60% of cases when the reason lies in a conflict of settings.

Instructions for MIUI 12/13/14:

1. Open the Settings. → Memory and SIM-map → Resetting settings.
2. Select Network Settings Reset (or Wi-Fi, Mobile Network, and Bluetooth Reset in newer versions).
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

After you restart, try connecting to Wi-Fi again. If the problem persists, go to the router settings.

Router settings: what prevents Xiaomi from connecting

Sometimes the problem isn’t with the phone, but with the router’s incorrect settings, especially for Xiaomi’s new Wi-Fi 6 smartphones (like the Xiaomi 13T or POCO F5), which may conflict with older security protocols.

Check the following settings in the router web interface (192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1):

After the changes, be sure to restart the router (reboot button in the web interface or physical reboot).If the problem persists, try temporarily disabling the router's firewall - sometimes it blocks new devices.

4. Software failures: reboot, MIUI update, safe mode

If network resets and router settings didn’t help, the problem may be MIUI firmware. This is especially true after updates or custom firmware installations (e.g. Xiaomi.EU).

What to do:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone: press the power button and select Reboot. Sometimes this solves temporary Wi-Fi module failures.
• 📱 Run in Safe Mode: Press the Power button → long-press → Safe Mode: If Wi-Fi is running in this mode, one of the installed applications (most often) is to blame — VPN Or “Optimizers” like Clean Master).
• 🔧 Update. MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → System updates. Sometimes Wi-Fi bugs get fixed in newer versions of firmware.
• 🧹 Clear the system cache: in Settings → Memory. → Cleanup select the Cash system and confirm. This won't delete personal data, but it can resolve conflicts.

If the problem has occurred after the MIUI update, try to roll back to the previous version via Fastboot or Recovery. instructions for this are available on the 4PDA or XDA Developers forums (specify the phone model!).

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If Wi-Fi doesn’t work only on certain apps (like YouTube or Telegram), the problem isn’t with the phone, but with the settings of those apps or the router’s limitations.

5. Hardware Problems: How to Check Wi-Fi Module on Xiaomi

If none of the software methods worked, the Wi-Fi module may have failed. This is typical for phones after:

• 💧 Moisture (even if everything is dry).
• 🤕 Falls from a height (especially to the angle where the module is located).
• ⚡ Sharp voltage surges when charging.

How to diagnose:

1. Check Bluetooth: If it doesn’t work, the problem is in the module (they are often combined on a single chip).
2. Connect to another network: try your home Wi-Fi, mobile hotspot, public network, if it's not connected anywhere, a hardware malfunction.
3. Look at the Wi-Fi indicator: if it doesn’t burn at all when you try to connect, the module is faulty.

In this case, there are two options:

• 🔧 Repair: Replacing a Wi-Fi module at the service center will cost 1,500-4000 ₽ (On Xiaomi with a non-removable battery (for example, the Mi 11 Ultra), repairs are more complicated and expensive.
• 📶 Alternative: use a mobile Internet or USB-ethernet adapter (for some models there are some). OTG-cables with an Ethernet port).

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Before repairing, check if the warranty is valid. In official service centers Xiaomi diagnostics is free, even if the phone is not warranty.

6.Special cases: Wi-Fi 6, hidden networks, corporate access points

Some problems with connecting to Wi-Fi on Xiaomi arise only in unique scenarios.

🔹 Problems with Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)

New Xiaomi smartphones (such as Xiaomi 13 Pro or POCO F5 Pro) support Wi-Fi 6, but not all routers work correctly with this standard.

• The phone sees the network, but it doesn't connect.
• The connection speed is extremely low (1-2 Mbit / s).
• Permanent connection breaks.

Solution: Turn off Wi-Fi 6 (set 802.11ac mode) or update the router’s firmware.

🔹 Connecting to hidden networks

If your access point is hidden (Hide SSID option is enabled), Xiaomi may not connect due to a bug in MIUI.

1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi → Add network.
2. Enter the network name (SSID), security type and password.
3. Press Connect.

If it doesn’t work, try making the network visible temporarily in the router settings.

🔹 Corporate Networks (WPA-Enterprise)

Universities, offices and hotels often use WPA-Enterprise authentication networks (e.g. PEAP or TTLS), which Xiaomi has problems with due to:

• Incorrectly specified domain (for example, student.university.ru).
• No root certificate (you need to download and install manually).
• The outdated version of MIUI (update the firmware!).

7. Alternative ways to connect if Wi-Fi is not working

If you can not fix the problem with Wi-Fi, but the Internet is urgently needed, use alternative methods:

• 📶 Mobile Internet: Enable data transfer in Settings → SIM-If the speed is low, check the settings. APN (They must automatically pull up from the operator).
• 🔌 USB ethernet: for some Xiaomi models (e.g., for example, POCO F3) eat OTG-Ethernet adapters, connect the cable from the router directly to the phone.
• 🔄 Modem mode: connect Xiaomi to another device (laptop) USB and turn on USB-modem in the settings of the access point.
• 📡 Wi-Fi repeater: If the signal is weak, use an external repeater (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi Repeater 2).

For the constant use of mobile Internet, we recommend:

• Install a traffic monitoring app (e.g. GlassWire).
• Include Traffic Saving in Settings → Connections and Sharing.
• Disable automatic update of applications in the Play Store → Settings.

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If you use mobile internet frequently, consider a fare with unlimited traffic or a nighttime internet bundle (cheaper and faster during the day).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

If your problem is not on the list, please describe it in the comments: include phone model, MIUI version and symptoms (for example, “it plugs in, but it shuts off after 5 minutes”).