Laptop does not see Wi-Fi from the phone Xiaomi: a full analysis of the causes and solutions

Why does a laptop ignore a hotspot with Xiaomi – and how to fix it?

You try to give the Internet from Xiaomi to a laptop, but the access point simply does not appear on the list of available networks — or it does appear, but the connection breaks down after a couple of seconds. This is familiar to many users of Redmi, POCO or Mi smartphones, especially after updating MIUI or changing the operating system on a laptop. In 80% of cases, the problem is not a hardware malfunction, but a conflict of settings — and it can be solved without going to the service center.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible reasons why a laptop doesn’t see Wi-Fi from a Xiaomi phone, from the banal (modem mode is turned off) to the specific (5 GHz channel conflict in MIUI 14), you’ll get step-by-step instructions for Windows 10/11, macOS and Linux, as well as a compatibility table for Xiaomi models with different Wi-Fi standards. At the end, FAQ answers to frequent questions, including problems with Wi-Fi Direct and Hotspot 2.0.

1. Check basic settings on Xiaomi phone

Before digging deeper, make sure the problem isn't trivial settings: On Xiaomi phones, the Internet giveaway mode can be blocked by default - especially if you've recently updated MIUI or reset settings.

Open Settings → Connections and Sharing → Modem Modem and check:

• 📶 Is modem on? Slider must be active (blue).
• 🔒 By default, Xiaomi can create an open network — some laptops ignore such access points.
• 📡 Is the right range selected? In modem settings → Setting up Wi-Fi check whether you choose 2.4 GHz (if your laptop is old) or 5 GHz (for modern devices).
• 🔄 Are there any restrictions on traffic? SIM-map → The access point may be a limit after which the distribution is turned off.

If everything is on, but the laptop still can’t see the network, try restarting the phone – sometimes the Wi-Fi module “hangs” after a long period of operation in modem mode. It is also worth checking whether the distribution is blocked by antivirus (for example, Mi Security or Avast) or power saving mode (in Settings → Battery → Performance Mode).

2. Wi-Fi channel conflict: why the laptop does not catch 5 GHz

One of the most common reasons is the incompatibility of channels between the phone and the laptop. Xiaomi smartphones (especially the Redmi Note 10/11 models, POCO X3/X4) by default distribute Wi-Fi on 5 GHz channels with a width of 80 MHz, which are not supported by older laptop adapters. For example, laptops until 2018 release often only work with 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz (40 MHz).

To check it out:

1. On the phone, open Settings → Connections → Modem Mode → Wi-Fi settings.
2. Change the frequency range from 5 GHz to 2.4 GHz (or vice versa).
3. If you choose 5 GHz, set the channel width to 20 MHz or 40 MHz.
4. Save the settings and restart the modem modem.

If your laptop saw the network after that, but the Internet speed dropped, it means that your Wi-Fi adapter does not support modern standards. In this case, you can try to update the drivers (more about this below) or buy an external one. USB-Wi-Fi adapter (for example, TP-Link) TL-WN823N, which supports 5 GHz and 802.11ac).

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On Xiaomi phones with MIUI 13/14, sometimes resetting network settings: Settings → About phone → Resetting → Resetting Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth settings helps. After that, the modem starts to work more stable.

3. Problems with Wi-Fi drivers on laptop

If the phone is giving away Wi-Fi (you see it on other devices) but the laptop stubbornly doesn’t detect the network, the network adapter drivers are to blame. This is especially true for Windows 10/11 laptops, where after a system update, drivers can reset to standard ones from Microsoft, which do not support all Wi-Fi features.

How to check and update drivers:

1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
2. Open the Network Adapters branch and find your Wi-Fi module (e.g. Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 or Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377).
3. Right-click → Update the driver → Search for drivers on this computer.
4. If the update doesn’t work, download the driver from the laptop manufacturer’s website (e.g. Lenovo, HP) or directly from the adapter manufacturer’s website (Intel, Qualcomm).

For Linux (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora), the problem is often solved by installing proprietary drivers:

sudo apt update


Sudo apt install firmware-iwlwifi # For Intel Adapters




sudo modprobe -r iwlwifi && sudo modprobe iwlwifi

If the network has not appeared after the driver update, try rolling the driver back to the previous version or installing it manually through Device Manager → Update the driver → Select the driver from the list.

Make sure the adapter is enabled in Device Manager|Download the driver from the official website|Restart the laptop after installation|Check for a hidden network (see Section 5)-->

4. Security settings and hidden networks

Sometimes a laptop doesn’t see Wi-Fi with Xiaomi because the network is hidden (it doesn’t broadcast SSID) or uses non-standard security settings, for example, if the phone is on WPA3 and the laptop only supports WPA2, the connection will not be possible.

What to do:

• 🔍 Check network visibility: On the phone in the modem settings, disable the option to Hide the network (if any).
• 🔐 Change the security type: In the Wi-Fi setting → Select security WPA2-PSK instead WPA3.
• 📝 Connect manually: On a laptop in the network list, click Hidden Network, enter a name (SSID) and a phone password.

Also check if the Windows firewall or antivirus is blocking the connection, temporarily disable the protection and try to connect again. If the network appears, add it to the firewall exceptions:

1. Open Control Panel → Windows Firewall → Additional settings.
2. Go to the Inbound Connections Rules → New Rule.
3. Select For Program → specify the path to svchost.exe (usually in C:\Windows\System32).
4. Allow connection and keep the rule.

5. Hardware Restrictions: Compatibility of Wi-Fi Standards

Not all laptops support the modern Wi-Fi standards that Xiaomi phones use.

• Older laptops (until 2016) often don't work with Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax).
• Some Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro+) only distribute Internet over Wi-Fi 6 by default, which is not recognized by 802.11n adapters.
• Laptops with Realtek RTL8188EE or Broadcom BCM43142 adapters are known to have compatibility issues with MIUI.

The table below shows the compatibility of popular Xiaomi laptops and phones:

If your laptop falls into the category of “incompatible,” there are three outputs:

1. Use only 2.4 GHz (speed will be lower).
2. Buy an external Wi-Fi adapter with support for 5 GHz (from 800 GHz) ₽).
3. Connect via USB cable (USB-ethernet mode in modem settings).

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If the laptop doesn't see Wi-Fi with Xiaomi only at 5 GHz, and everything works at 2.4 GHz, the problem is precisely hardware incompatibility. USB-cable.

6. Software conflicts: MIUI, Windows and antiviruses

Sometimes the problem is software conflicts between MIUI and the laptop operating system.

• 🤖 MIUI Blocks connections: In some versions of firmware (especially MIUI 12.5) There is a bug that causes the phone to break the connection through 10-30 The solution is to update. MIUI Up to the latest version or back to stable.
• 🪟 Windows 11 Restricts Connections: Network settings may limit connection to "uncertified" access points. Corrected through Settings → Network and Internet → Wi-Fi → Managing Known Networks – Remove Old Networks and Connect Again.
• 🛡️ Antivirus blocks the distribution: Kaspersky, Avast or McAfee may regard the hotspot from the phone as "suspicious." Add it to exceptions or disable network protection.

For Linux (Ubuntu/Debian), it sometimes helps to disable power saving for the Wi-Fi adapter:

sudo iwconfig wlan0 power off


sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

If the problem occurs after the MIUI update, try resetting the network settings on your phone:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile Network and Bluetooth settings.
3. Reboot the phone and turn on the modem again.

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On Xiaomi phones with root access, you can manually change the Wi-Fi region if your laptop does not support channels used in Russia.

7. Alternative ways to distribute the Internet with Xiaomi

If Wi-Fi doesn’t work hard, there are a few alternative ways to connect your laptop to the internet via Xiaomi:

• 🔌 USB-cable (USB-ethernet): Connect your phone to your laptop via USB. On the phone, select Modem Modem → USB-The modem, the laptop will have a new connection in the Network Connections, plus: stable speed, no problems with the Wi-Fi drivers. Cons: the phone will discharge faster.
• 📶 Bluetooth modem: Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and laptop. Connect your devices. Turn on modem modem on your phone. → Bluetooth modem.

Pros:

Cons:

Cloud Services (for file transfer):

If you want to share data, use Mi Drop, Google Drive or Telegram (bot @FileTransferBot).

If neither of these methods works, check to see if the Wi-Fi module on your phone is broken, try connecting to another network or sharing the Internet with another device (tablet, second phone), and if there are problems, you may need repairs.

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USB-The modem is the most reliable way to distribute the Internet with Xiaomi if Wi-Fi does not work, speed will be faster than Bluetooth, and stability will be like a wired connection.

FAQ: Frequent questions about giving away Wi-Fi with Xiaomi

If your laptop doesn’t see Wi-Fi with Xiaomi even after all the manipulations, check the hardware health of the Wi-Fi module on your phone. Connect to another network or distribute the Internet to another device. If the problem recurs, contact the service center (there may be a failure of the antenna or Wi-Fi chip).