Why Xiaomi is a bad catcher of the Internet and how to fix it

The situation when a flagship or budget smartphone from Xiaomi suddenly stops seeing the network or resets the connection is familiar to many users. This can occur at the most inopportune moment: during an important conversation, when loading a navigator on the way or watching streams. An unstable signal often causes stress, making you think about the breakdown of an expensive gadget.

But don’t panic too early. Most of the time, the problem isn’t with a physical antenna malfunction, but with software conflicts, incorrect operator settings, or MIUI and HyperOS. The Chinese brand’s energy-saving system sometimes turns off communication modules too aggressively to save charge, leading to ruptures.

Before you carry a device to a service center, you need to conduct a comprehensive diagnostics. There are a number of effective methods to restore a stable connection on your own, below we will discuss step-by-step algorithms that will help return your smartphone to normal speed and quality of communication.

Diagnostics of network type and coverage area

The first step is always to check (the environment) and users often forget that dense buildings, basements, or thick walls of reinforced concrete block radio waves. If the smartphone shows an "E" or "G" instead of a "4G", the problem may be on the operator's side of the tower.

It's important to distinguish between mobile internet and Wi-Fi. Try switching to another provider's data or sharing it with another phone. If the problem is only on one device, it's the settings. The coverage area is variable, and in some parts of the city, the signal may be weaker.

⚠️ Note: If the network indicator is completely gone (only a cross or the inscription "No service" burns), try to remove and re-insert. SIM-Contact oxidation is a common cause of signal loss.

There's an easy way to check if the cover affects the reception, and remove the security accessory, especially if it has a metal insert or a magnetic ring for the car holder, which creates electromagnetic interference that jams the antenna.

Basic network settings and flight mode

The fastest way to reboot a radio is to use flight mode, which forcefully shuts down all wireless interfaces and re-starts them, forcing the phone to re-register on the base station network, often solving the problem of sticking the connection.

To do this, lower the notification curtain and find the airplane icon. Activate it, wait. 10-15 Then deactivate, and the system will start looking for the networks available, and if the Internet doesn't show up after that, then go to a deeper setup.

Also worth checking is whether traffic saving or energy saving mode is enabled, which limits background activity. In the battery settings, find a list of applications and make sure that the browser or messenger is allowed to work in the background. Aggressive MIUI optimization often "kills" communication processes.

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Not only do you use flight mode on the plane, but you can also quickly turn on this feature, which is the fastest way to shake up the communication module without restarting your phone.

Configure APN access points for mobile data

If the mobile Internet is slow or does not work at all, although the signal is, most likely, the settings of the access point have been lost. APN. These are the technical parameters that the provider gives to the subscriber. SIM-Maps or system updates may become incorrect.

To fix this, go to the Settings menu. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Access points (APN). Select your operator. If the list is empty or the settings are not working, you need to create a new point, APN, login, password) can be found on the official website of your operator.

After you have entered all the options, be sure to click the Save button (often hidden in the three-dot menu in the corner of the screen) and select the created point. Rebooting the device after this procedure is mandatory for applying changes. The wrong APN protocol is a common reason why 4G does not switch to 3G and vice versa.

Path to Settings: Settings → Connections and Sharing → Mobile Network → Access Points (APN)

The table below shows the standard APN settings for popular Russian carriers, which often help restore communication:

Resetting network settings to factory

When simple methods fail, a radical solution is needed: resetting the network, bringing all Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile internet back to factory values, and it's safe for your personal data: photos, contacts and apps are not deleted.

This procedure is performed through the Settings menu → Connections and Sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth. Confirm the action with a password to unlock the screen. Once rebooted, the phone will be “clean” in terms of network protocols, which often eliminates software errors.

Once reset, you will have to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords and reinvent Bluetooth devices (headphones, watches), a small fee for the stable operation of communication modules, and often it is the accumulated software debris in configuration files that prevents the antenna from working properly.

Wi-Fi problems: Frequency and static IP

If the mobile network is working well, but Xiaomi is not catching Wi-Fi, the problem may lie in the frequency range.Modern routers operate in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. The 5 GHz range is faster, but has less penetration and range.

Try switching to 2.4 GHz if you are far from the router. Also, in the Wi-Fi settings on your phone (in the optional settings menu of the selected network), you can try changing the Privacy setting from Use Random MAC-address" on "Use MAC-Device address. Some old routers are not working correctly with random addresses.

⚠️ Note: If you are using static IP-address, make sure it doesn't conflict with other devices on the network. IP automatic (DHCP).

Another reason could be a crowded channel, because if you have a lot of neighborhood routers around, they're jamming, so you can reboot the router or change the channel in the settings, and signal interference is the scourge of apartment buildings.

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Switching to the 2.4GHz band often solves the problem of weak Wi-Fi signal in distant rooms, sacrificing maximum speed for the sake of connection stability.

Engineering menu and priority network selection

For advanced users, there is the option of forcefully choosing a network type through an engineering menu, which can help if the phone gets stuck on weak 3G, ignoring the available 4G. Sign in is through a code set in the dialer.

Dial the code ##4636##. The hidden test menu will open. Select Phone Information. Under Set up your preferred network type, select the option that contains LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM or simply LTE Only (if you want to force 4G to remain, but remember that incoming calls may be missing if VoLTE is not enabled).

Be careful with this menu. Changing the settings of the radio module without understanding the consequences can lead to a temporary loss of communication. If after the experiments the network is lost, just restart the device and the settings will return to the standard operator values.

The login code for the engineering menu: ##4636##


(Input as a normal phone number)

Hardware malfunctions and maintenance

If none of the software methods worked, there's a high probability of physical failure, which could be the antenna module's contacts going off, the board oxidizing after moisture hits, or the radio chip itself failing, problems that often occur after falls.

Check if the antenna or the phone body has changed in the recent past, if the parts are of poor quality, they can have worse reception characteristics, and if the hardware malfunctions, you will need to be diagnosed at the service center using specialized equipment.

Sometimes the problem is solved by replacement. SIM-Old cards (especially hand-cut cards) can have poor contact with the phone connector, resulting in periodic network losses.