How to change Wi-Fi on the robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi Mi: all ways + problem solving

Robot vacuum cleaners Xiaomi Mi have long been an integral part of “smart homes”, but their work directly depends on a stable connection to Wi-Fi. Changing the router, moving to a new apartment or even changing the password from the network – and the vacuum cleaner loses touch with the Mi Home application, ceases to respond to voice commands and refuses to clean on a schedule. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to change Wi-Fi on Xiaomi vacuum cleaners (including Mi Robot Vacuum models, MiJia 1S/1C, Viomi V2/V3 and others), as well as we will tell you how to avoid typical errors when connecting.

It is important to understand that the process differs depending on the vacuum cleaner model and firmware version. For example, new devices on the Mi Home 2.0 platform (such as the Xiaomi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Lite) support fast network change through the network. QR-code, whereas older models (Mi Robot 1) require a complete reset, we will consider both options, and provide recommendations for troubleshooting if the vacuum cleaner “does not see” the new network or constantly shuts down.

1.Preparation for Wi-Fi Change: What to Check Before Starting

Before you start setting up, make sure that all the conditions for a successful connection are met, which will save time and eliminate the need to repeat the procedure several times.

First, check network compatibility. Xiaomi vacuum cleaner robots only work with 2.4 GHz networks (802.11 b/g/n standard). If your router only broadcasts 5 GHz, the vacuum cleaner will not be able to connect.

• 📶 Put the router in mode 2.4 GHz or activate compatible range (the router settings usually have an option "B/G/N Mixed").
• 🔄 If you have a dual-band router, split up networks (e.g., create a separate network). MyWiFi_2.4G and MyWiFi_5G).
• 🔒 Make sure the filter is off on the network. MAC-Addresses – it can block the connection of new devices.

Second, prepare the data for the connection:

• 📝 Exact name of the network (SSID) — For example, MyWiFi and mywifi for vacuum cleaners will be different networks.
• 🔑 Wi-Fi password (if the network is secure) To simplify the process, you can temporarily turn off the password (but it is not secure!).
• 📱 Make sure your smartphone has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled – you’ll need them to sync with the vacuum cleaner.

⚠️ Note: If you are using a guest network or VPN On the router, the vacuum cleaner may not connect. Disable these functions while you set up or add the device to the whitelist» MAC-address.

Method 2: Changing Wi-Fi via the Mi Home app (for new models)

The easiest method is to change the network directly in the official Mi Home app.It works for most modern Xiaomi vacuum cleaners (released after 2019), including:

• 🤖 Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2/2 Pro/2 Ultra
• 🤖 MiJia 1C/1S (post-story 3.5.8)
• 🤖 Viomi V2/V3 newer models.

Step instructions:

1. Open the Mi Home app and go to the Devices tab.
2. Choose your robot vacuum cleaner from the list.
3. Put three points on it (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Device Settings.
4. Scroll down and find the Wi-Fi network (or Change the network).
5. Follow the instructions on the screen: the application will offer to bring the smartphone to the vacuum cleaner for scanning QR-new-network.

If there is no Wi-Fi option on the menu, then your model does not support this method – go to the method with resetting.

Make sure the vacuum cleaner is on and charged (>20%)

Connect your smartphone to a new Wi-Fi network

Disable VPN/proxy on your phone

Allow Mi Home access to geolocation and Bluetooth-->

⚠️ Attention: If after scanning QR-When the vacuum cleaner gives an error "Can not connect", check whether the router blocks the connection of new devices (for example, through the function). AP Isolation or Client Isolation. Disable these options in router settings.

Method 2: Complete reset of vacuum cleaner settings (universal method)

If your vacuum cleaner model doesn’t support Wi-Fi change through an app (like the Xiaomi Mi Robot 1 or MiJia STYJ02YM), you’ll have to perform a hard reset to factory settings, which works for all Xiaomi models, but requires reconfiguration of the device from scratch.

How to reset your settings:

1. Turn off the vacuum cleaner with a long press on the power button (3-5 seconds).
2. Hold two buttons at the same time: 🔄 Home (Home) + Food for models with a home button. 🔄 Spot Cleaning (Pinpoint Cleaning) + Food for models without a home button.

10-15 seconds

Release the buttons - the vacuum cleaner will reset and reboot.

After discharge:

1. In the Mi Home app, remove the device from the list (click on the vacuum cleaner) → ⋮ → Remove the device).
2. Add the vacuum cleaner again through + → Robot vacuum cleaner → [your model].
3. Follow the instructions on the screen to connect to the new Wi-Fi network.

5. Alternative ways of connecting (if nothing works)

If the standard methods don’t work, try one of the alternatives.

Method 1: Connecting through the smartphone access point

If the router blocks the connection of the vacuum cleaner, you can use the smartphone as a temporary access point:

1. On your smartphone, turn on modem modem (or access point) with the network name Xiaomi_Vacuum password 12345678.
2. Connect the vacuum cleaner to this network through the Mi Home app.
3. After a successful connection, return to the main network and repeat the procedure.

Method 2: Manually add network via configuration file (for advanced)

This is a good way to use Linux-based models (like Viomi with Valetudo firmware).

1. Connect to the vacuum cleaner via SSH (instructions are available on the Xiaomi forums).
2. Edit the file /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf, Adding data to the new network={ ssid="NAZVANIE_SETI" psk="PAROL_OT_WIFI" key_mgmt=WPA-PSK }
3. Reboot the vacuum cleaner with the reboot command.

⚠️ This method requires technical knowledge and may result in loss of warranty!

Through the Mi Home app

Complete resetting of settings

Connection via the phone access point

Another way.-->

6. Frequent Questions and Myths About Connecting Xiaomi Vacuum Cleaners

Let’s look at common misconceptions and user questions.

Myth 1: “Xiaomi vacuum cleaner only works with Xiaomi routers”

It's not. Devices are compatible with any router that supports 2.4 GHz. Problems only arise when network settings are incorrect (e.g. WPA3 is enabled instead of WPA2).

Myth 2: “After a vacuum cleaner is discharged, it loses the maps of the premises”

It depends on the model:

• 🗺️ Mi Robot Vacuum-Mop 2 Pro and later save maps in the Mi Home cloud – they will recover after reconnecting.
• 🗺️ Older models (Mi Robot 1) store maps locally – after resetting them will have to be recreated.

Question: Can I connect the vacuum cleaner to the public network (for example, in the office)?

Technically yes, but there are nuances:

• 🏢 The network must be without authorization through the browser (for example, as in hotels).
• 🔒 Password should not change often (when changing the password, the vacuum cleaner will lose communication).
• 📡 The signal should be stable - with frequent breaks, the vacuum cleaner will reset the task.

💡

If Xiaomi refuses to connect to Wi-Fi, 90% of the time the problem lies in the router’s settings, not in the device itself. Check network range, type of encryption, and disable additional features (e.g., check the network range, type of encryption, MAC-filtering or Band Steering).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions