Xiaomi portable mini usb wireless router. What does a Xiaomi wifi adapter look like?
Today we are reviewing a portable WiFi router from Xiaomi, which is capable of being both an Internet receiver and transmitter. I haven't seen his review here before. Well, let's see what this “baby” is capable of.
Tests and descriptions under the cut...
I would like to say right away that all the links present in the review were added here not for advertising purposes, but to familiarize yourself with the information! Great review!
1. Introduction
2. Characteristics
3. Appearance
4. How does it work?
5. Tests
6. Summary
1. Introduction
It all started when I received an advertising letter with discounts from the Banggood store in my mail. I usually don’t pay much attention to such letters, quickly scrolling down their contents, but this time I came across this item with a promising huge discount. I decided to go in and see what it’s all about, what it is and why I need it. Having looked through other sites, I realized that the discount was really not bad, the price at that time was: $2.96, while in other stores the price was $6-8 on average. I thought for a long time why I needed this thing before I bought it, because there is a lot of this on the Internet, but firstly Xiaomi played a role in this, it’s better than something like no-name, and secondly, the router can really come in handy if you are not at home, or if something happens to the main router, but looking at the prices of ordinary routers now, it was decided to buy! The goods arrived quickly, nothing special, the only thing was that the packaging was an ordinary gray bag, even without a bubble wrap! At the time I was waiting for the product, Xiaomi released a similar router, but with 8GB of memory on board!2. Characteristics
Characteristics taken from the 4pda website:Characteristics
Size: 27mm*17mm*10mm
Weight: 4g
Color: Black, White, Orange, Blue, Green, Pink
Support: Windows XP, Windows Vista 32/64bits, Windows 7 32/64bits, Windows 8 32/64bits
USB 2.0 Port: Yes
Compatible with: IEEE802.11n, IEEE802.11g, IEEE802.11b
11b:1/2/5.5/11Mbps
11g:6/9/12/18/24/36/48/54Mbps
11n:Up to 150Mbps
Support: network detection automatically
Transmission rate transformation
20MHz/40MHz bandwidth: Yes
1T1R Antenna Mode: Yes
2.4G: Yes
QoS-WMM, WMM-PS: Yes
Infrastructure and Ad-hoc: Yes
Low power consumption: Yes
Power Management: Yes
Frequency range: 2.412-2.4835 GHz
Working Channel: 1-13 (China)
Transmitted power: 18 dBm (Maximum)
Insecure Use of Cryptography: WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK,64/128bit WEP
Software Language: Chinese
Antenna: PIFA Antenna build in
Environment:
Working Temperature: 0~40 degrees
Storage Temperature: -20~70 degrees
Operating Humidity: 10% ~ 90% RH No Condensation
Storage Humidity: 5% ~ 90% RH No Condensation
So let's figure out quickly and clearly what this thing can do?
This router is designed:
1. To transmit WiFi signal. Distributing a wifi network from a computer connected to the Internet, other computers, phones, tablets. In simple words like a regular wifi router.
2. For receiving WiFi, that is, it can work in network card, receive wifi from other computers or routers.
It also has the ability to control a computer from Android phone(computer shutdown, standby mode and shutdown timer, slideshow mode) and cloud storage for 1TB from Kuaipan. I didn’t use the storage, I didn’t like this crap on my phone when it was installed in the firmware, plus it’s all in Chinese and there’s a Chinese server, so there’s no point in going there, there’s plenty of storage.
3. Appearance
Enough intrigue, let's take a closer look at it. There are 6 types of colors for this router, I took black.It came in a bag similar to the one in which the well-known button for smartphones was sold, how I like these bags
instructions
The kit included a string so you could hang it like a keychain
for the idea of sizes, who can guess what the card is + in karma)))
this is how it looks on the computer
4. How does it work?
To start working with this router, we will need to download and install the client on your computer. Several sources:1. Topic on the 4pda forum, there are clients translated into Russian and English (not the latest versions), also some information:
2. Official website, latest versions, but the language is Chinese and low speed downloads. I’ll post the download instructions in a screenshot, you can use Google translate
Download instructions
3. English-language forum, but you need to be registered there and leave a comment in the topic to download (there are English versions of the client, not the latest ones)
In the search enter: portable wifi
I downloaded the Russian version of the client from 4pda, but since the instructions there say that you need to install it first Chinese version, and then replace the “exe” file in the folder with the program, I downloaded latest version client from the office site, and then replaced the “exe” file with 4pda.
When installing and launching the program, it will initially require you to insert this router into the computer, then it will create a wifi network (it started for me the second time) and the main program window will pop up. This entire sequence is shown in the picture below: 
After this is done, we have a new wifi network. In the 3rd picture you see its name and password, from where you can change it. The “client mode” item allows you to switch the device to network card mode, and not distribute, but receive the Internet.
This is what the program settings window looks like, the author stated that there are shortcomings in the translation, but for me it’s quite usable, at least clearer than Chinese: 
As you can see, there aren’t many settings, I’m glad that there is an option to restart wifi (you never know). You can also set color scheme window, not so important, but nice. I initially had it black, most likely due to the color of the router itself. This is what the rest of the colors look like: 
But since I recently started using Ubuntu, it’s very bad that there is no client for Linux, I found some information, but since I’m not quite experienced in this yet, I haven’t quite figured out how to use it: (Can anyone help? I wrote to the author, I'm waiting for an answer)
5. Tests
So we come to one of the most important points, testing.For testing we will use: JiaYu phone G3S, Tp-link router TL-WR741ND, wired internet Unfortunately, the speed is 5 Mbit (not telephone speed), and of course our router is from Xiaomi.
First, let's measure the speed and quality of the Internet from my permanent Tp-link TL-WR741ND router close up:
Next, we connect our Xiaomi and test it also close up:
As you can see here, it’s even a little better))) Well, I hope you understand that the tests have their own errors, but we can conclude that the results are quite good!
Now we go to the end of the other room and close the doors behind us (because the rooms are arranged lengthwise, in the form of a rectangle). Here the results are already worse, the speed has been reduced, but the signal has not disappeared and in principle it is possible to use:
At this stage, we can say that such a baby showed fairly normal results. Let's move on, and next we have testing the network card mode.
We disconnect our main Tp-link router from the computer, switch our Xiaomi to network card mode and will catch the wifi network from the Tp-link router
This is what the network reception results look like up close:
Then we take our Internet cable, move the table, the bedside table with the mirror behind which it is laid to hell, get tangled in the wires, everything falls down and we get angry, but in the end we put our Tp-link in the middle of the next room, close the doors again and We catch the signal from Tp-link with our Xiaomi, we get the following results:
Let's put everything back in place and summarize.
6. Summary
To sum up, I want to say that this product It turned out to be quite an interesting device. They won’t be able to fully replace a normal router, but as an alternative in some cases, or when you don’t want to spend money, it will do just fine. The signal range is certainly not great, but I think it will be quite enough. If necessary, I can measure the quality on a 100 Mbit Internet, but a little later.Pros:
● Size (compact, can be used as a keychain)
● Quality of work (good signal results, quite enough for surfing the Internet)
● Small price(relative to other routers)
● Xiaomi company
Cons:
● To work, you need a turned on computer and client
● No Linux support
● They cannot replace a full-fledged router
I hope you liked it and I didn’t try in vain!
I'm planning to buy +77 Add to favorites I liked the review +34 +87Wireless technologies have firmly occupied their niche and continue to actively develop. There is no longer any desire to scatter wires throughout the apartment, Wi-Fi technology found in almost every home. And if laptops, tablets and phones are already equipped with Wi-Fi receivers, then what to do with a desktop computer? Of course you need to connect Wi-Fi adapter, of which there are a great many on the market. Of course, Xiomi couldn’t stand aside and released it a long time ago Portable USB Mini WiFi Adapter.
How does Xiaomi usually beat its competitors? Affordable price and high-quality hardware, this statement did not pass by this WiFi adapter. The price of 300 rubles makes it one of the most affordable on the market, and the length of the device is less than 3 centimeters. But it is worth noting that the case is a little plump; with two parallel USB ports, it can slightly squeeze out its neighbor:
It is clearly visible that the adapter wireless mouse A4tech is noticeably smaller than the Xiaomi Wi-Fi adapter. But both devices will work. The laptop will no longer disturb anyone:
Why insert the adapter into a laptop, it also has built-in Wi-FI? The fact is that this device can also work in access point mode - receiving the Internet from a computer, distributing a separate Wi-Fi network. This may come in handy if, for example, you go out of town and use a 4G usb modem.
If you care about appearance, you can choose from 6 available colors:
I liked the black one better, less flashy, although easier to lose.
Let's see what this little guy can do:
Characteristics of Xiaomi USB Wi-Fi adapter
| Manufacturer | Mi |
| Model | Xiaomi Mi Wi-Fi USB |
| Frame | Black, white, orange, blue, green, pink plastic |
| Wi-Fi standard | 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11b |
| Frequency range | 2.4 GHz |
| Connection speed | 150 Mbit/s |
| Transmitter power | 18 dBM |
| Antenna | 1 internal fixed |
| Supported OS | Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 (Windows 10 also works) |
| Dimensions | 27 mm x 17 mm x 10 mm |
| Operating temperature | 0℃-40℃ at rel. humidity 10-90% |
The characteristics do not stand out as anything special, a simple budget adapter, neither 5GHz, nor USB 3.0. And what can you demand for 300 rubles?
The delivery set includes the adapter itself, a cover and a cord. The adapter cover is very easy to lose, so it is better to immediately put it in a safe place.
Let's move on to connecting the adapter.
Xiaomi MI Portable USB Mini WiFi Driver
Most competitors have drivers pulled from the center Windows updates and are installed automatically, but Xiaomi needs to find and install the drivers yourself. Big minus to the manufacturer for this! Also an original program on Chinese, but we already know that Xiaomi software is far from perfect, and some problems have to be overcome. And in this case, not everything is so complicated, let's download the Russian version of the drivers and applications for Windows.
Let's move on to the installation, launch exe file and click the "Install" button.
After installation, a program icon appears in the tray and a notification about the need to connect the adapter to the computer.
If after connecting the adapter the message “Unable to connect” appears, you need to right-click on the application icon and select “Restart Wi-FI”, after which the device should work. By default the mode is enabled Wi-Fi distribution To change to reception mode, also right-click on the application and select “Client Mode”. Perhaps we’ll consider it first.
Client mode
In client mode, your computer can connect to Wi-Fi networks. There is nothing tricky here, just as there are no additional settings. If suddenly your router emits a 5GHz signal, the adapter will not find your WiFi network. Mi Portable Wi-Fi will only work with a computer; if you plug it into a TV, you won’t be able to configure it.
Speed measurements will be lower, but for now let’s switch to access point mode by pressing the only available button.
Access Point Mode
In access point mode, more functionality is available. In the main settings window, you can select the name and security of the network being created, as well as additional properties. The interface color can also be changed to one of 6 available colors.
Management of already connected devices is also available. You can set a speed limit by device, or ban it. You can also allow the device to control the WiFi adapter. This is necessary to provide some additional functionality.
The application is entirely in Russian, divided into 3 pages by function:
All functions work great, but the only thing that will be in demand is a network drive.
MI Portable USB Mini WiFi Speed Test
I, like many in Russia, have speed limits from the provider of 100 Mbit/sec. Yes, and the advantage of this is the limitation tariff plan(I have 60 Mbit/sec). But I am interested in the stability of the speed, so I watched the download of a torrent file weighing about 8 GB. This took about 30 minutes with an average speed of 4.2 MB/sec. I hope everyone remembers the difference between a megabit and a megabyte.
During loading, slight fluctuations in speed were observed, but no critical drops were detected:
Stability wi-fi speed strongly depends on the conditions in which the device is operated. Distance and obstacles to the router, the number of WiFi networks of neighbors - noticeably distort the indicators. According to personal observations, while surfing the Internet and watching movies online, I did not notice any difference between the cable and the Xiaomi adapter.
Increase the speed of Xiaomi Mi Portable
There are some software restrictions at the driver level. If the adapter speed is not enough for you, then this limitation can be removed. To do this, go to the device manager, to do this, right-click on the “This PC” icon and go to the “Device Manager” tab. Find Xiaomi Wireless Adapter in the list of network adapters and go to properties. IN additional parameters There is an item "Multimedia/Game environment", it must be enabled.
Even if you don’t specifically need an adapter, you can order it as a load for other equipment. It can be useful at any time, for example, as an IT specialist, I often have to share Wi-Fi from my phone and connect users’ PCs. In general, the device is not bad, it’s worth taking a closer look.
I ordered this small WiFi adapter just in case. I didn’t really count on the quality of his work, but I was pleasantly surprised...
Please do not kick too hard, because... this is my first review :)
The seller I bought from (in February) no longer sells them, so the link is to the same adapter, but from a different seller. (externally the same and the same chipset according to reviews)
So, a package from China looks like this: 
I don’t see any point in writing how long the parcel took, because... This does not depend in any way on the seller, but rather depends on our mail... or, more precisely, on customs
The adapter was detected by the computer, but no drivers were found. There were no driver discs with the adapter. Selecting the mode to allow Windows to search for drivers on the Internet also did not bring success, so the drivers were found by device ID (USB\VID_0BDA&PID_0179).
It turned out to be Realtek 8188ETV (Realtek 8188 ETV chip)
The latest driver version for Windows 7x64 that I found is
DriverVer = 01/15/2014,1024.9.1219.2013
The adapter grabbed the drivers, the wifi adapter appeared on the computer, but did not see any wifi networks. The seller said that I did not have the correct drivers and sent his own - completely unsuitable for this adapter.
As a result, he offered to either return the money or send a new one. I agreed to a new one, which I received about a month later.
The new one worked immediately, I already picked it up installed drivers and successfully saw all wifi networks
Internals (Realtek 8188 ETV chip): 
UPD: reverse side fees: 
I tested the connection with the router Zyxel Keenetic Giga with standard firmware at a distance of 15m (computer and router in different rooms through a concrete wall)
The reception level for such a small “figurine” impressed me, as did the data transfer speed... To be honest, I expected much less from it
The speed is stable both when copying large files and small ones in both directions 
In general, I recommend buying, but be prepared that you may not be lucky, because... judging by the reviews, sometimes you come across copies with poor reception... plus the first one didn’t work for me at all. Apparently the quality suffers, although the board is made to a high standard.
The lot was purchased with my own money.
Well, my assistant :) 
UPD: IMPORTANT!!!
I read from the comments that according to the datasheet, the chip is designed for 3.3V, and there is no power regulator on the board, so 5V from USB quickly kills it... it heats up and, as a result, burns out, and it is not known how long it will work...
The best way out of the situation is to take a USB extension cable and place 2 diodes in series in the gap of the 5V power wire, thereby lowering the voltage to approximately 3.5V. The extension cord can be taken as short as possible to maintain compactness.
Another small but very proud device, which you cannot do without if you want to connect your desktop computer to wireless internet. Xiaomi WiFi adapter - also called Mi Portable - competes with the most inexpensive devices of this type, while providing a little more options than others.
What does Xiaomi wifi adapter look like?
Xiaomi releases several wifi models adapters, a characteristic feature of which is the presence of built-in flash memory of different sizes. Our test turned out to be the most budget option which we purchased from a well-known store.
It is slightly larger in size than a ruble coin, so it will not interfere with parts protruding from the USB port of a computer or laptop. Our copy of the branded white, although there is a whole palette on sale.
The delivery set is also very budget-friendly - it is a small packaging bag, a plug for the USB port and a lanyard.
The adapter supports operation at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, Wi-Fi 802.11N, up to 150 Mb/s - this is the most entry level, but it is enough for everyday work with the Internet.
Installing Xiaomi WiFi adapter and access point mode
In order to fully use the device, I needed to do some work searching for drivers and software. This is due to the fact that the Xiaomi Mi WiFi Adapter is made exclusively for the domestic market and all programs for it are in Chinese. But of course, skilled programmers have already managed to work and translated some of them into Russian, some into English languages. I collected them in a separate archive, which needs to be downloaded from our repository, and now I’ll tell you how to install all this equipment correctly.
First of all, install the file “1-miwifi_setup_2.3.759.exe” on the computer - this Chinese original driver programs. Then we copy the two remaining files “MiWiFi.exe” and “uninstall.exe” and the “kuaipan” folder into the folder where we installed the program - and replace the originals with them. These are substitutes for the standard package translated into understandable language. We launch the installed MiWiFi program - it will ask you to insert the adapter into the PC.
We connect the adapter to the USB connector of the computer - it is automatically recognized and starts working in access point mode, generating Network SSID and password for connection.
After connecting to this point on the smartphone, a new window opened informing about this, and in the main program window the number “1” appeared for the number of connected devices.
If you click on this number, a list of connections will open and the ability to manage them - limit the speed or ban them.
There are three main menu items in the main program window - let's take a closer look at them. The first one is a call to the same netlist, so we'll skip it.
Second - launch cloud service Kuaipan, with which you can exchange files via the Internet between gadgets and computers.
105 gigabytes of cloud space for storing documents is immediately available for download without registration.
This is, in principle, more than enough for everyday needs, but it’s even better to have account, then the space will immediately increase to 1 terabyte. To do this, go to the “Not Login” menu, section “Synchronization Settings”.
After which the program changes color to green - now you can upload files here and then download them when you log in to the service on another computer.
If the MiWiFi program is not installed on another computer, then you can access the service through the website kuaipan.cn - the site is in Chinese, using a translator plug-in in the browser we translate into Russian. Here, either again, log in through your Kuaipan account, or, like me, select authorization through Xiaomi at the bottom of the list.
We get into our account, where we find the downloaded files. Here you can delete, rename or share them.
The third item in the form of a folder is the exchange of files inside home network using the flash memory built into the adapter. Upload the file here, after which it will appear in the list.
Now to download it from another computer, click on the link “How to open the disk?”. For access from a PC or laptop, a link to the IP address will be provided. For downloading from a smartphone or tablet - QR code. In my opinion, this is a very cool solution for those who need to transfer files from one computer to another via WiFi, but do not know how to share folders on the computers themselves.
Xiaomi WiFi adapter or client mode
Now let's try to switch the Mi Pocket Adapter to the mode of receiving a signal to the computer from the router. To do this, select “Client Mode” from the menu.
After the reboot, select through standard application Windows point access, connect and the information appears in the program window.
Xiaomi USB adapter speed tests
We didn’t expect anything special in terms of operating speed - after all, the device is budget and technical specifications don't shine. But at the same time, the adapter copes with its tasks perfectly and, surprisingly, does not slow down the Internet speed.
