How do you enable guest network on a Xiaomi router? The day the broadband installer asked for my password, I finally pulled out the switch

last month when I installed broadband, the technician came to the site to wire the fiber and needed a speed test, so he casually asked me for the WiFi password. I immediately gave out the main network password, but only realized something was wrong—the NAS, camera, and shared hard drive at home were all connected to this network. Giving the password was like handing over the house key. That night, I dug up the guest network on the Xiaomi router and turned it on. This time, the technician connected it directly to the guest WiFi, and the main network password didn't need to be revealed.

let me clarify the premise: many router brands offer the guest network feature, and conceptually, it's compatible. I previously wrote a general version of the guest network settings . This article only discusses how to drive the Xiaomi (including Redmi) and what exactly isolates after driving, all of which I pointed out step by step on the AX3000T.

clarify first: guest network is an extra WiFi name, not a second router

many people think 'guest network' means buying another router and not using it. This is the WiFi name your Xiaomi router broadcasts beyond the main WiFi network. Guests can access the internet by entering their new name on their phones and entering your personalized visitor password.

the key is that there's a wall between the mainnet and guest network: guests can watch videos and send WeChat, but can't touch anything in your internal network—NAS, camera management page, router backend, USB shared hard drive, none of it. Once the guest leaves, you can turn off the switch, and the WiFi name disappears instantly, making it a hundred times easier than changing the mainnet password.

my home scene is very typical: the mainnet password is 16 characters, mixed with uppercase and lowercase letters plus symbols, and every time a guest visits, they have to read it for a long time and still get it wrong. Now, I set the visitor WiFi password to an 8-digit pure number, easy to remember and type. Since it can't reach the internal network, keeping it simple doesn't matter.

Route 1: Enable guest WiFi in the Mijia app, do it in three minutes, and you can turn it on even when you're not home

provided your router is already linked to the Mijia app. If you haven't linked it yet, connect your phone to the router's WiFi, open the Mi Home app, tap the plus sign in the top right corner, and follow the prompts to add a device. I've written about the login entry and binding details in this 192.168.31.1 login tutorial .

After binding the

, the path is: Mi Home App, → to the router device page, → "Toolbox" at the bottom, → "Guest WiFi." Click to open, and here you can change three things:

• WiFi name: By default, it generates one. I changed it to 'wangjia-guest', which clearly shows it's for outsiders
• password: You can set it yourself. I set an 8-digit pure number, designed for easy guest input
• . Switch itself: Switch: Turn on and off anytime. Turn off the name and it disappears

the biggest advantage of this approach is that can operate even when you're not at home. Last time, the technician arrived early. I opened the Mijia app at the office using data data and remotely turned on the visitor's WiFi. After the technician connected and finished the speed test, I remotely turned it off again. It doesn't matter where the person is throughout the process. I wrote more about other remote management methods in the article Mijia App Remote Management .

Road 2: 192.168.31.1 also has an entry point in the backend of the webpage

can open without installing the app. Go to 192.168.31.1, log in to the management password, open "Frequently Used Settings" → "WiFi Settings," scroll down, and the guest network switch will be located under the main WiFi settings.

a small reminder: Xiaomi updates its firmware quite frequently, and the location and naming of this option vary slightly depending on the version. Some call it Guest Network, others call it Guest WiFi. If you really can't find it, just search for the word "Visitor" on the page for the fastest way. The webpage backend and Mijia app are the same thing; even when the app is open, the backend shows open, and data on both sides is connected.

I personally use the app more often because the backend needs to connect to the router's WiFi first, while the app can be operated remotely using data. When someone comes over, I usually don't have time to activate it in advance. When I'm away, the app is the only option.

isolation boundary, I tested it with a backup phone: what can and can't

just looking at the official statement that "guest network and main network isolation" don't really feel real. I took an old phone and connected it to guest WiFi, treating it as the "guest's phone" and testing out the commonly used home functions one by one:

this isolation is by default on the visitor network. At least in my firmware version, I haven't found a switch to turn off isolation—meaning you can't let guests access the shared hard drive, that's how it's designed, not broken. There is only one way for devices to cross this wall: to connect back to the mainnet.

so the external hard drive plugged into the router's USB port (see USB interface as a shared drive for the router) cannot be touched by customers; The same goes for the network printer at home. Visitors can't find a printer on their phones at all, so to print it must connect to the mainnet. I've written about printer connection solutions in this article, Xiaomi router to printer .

three pitfalls I've stepped into, know before driving

Pitfall One: Smart devices accidentally installed on Visitor Network. demonstrated guest WiFi to relatives, I casually connected the newly purchased camera to the internet, and when it was connected to guest WiFi, the Mijia app would show offline after a while. Because many of Mi family's devices need to be on the same intranet as their phones to function properly, and the visitor wall is intermittent and ineffective. Later, I deleted the camera and reconfigured it back to the mainnet, which finally calmed down. I wrote a separate article about repeated offline inspections of Mijia devices but choosing the right network at the time of network setup is much easier than checking afterwards.

Plot 2: Forgot to turn it off after use. visitor WiFi was turned on once and stayed on the phone forever; I only realized after nearly half a month of downtime. Even though I'm isolated there, I still feel uneasy—it's like a small door that anyone can push open at the front door all year round. Now, my habit is to close the door as soon as a customer leaves, and I only run it for three minutes at a time. On the Mijia App's visitor WiFi page, you can see how many devices are currently connected. Occasionally glance at it, and if an unfamiliar device stays on for a long time, quickly change the password.

Pitfall 3: When customers really need intranets, they just stare blankly. a customer came back and wanted to send their phone photos to my NAS, but the visitor network couldn't connect to the NAS, so I had to temporarily reconnect their phone to the main network and then kick it back. Guest network isolation is inflexible; either full or none. In situations where file transfer or screen casting is needed, plan ahead on which path to take: either temporarily access the main network or use WeChat to send a relay.

which families are worth driving regularly, and what situations are they just for a short drive

finish with a clear order: First, make sure the router is bound to the Mijia app. → in the toolbox, enable the guest's WiFi and set the name and password to easy to remember. → guests connect directly. → guests leave and immediately turn off the →. When configuring the smart device, make sure it's connected to the main network. With just these five steps, you no longer need to share your mainnet password with anyone.