A router forms an integral part of our lives, you have to admit. You could never watch that favourite show of yours on Netflix or have a steady video chat with your loved ones on Skype without a good router.

This simple device that acts as a post office, sending data from your home devices out into the internet and vice versa, is, in fact, one of the most important gadgets you can have in your house. While there are plenty of routers out there in the market and newer ones constantly being released with better upgrades, there is a certain Xiaomi router that stands out.

Check out our Xiaomi Router Review for all the details.

Xiaomi is not a new brand and does not need much of an introduction. It is widely known that Xiaomi makes gadgets that are pocket friendly while managing to pack a whole lot of features into the device. Xiaomi has given the world a few routers over the years but in this article, we are going to review the most recent one, the Xiaomi Mi Router 4c.

All Xiaomi Routers

• Xiaomi 4C
• Xiaomi 4A
• Xiaomi AX9000
• Xiaomi AX6000
• Xiaomi AX3600
• Xiaomi AX1800

An upgrade from its predecessors, the Mi Router 4c is everything you would want in terms of speed and functionality. Anyway let's get to it, shall we? Here's the Xiaomi Router Review.

Related: Xiaomi Wi-Fi Extender Review

Xiaomi Router Review

Xiaomi Router 4c - First Impressions

Though this router is a couple of years old, there have been quite a few software updates. These upgrades keep this router current and one of the best money can buy.

• At first glance, this certainly is better looking but that is expected of Xiaomi. Most of their gadgets focus on slim, sleek looks and the same can be said for their routers.
• Performance-wise, the Mi Router 4c is quite similar to the Mi router 3.
• Let’s go a little more in detail and analyse the Mi Router 4c in each aspect.

Inside The Box

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Let’s say it aloud, we love good packaging. It’s sometimes the best part of buying ourselves a new gadget. I even love watching others unpack their new devices. While we know that some companies pride themselves on their packaging and it is sometimes even worth saving those boxes, Xiaomi decides to keep it simple and neat with its products.

• The Mi Router 4c comes in a slim rectangular box that is white in colour, with the image of the router on top. It is quite a sturdy box, though.

• Inside you have the router itself set in a safe casing along with a small instruction manual and a cable to connect to the power supply.

• It has 4c antennae and in a beautiful white colour, it looks pristine. It does look very similar to the Mi Router 3 with just a few small changes.

• And Of course, it has an instruction manual. This is a Chinese brand and so, most of the literature is in Chinese.

Design and Specifications

Moving on to the specifications of the router, it is only fair that we compare it to the previous version to truly understand if this is an upgraded model or not.

• It has 4 antennae, similar to the Mi Router 3, to access each band and is powered by Mediatek MT7621A which enhances its performance to a great extent

• This router has two Ethernet ports to manually connect devices. This may or may not be sufficient, depending on the usage you intend to put this to

• It operates at a frequency of 880 MHz. The RAM and ROM are 128 MB which is adequate for a router of this type

• The LAN, as well as the WAN ports, have tiny indicator lights just below them to indicate that a device is connected to the router

• This router is slightly larger than the previous version but the difference is hardly noticeable

• The Xiaomi Mi Router 4c weighs around 225 grams, about 5 grams heavier than the Mi Router 3, which is, again, not such a noticeable difference

• The device has a reset button present behind it. The bottom is constructed with an aluminium-magnesium alloy to automatically cool the device

There is a button that can be touched to access MiNet technology. This comes as a pleasant surprise in the form of the Mi logo that is present on top of the router. The button is quite sensitive to touch and works super fast

Connectivity

The 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are both supported by this dual-band router as a result. Check out our coverage of the setup process for a more in-depth look as we have previously gone through it.

As long as you're within a fair range of this router, your connection to the Wi-Fi networks is reliable. Because in my experience internet speed dropped off very quickly the farther I got from the router, despite devices reporting decent signal strength, I believe this is more suitable for people with compact homes with few walls.

Even with the identical router placement in the aforementioned rooms, I hardly received any signal, thus this is still better than most routers I have used. The router's maximum theoretical speed is 867Mbps because it complies with the 802.11ac standard and contains a 5GHz radio. Due to the slow ISP speeds I receive, I've never even come near that limit.

As always, if they're in the same room, we urge you to link your home's static devices, such as the TV and possibly a CCTV camera, to the 5GHz network.

Performance of the Xiaomi Mi Router 4c

The most important bit of the Xiaomi Router Review is the performance review. The Xiaomi Mi Routers are dual-band routers. With the kind of internet usage that today’s time sees, dual-band routers are indeed the need of the hour. So what is a dual-band router?

• To keep it very simple, a dual-band router is more advanced than single-band routers as these can support two wireless signals.

• In Layman terms, this means that you get a faster and more uninterrupted signal to all the devices connected.

• They can also achieve a higher internet speed when compared to the single-band router and can additionally have some advanced features like device optimisation. This is one of the reasons it makes it one of the best Xiaomi gadgets of 2021.

• This comes in handy when different devices are connected and are trying to access different types of websites and streaming services.

The Xiaomi Mi Router 4c is pretty impressive when it comes to its transmission performance. Here are some features that we picked up when we tested it out:

• The signal gain strength is very strong and even. This is ensured by the strong antennae present on the device

• It can connect to up to 128 devices, though at the end of the day it would completely depend on your internet service provider to ensure that all the devices can get internet of sufficient speed. This is, however, done quite seamlessly and smoothly by the Mi Router 4c, at a speed of 1 Gb/sec

• The MiNet technology allows any device to automatically connect to the router without the need for password authentication. This saves a lot of time and the complications of adding a new device to the network

• The mesh type of construction underneath the device works really well in keeping the device cool at all times

• You can download the app on your smartphone to set up the router once connected. This saves a lot of time and energy during installation

Key Features

The Xiaomi Router 4C is one of the best performing routers in the market. Not only does it have a long lifespan but it's also equipped with a bunch of features that make it the best in its price segment. For example, this router has 4 high performance antennas that offer stronger signals.

• These antennas boost the signal creating a stronger and more stable Wi-Fi connecting. Of course, these antennas utilize a dual-band design and use 2.4 GHz to deliver a maximum signal strength of 5dBi.

• Since this router uses 2.4GHz, it can be categorized as one of the most intelligent routers in the market. It can specifically, increase transmission speeds by 3 times when compared to regular routers. It also supports the latest protocols such as IEEE 802.11n, making the connection not only super fast but also extremely stable. Most importantly, the Xiaomi 4C router can achieve a data transmission rate of up to 300 Mbps.

• This router comes with an in-built Ram of 64 GB, this ensures not just faster processing speed but also a much better performance. Unlike other routers that can only take so little when it comes to connected devices, this beauty can handle a much heavier load of device. You can easily connect 64 devices to this router simultaneously and still expect a fast and stable connection.

• Like all Xiaomi devices, this router can also be controlled through the Mi Home app. In fact, it can function as the hub of all the smart home devices in your home.

Xiaomi Router Review - Final thoughts

It's always an exciting time when Xiaomi releases a new gadget or its upgrade. The newer versions are usually leaps and bounds much more advanced than their previous versions. It is quite natural that the same was expected from the Mi Router 4. However, the upgrade is not all that better when compared to the previous version. Though this router is certainly not a disappointment, we would have liked a few additions that may have made this perfect:

• It could have been a futuristic triple band router. Now, though at this stage we don’t really need it in a home or small office setting, a triple-band router would have definitely been something to own and be future-ready. Too greedy?

• We would have liked this router to have a few more ports to physically connect more than two devices

• The previous version, the Mi router 3 has a USB port which this router seems to be missing. We really wonder why Xiaomi decided to remove that provision from this as that could have definitely been a good feature

Well, from all the above analysis, we don’t completely rule out the Xiaomi Mi Router 4c. It is definitely a good device to own as it is durable and comes with the Xiaomi guarantee.

• The brand can be trusted to make gadgets that last a long time and function extremely well.

• What we would say is, if you already have a dual-band router that functions perfectly well, it may not be worth it to buy a brand new router with the intention of upgrading.

• But, if you are on the lookout for a new router for your home or office setting, this is definitely recommended.

The price may be a little steep, but all good brands come at a price and they sure make their products worth the money you shell out.

Pros

• Sleek, elegant design
• Intuitive interface and app
• Decent range

Cons

• Speed drops off rapidly with distance
• Just two ethernet ports

Price of the Xiaomi Mi Router 4c

It is a fact that Xiaomi products are affordable and justify every penny spent.

The Xiaomi Mi Router 4c costs roughly US $17.20 - 18.91, which is less than other premium dual-band routers.

Xiaomi Router 4A vs 4C

The 4C Xiaomi router is more popular than the 4A router. But having said that there are a few differences!

Specis	Xiaomi 4A Router	Xiaomi 4C Router
Memory	64MB	64MB
Antennas	All Direction ,4 Anternnas	All Direction ,4 Anternnas
Transmission	5G - 1000MBPS	300MBPS
Frequency	Dual Frequency	Single Frequency

What is the best brand router for home use?

Xiaomi is one of the best brands out there when it comes to routers. If you want to get a new router, the best would be the Mi Router 4c. Its signal gain strength is very strong and it can connect to up to 128 devices.

• Although the speed of the internet depends on your service provider this router ensures that all the devices can get internet of sufficient speed. The router speed is 1 GB/sec. So it's definitely one of the best of the best. Check out the Xiaomi Router Review for all the details.

What is the use of Mi router?

Unlike other routers, the Mi router comes with a companion app. This app allows you to set it up easily and it lets you control important settings. You can change these settings, monitor internet speed and statistics, deny access to certain devices, and put in various restrictions.

• This is way better and convenient that most of the routers out there. And its very simple to access these settings through the simple user interface of the Mi Home app. Check out the Xiaomi Router Review for all the details.

Is the Xiaomi Router Good?

The Xiaomi Router is pretty damn good. It lets you connect up to 64 devices. That's like 8 times more than the typical router. But it's not just about the amount of devices, this router also has a bandwidth allocation tool that lets you prioritize your devices.

• And of course, since it's a Xiaomi product, you can access settings remotely through the Mi Home App. Honestly, it has amazing features, a useful companion app and a brilliant performance. So yeah it's definitely a good router. Check out our Xiaomi Router Review for more details.

Is the Xiaomi Router Safe?

Yes, the Xiaomi Router is safe for the most bit. Although the specs allow for multiple devices to connect to the router, it has features which can safeguard your individual experience. It's also quite hard to break into it as the encryption is decent. Since it runs on a dual partitioned Flash ROM, it secures the data and makes sure there a fail-safe for firmware update crashes.

• However, all Xiaomi Routers have a security scanner of sorts which logs in all the DNS data of the websites you visit. So, if you're not comfortable with that you might want to figure an alternative option. But Honestly, nothing beats the beast-like performance of this router. Check out our Xiaomi Router Review for more details.

User Reviews

For the cost of this router you can't order more, with that I don't mean it's bad, on the contrary, it's surprisingly good for how little it costs! Only one AD see competition, the first part of the configuration is difficult because it comes in Chinese, it's easier to see a tutorial on youtube and do it from the computer. Once this is done you can use the miwifi app that comes in all languages.

Leticia from USA

Great router for your money. He had a very long time with the customization because of the Chinese language. In fact, the solution is very simple. YouTube has all the information. Download a special plugin for the Chrome browser and it translates the menu of the router into Russian. In my case, it was necessary to enter the MAC address of the provider. I was able to copy it from the previous WiFi router. Bought for 1.000 rubles. Because of that amount it's just a great device. The connection is very good. There's a maximum signal all over the apartment. The old router gave a bad signal in the most remote parts of the apartment.

Alexander from Russia

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