Issues installing and keeping the hack

I had issues upgrading and keeping the tool on the camera, so after many trial-errors this is the method that worked for me.

Preparations:

Download https://github.com/Filipowicz251/mijia-1080P-hacks/releases/download/0.3/release0.3_338.zip and copy tf_recovery.img.bak to empty FAT32 SD card. Rename the file to tf_recovery.img. You will be flashing 3.3.6_0099 FW which really does work properly only with china-mainland server, I strongly suggest switching to this server for the time being. Flash the firmware and use reset button to go through MiHome setup process.

3.3.6_0099 and Secure WiFi issue:

If during setup of the camera (after you scanned the QR code) there is a timeout (usually at around 80%-89% of progress), you are being victim of a bug in Mi's fw. Its pretty easy to solve:

• create WiFi access point on your phone or router without any authentication (open WiFi),
• connect your phone to that network and reset the camera again by pushing the reset button,
• go through the setup process using the open WiFi connect (in case the QR code does not work for you try Bluetooth option in the top right corner of the screen),
• go through the firmware update process still connected to this open WiFi,
• reset (pin in the reset hole) the device to use your normal WiFi wile on newer firmware.
• repeat the flash tf_recovery.img of 0099 firmware again.

...this way your WiFi settings are saved in nvram and will stay there until next time you use the reset button, these setting prevail through FW upgrades and hack.

Installing the tool:

Download zip from https://github.com/Filipowicz251/mijia-1080P-hacks/releases/latest/ and extract all to SD card. On SD card edit the midgard.ini file and set 0 for these:

	CLOUD_DISABLED=0
	CLOUD_STREAMING_DISABLED=0
	RTSP_ENABLED=0
	DISABLED_OTA=0

On the SD card make a copy of the ft folder, lets call it ft2.

Power on the camera and be patient, this is not i7. You should see orange light, first stable, later slowly flashing. At some point you should hear the click on night-vision mode when the device reboots. After that pay attention to quick flashes of blue-orange light (5 times). This means the tool/hack gets installed.

Try to connect via SSH, again be patient, if it doesnt work give it a minute. Once you get SSH access means the tool worked and now we just need to update it.

Keeping the hack:

On ssh list the content of the SD card to make sure we can safely reboot the camera . From ls -la /tmp/sd/ you should see the ft folder still there, but if the folder is gone lets restore it from the copy we made earlier

cp -R /tmp/sd/ft2 /tmp/sd/ft

Wait one minute and reboot the camera. After reboot (be patient) try the SSH first. If you have access then everything is good.

Upgrading:

MiHome app should see the camera and should show notification that there is a new Firmware update. Don't update yet, we want to make sure ssh access/tool is still accessible after reboot. Reboot and connect ssh again.

I went through this process few times and each time the Mi behaves a bit different, but be patient. When you start the upgrade process via MiHome app the camera will start flashing orange light. There will be progress % on the MiHome app but even if it fails or times out on the app, let the camera finish its process. If the light is blinking do not touch it. Let it be. This will take forever but will eventually complete the flash and reboot (you will hear the night vision click again).

Now you can SSH to the camera again and change the settings in midgard.ini to fit your needs.

Good luck!