I bought some new V.3 cameras and the update worked fine, but when I tried it on my old v.3 cameras all 5 of them stopped working. It wouldn’t let me access the camera unless I did the firmware update. Now I’m stuck. I can’t reset, the cameras all say device offline. I can get into the settings and the firmware shows that it didn’t update from 4.36.9.139. Do I have to update the firmware manually? I refused to update the firmware for the longest time because it caused problems last time. Now I’m forced to do it and it caused problems as I suspected. I have several other camera’s as well. 16 V.3s all together.
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At a certain point you have to update as they add new security to the app and the camera needs to match. Sounds like you may need to do the manual update. I’m guessing the jump from whatever version you were holding onto and the latest version was too far to do at once. May have to do a couple steps (update to one between then the latest) but try going straight to the new one on SD card first.
Generally I’d say hold off for a bit when new firmwares are released to make sure there are no issues, then do the update a couple weeks later to not end up in this same position.
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I’m seeing the same thing starting today tacomaguy20. For the same reason as you, I don’t update as the their updates only cause problems. And now they’re FORCING the update for the V3 camearas on use elsewise we’re unable to made any changes on the settings, which I have to adjust sensitivity settings every morning, then put back in evening, cuz of the high winds we’ve been having.
Thus is their latest release notes, to which I’ve not had any of these issues:
**[4.36.13.0416]
- Security improvements
- Fixed a bug that caused events to not be recorded
- Improved live stream connectivity
- Fixed a bug that caused no audio playback on Wyze Cam v3 when connected to Wyze Cam Floodlight (v1)
- Fixed a bug that caused incorrect LED status
- Bug fixes
As I mentioned to the OP, every so often an encryption key or cipher strength etc has to get updated (which falls under “security improvements”). So at some point you’ll have to update the firmware. If you wait too long between updates, it can have an issue. They should build in intelligence/logic to do a 2-step update when required, but they probably aren’t aware (I doubt they test upgrading from every previous version).
I just flashed my V3 back to 4.36.9.139 to check. FYI Web Live will not let you connect with that firmware.
I ran into a similar issue in which the camera wouldn’t respond after updating to 4.36.10.4054, but it seemed to fix itself once I power cycled it. Please make sure the camera is 100% finish updating first before power cycling the camera.
From 4.36.9.139, you are very likely to be forced to update to 4.36.10.4054 then you can choose to continue to update to 4.36.10.7146 > 4.36.11.8391 > 4.36.13.0416.
So the question is do you now want to the the guinea pig to try updating to the latest (OTA or SD card) and see if it works and/or if a reboot fixes it after update.
I just did that went from 4.36.9.139 all the way to 4.36.13.0416 via OTA. Other
than a hick up which I mentioned before going from 4.36.9.139 to 4.36.10.4054, I had no other issue on both 2.5 app and 3.0.5 app.
So you only had to power cycle then? Not do a manual firmware update? I tried with one of my cameras but it didn’t seem to help. Maybe I’ll retry it more than once.
I’m wondering if his, since they were already updated to the latest, then went back, may have retained the new encryption key or other pieces. If reboot didn’t fix it for you, I’d try manual update to 4.36.10.4054, reboot, then OTA update to the latest (or do manual for both if you want to be extra cautious).
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Nope power cycling didn’t work. When I go to my camera settings, it still says the old firmware version, so it never updated OTA (even though I gave it plenty of time). And now it says status unknown when I go to try to update the firmware again. Additionally, the signal indicator has no bars, kind of like the internet isn’t working, even though it is.
I went ahead and manually reflashed my V3 to 4.36.9.139 again and OTA updated to 4.36.10.4054 this time without any issue.
Try clearing cache under Account > App Settings and force closing the app to see if it helps…
I hope you don’t have to manually flash your 16 camera.
Maybe, but I run much older firmware on my cameras so I can use the wyze_mini_hacks for rtsp and POE.
Do you prevent the app from updating also?
I tried to flash to the latest firmware version and the camera wouldn’t connect. I tried to go through setup afterwards and it timed out when trying to connect to the network. So then I tried flash the firmware 4.36.11.7071 and I get the same issue. The 4.36.10.4054 version is no longer available to download on the firmware page and I’m not sure if I have the old microsd with the 4.36.9.139 firmware either. Where do you get the earlier versions of firmware?
Wonder if it is actually flashing successfully?
So I found the microsd card with the old firmware 4.36.9.139 and reflashed it… and it works again… but forces the OTA update or I cannot view my camera. Then when I allow it to proceed, it stops working again. I do not see where the firmware has been updated when going to the camera settings after that, but since I think the camera isn’t actually connecting to my network, perhaps I’m just seeing the previous data. Having issues with newer firmwares is what made me keep my cameras on the 4.36.9.139 version in the first place. It works very well with that firmware and I continue to have issues anytime I try to update it from there.
So flashed back to 4.36.9.136 and did a OTA update but this time instead of doing the update on the camera screen, I went into the settings and clicked update firmware … it said updating for a long time, the camera light turned purple, so I think it was updating the firmware. Then I exited the app, restarted and on the firmware page, it says the old firmware version but there is no update button next to it. I think it’s losing network connection after updating the firmware, and it doesn’t allow me to readd the camera because of a network error.
What if you do the old one, reboot, then the new one, reboot again, both using the SD card (no reliance on network connection)?
I just tried that. Flashed to 4.36.9.136 and then again to 4.36.13.0416 as you were probably typing it… the camera still says offline and when I go to resetup the camera, it gives me a network timeout verbal message and a connection failed on the app. I think the firmware is messing up my network connection somehow. If I had the bin file, I’d try to flash to 4.36.10.4054 but it’s no longer available. Maybe there is a reason that that one is being pushed OTA instead of the newest one?
Ah so it is pushing the 10 version OTA and not the latest? That implies that it requires a 2 step update. @grapefruityoda do you have the .bin file for the .10 version?
I doubt it is messing up the network connection per se, just seems to be interrupting it at a bad time. I’m assuming you tried factory reset (long press) of the camera? Maybe even reboot your router in case the update causes a bunch of DHCP requests and the router gets confused or something. But if you can get the .bin file that seems the safest bet.
Another thing you could try is “dumbing down” your router on the 2.4ghz band. Disable WPA3 if it has it, turn off any smart connect/band steering/beamforming/MIMO, afterburner/throughput enhancement type stuff, could even try making sure it is set to like b/g/n/ax (all supported wifi types) during the upgrade. Essentially putting it in super-compatibility mode during the upgrade/reconnect process.
Do you happen to be using the XB7 gateway from Xfinity/Rogers? If so, that could 100% be your problem too. If you look in your router during the setup process, do you see the camera connect to wifi successfully? If so that implies it is not able to communicate out to the internet (which is something the XB7 is known to block on the newer firmwares). There are various servers it needs to connect to for registration, control, online status, etc and if any get blocked, it causes issues. I know you have some that work and some that don’t but maybe the .10 firmware is trying to contact a server that is blocked, which they’ve removed or changed in the newer ones (but since you have to go to .10 first…)
Another thought (yes this is just guesswork and randomness), what happens if you OTA update to .10, reboot it after it completes, then SD update to the latest?