Xiaomi Mi Router 4 won't boot after flashing an image

The 4A Gigabit is a completely different chipset. Don't try to follow any instructions for the 4A Gigabit.

This is your PC's loopback interface. It means you don't have an interface configured with an external address (ideally 192.168.1.X). Without that you can't ping to a network outside the PC.
Generally it's a good idea to connect an unmanaged switch between the PC and the router you're trying to recover. Then you can set up the PC port and the settings will stay in place while the router reboots, because the PC doesn't see the Ethernet cable being "disconnected."

That's your IP. So you tried to TFTP to your PC not the router.

No, I connected the router to a laptop, with all other network turned off (wifi and all), just the router with a ethernet cable, manually set its IP to 192.168.1.2 then ran tftp. It connected successfully, I was able to ping 192.168.1.2.

You need to tftp to the router's IP, likely 192.168.1.1, which you could find from the bootloader prompt. Do you have serial access to the bootloader?

Of course you can ping 192.168.1.2, that is inside your PC. Ping times will be really fast too.

Yes, it should be 192.168.1.1, but that address won't ping, (guessing) because of the soft brick I suppose. Let me try again, as we talk..

So, I'm connecting the router to my laptop now. With all other connections turned off.

Many bootloaders in recovery mode won't answer pings. They don't do anything but TFTP or whatever method they are supposed to accept.

Alright I have connected the router, no other connections, just the router, and no manual configuration done..

I ran tftp 192.168.1.1, should I use binary or ascii mode?

Running put miwifi.bin gives me,

tftp: sendto: Network is unreachable

Always use binary, but if the device is not reachable at all there is a larger problem.

All the instructions that you've linked in this thread are for the 4A Gigabit with a MT7621 chip. Who's instructions are you following for your 10/100 MT7620 model 4?

I'm not following any specific instructions, I only so far did, connect router to laptop with ethernet cable, all other network WiFi and all disabled, press and hold reset button while powering on, LED flashes orange, then I run tftp 192.168.1.1, that's all I did, nothing more nothing less.

Can this be done with a Windows VM? If the windows route is easier?

I think I fixed it, I fired up a Windows VM with bridged connection, downloaded that tool TinyPXE server, and grabbed a image for my router from internet, and flashed it. I can now login to 192.168.31.1 it opens the Xiaomi Admin page now.

Can someone provide me proper installation instructions for OpenWRT, as I want to use OpenWRT, there are snapshot version available for my device here - OpenWRT-Snapshots starting with the name xiaomi_mi-router-4-

Check this out.

This is not for the model I have, I have Mi Router 4, the link you shared is for Mi Router 4A.

My bad, the Xiaomi naming is really confusing.... :confused:

Updated link :stuck_out_tongue:

3 Likes

There are no instructions on the link you shared, all are for Mi Router 3. No instruction to enable SSH on Mi Router 4, or anything.

In that case you're pretty much out of luck. Googles your friend....

I have stock Xiaomi ROM right now, on the router, not OpenWRT, how will those instructions help me install it? Also they are for Mi 3G, I think now that Mi Router 4 is supported there should be proper instructions available for it too.

Out of curiosity,

why not use the OpenWRTInvasion script again, then redo what you did, without the typo ?

1 Like

I can, but I want to, if possible do it the official way, there is always something new to learn, and I want to if possible :smiley:

@apoorv569 can you help with more steps of how you did to fix your box because I have the same problem and I can't find a way to fix it

I basically followed this video guide - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxzEvdDWU_s&t=267s

If you have a Windows machine, you just need to install the tool he mentions in video, connect your router to PC in TFTP mode and flash the stock ROM (you need to have it downloaded before starting this process) for your router.

In my case though I didn't had a Windows machine so I fired up a Windows virtual machine using VirtualBox, and changed the network settings of the virtual machine to be bridged with the host system, and then followed the same video guide I mentioned above as if I'm using Windows.

Hope this helps.

1 Like