Can't enable Wifi Station Mode

[Joshua2504]

Hello,

after having the A119 for a while I decided to go with the A139 and was super excited to install it in my car.

I discovered that there is Wifi Station mode: https://www.viofo.com/en/blog/how-to-switch-a139-dash-camera-to-wi-fi-station-mode-with-app-b76.html

So I followed the steps and tried to enable it. I did set my Wifi SSID and password in the App Settings, then turned of Wifi on the Dashcam and pressed REC and Wifi Botton to enable the Wifi Station Mode, but nothing is happening. There is no voice telling me that it has been enabled and I can not find it in my home network either.

I also tried to restart the camera and enable it, but no difference. I can not enable it.

I installed the latest firmware v1.5 from your website but it didn't change anything.

Did anyone run into the same problem with enabling the Wifi Station Mode? Any help is apriciated!

- Joshua

 

[VIOFO-Support]

Hello，

Please check if your app version is the newest. The android version is 3.2.0, the iOS version is 59.

 

[mrpk]

Hello,

after having the A119 for a while I decided to go with the A139 and was super excited to install it in my car.

I discovered that there is Wifi Station mode: https://www.viofo.com/en/blog/how-to-switch-a139-dash-camera-to-wi-fi-station-mode-with-app-b76.html

So I followed the steps and tried to enable it. I did set my Wifi SSID and password in the App Settings, then turned of Wifi on the Dashcam and pressed REC and Wifi Botton to enable the Wifi Station Mode, but nothing is happening. There is no voice telling me that it has been enabled and I can not find it in my home network either.

I also tried to restart the camera and enable it, but no difference. I can not enable it.

I installed the latest firmware v1.5 from your website but it didn't change anything.

Did anyone run into the same problem with enabling the Wifi Station Mode? Any help is apriciated!

- Joshua

Yes same here, it will not go into the Wifi Station mode using the Rec + WifiButton no audio confirmation either received. Using 5ghz band. But i got other problems like no parking mode turning on, and camera getting super hot. I am guessing i have a bad unit, but let's see what the support folks say. It was from Amazon so returning wont be an issue, but i hate wasting money on shipping etc. Not to mention the days without camera as well. That's always a concern.

 

[Joshua2504]

Hello，

Please check if your app version is the newest. The android version is 3.2.0, the iOS version is 59.

i just bought the camera, so obviously the app version is the newest.

did you even read my post? What does the app version have to do with that I can’t enable Station Mode in the Camera?

 

[VIOFO-Support]

Sorry for the frustration caused. I'm attaching the firmware V1.6. It makes Wi-Fi Station Mode more stable. Please update it to have a try.

Here is the upgrading instruction:
you can use an SD card reader to copy the firmware bin file to the root of your SD card from the computer. (please make sure your SD card is formatted as FAT32)
Then just insert the SD card into the dashcam, the cam will automatically upgrade.
The REC LED will be blinking while upgrading, and the dashcam will restart after finishing upgrading.

 

[mrpk]

Sorry for the frustration caused. I'm attaching the firmware V1.6. It makes Wi-Fi Station Mode more stable. Please update it to have a try.

Here is the upgrading instruction:
you can use an SD card reader to copy the firmware bin file to the root of your SD card from the computer. (please make sure your SD card is formatted as FAT32)
Then just insert the SD card into the dashcam, the cam will automatically upgrade.
The REC LED will be blinking while upgrading, and the dashcam will restart after finishing upgrading.

Sir i tried the firmware, it's full of errors/issues. I can provide detailed list of issues if interested, can be the beta tester .

Here is one of the bugs : -The recording cannot be stopped - i tried , it keeps coming back on. You simply cannot stop recording.

2nd bug : random button behavior, when you press the hazard/yellow button it would mute the mic and sometimes stop the recording, it just won't lock the file. Very annoying.

3rd issue : Wifi Station mode does get enabled according to notification, but on my router, i do not see the device connected to wifi, so device is not getting ip or making connection at all it seems.

4th issue - major one : I had to take the sd card out and use the adapter to plug it in to get the videos or downgrade firmware - you cannot plug the usb cable into computer and access/sd card. Computer will not recognize the device as storage, although downgrading to 1.5 resolves this major issue.

Maybe it's related to my faulty device i have, getting new unit tomorrow so will try.


I have to say - upgrade and downgrade of firmware is very simple so good job. Simply put the file on SD card be it new firmware or old.

 

[Joshua2504]

Sir i tried the firmware, it's full of errors/issues. I can provide detailed list of issues if interested, can be the beta tester .

Here is one of the bugs : -The recording cannot be stopped - i tried , it keeps coming back on. You simply cannot stop recording.

2nd bug : random button behavior, when you press the hazard/yellow button it would mute the mic and sometimes stop the recording, it just won't lock the file. Very annoying.

3rd issue : Wifi Station mode does get enabled according to notification, but on my router, i do not see the device connected to wifi, so device is not getting ip or making connection at all it seems.

4th issue - major one : I had to take the sd card out and use the adapter to plug it in to get the videos or downgrade firmware - you cannot plug the usb cable into computer and access/sd card. Computer will not recognize the device as storage, although downgrading to 1.5 resolves this major issue.

Maybe it's related to my faulty device i have, getting new unit tomorrow so will try.


I have to say - upgrade and downgrade of firmware is very simple so good job. Simply put the file on SD card be it new firmware or old.

Hey, can you let me know once tested with the new camera?

I don't have time to upgrade and then downgrade because of bugs, please let me know if it works stable or if it's still bugged

 

[mrpk]

Hey, can you let me know once tested with the new camera?

I don't have time to upgrade and then downgrade because of bugs, please let me know if it works stable or if it's still bugged

Yes sir, i shall test the camera with default firmware first and also try out the attached firmware here..

 

[Joshua2504]

Yes sir, i shall test the camera with default firmware first and also try out the attached firmware here..

Thank you, let me know!

 

[mrpk]

Thank you, let me know!

Sir, it works well actually, the attached firmware i tried. I could not get it installed the first time, the camera did not flash, so had to take card out and use the card reader and put the file on the card. This worked - the direct computer to camera connection did not work to upgrade firmware.

Also note this is a bug or lack of information - Viofo team please put this notice in the station mode : Special Characters not allowed.

Josh the problem i had was that i had special characters like $ ! etc. etc. in Wifi at home. So i tried switching password on my home wifi to not have special character. It worked great. Now that means my home wifi needs to be really long without character to keep it somewhat secure .

Also note Josh you can use the url rtsp://192.168.0.x/DCIM/Movie on VLC player to actually look at live feed. I am impressed to be frank.

I am going to switch camera to h.256 mode and see if things work great still.

I am still connected to WiStation mode it's probably close to 14 mins now, unlike wifi it wont auto shutoff , i could be wrong. However do note that it will probably heat up camera too much if it stays in station mode. Not sure how to remotely turn of station mode. It be nice feature if there was remote disable of wifi mode. Or even a nice feature to turn cameras Wi-Fi on automatically at specific time of the date. PS: unit is not getting as hot as i thought it would with station mode.


1 Issue though : My timezone is set to GMT -5 , i see live feed time as 16:29 for 4:29 pm, that's great. However, my video files are recording and showing time stamp of 04:29 , however on my other unit it would show the 24 hr and filename would be also 24hr format. Right now this is the filename i am getting :

2021_0908_040513_F.MP4

62.65 MB​

2021/09/08 04:05:38​

I think this is a bug . Or it could be camera issue ? I was on firmware 1.2 that came with camera, it also showing timestamp and filename with 12hr format, for 3 pm it's showing 03012 etc. and video file when played shows time engraved as 14:12 .

Viofo team is that an issue ? How do i fix it, was happening on 1.2 that came installed with new unit and also on 1.6 firmware. I like the 12 hr format though for filename but ... still my older unit was just having time differences issues vs stamping issues.

Good job Viofo team with adding the station mode. Now can we please fix my timestamp issues (i hate to return this unit as well, kinda inconvenient for me). Not to mention i got a 2 foot interior cable, i cannot use that.. i need to put interior camera at center where Dome light would be, its easily 4 - 6 feet. I wish longer cable was provided for interior camera. Sucks now i gotta buy yet another cable, the bill is adding up fast lol.

 

[mrpk]

Sorry Josh, I ran into issues. It worked first time, i powered down the unit and it stopped working, i think settings do not get saved for station mode, so you have to enter wifi details every time it seems before it turns on and connects properly. So if power down camera it will not work the 2nd time . Bug ? Dunno.

Ok my camera and controls are freezing now. I think firmware is still prone to glitches. I am reverting back to 1.5 i can find from the site. I was impressed what i saw - though only 1 ch. mode worked it seems. I think on 1.5 you can enable station mode too, atleast on the app it shows up. I will update if it works on 1.5, doubt it though. But yes strange things started happening with camera with 1.6.

 

[mrpk]

More updates - you can turn on wifi station mode again after you configure it again in app - so it's not saving the configuration and on power down wifi station mode settings get wiped.

Also issue with 1.6 - you cannot plug in the camera to computer to look at video files, its not recognized as stated above the bug. So SD card has to be taken out to read/view. So if i can only somehow now revert to 1.5 that be great, i am having problems reverting back ....

Not to mention the timestamp issues, file write shows AM vs the 24hr stamp... i am super annoyed now, i can't be getting bad cameras- this new unit ofcourse had box smashed on the side looks like someone kicked it or something.

 

[Joshua2504]

So when will this be fixed? I might have to send back the camera if this doesn't get fixed now.

 

[mrpk]

So when will this be fixed? I might have to send back the camera if this doesn't get fixed now.

I might be doing that too my Amazon Window closes in 2 weeks so.. and new firmware that fixes parking mode with power bank issue breaks parking mode with hardwire kit. Super annoying... This camera came out in early 2021 if not mistaken. They got a different model coming out already, maybe if they focused on software first that be good. Fix glitches and add features via software first.

 

[cat2devnull]

RE: comments to the effect of... I might have to send back the camera if this doesn't get fixed now.

Cut the guys/gals some slack.
This is a beta firmware for a reason, Viofo is not claiming it is bug free, nor should you expect it to be.
At least they are adding new features, active in their own forums, giving updates, releasing new firmwares, etc.
Most companies don't do any of those things.
You can avoid being a beta tester by staying on the last stable firmware and ignore the new features.
Or you can buy a competitor's product, pay 3x the price, and feel safe in the fact that the only way you will get new features is to buy the next model when it comes out. Yay!
They seem to be taking from the Tesla play book, "move fast, break things".
Yes this can cause short term pain, but in the long run it's a much better model. IMHO

 

[mrpk]

RE: comments to the effect of... I might have to send back the camera if this doesn't get fixed now.

Cut the guys/gals some slack. - Yes.. we have .. we been providing feedback constantly so that's helping us by helping them..
This is a beta firmware for a reason, Viofo is not claiming it is bug free, nor should you expect it to be. - Yes, we know how beta firmware works, but trust me even the stable 1.5 version is not really bug free - and no i am not talking about Bugs Bunny sort of a bug either ...
At least they are adding new features, active in their own forums, giving updates, releasing new firmwares, etc. - Are they though or patching their mistakes, one update breaks other working features.. so are they adding new features of patching up the patches ?
Most companies don't do any of those things. - No doubt as they already have had proper feedback from users - done proper search before they put a heavy price tag - el cheapo dash cams are just dash cams not really feature packed either - one can get 4k dash cam featureless for under 100 bucks.
You can avoid being a beta tester by staying on the last stable firmware and ignore the new features. - If only... stable releases were also stable and bugs free (see comment about bugs)
Or you can buy a competitor's product, pay 3x the price, and feel safe in the fact that the only way you will get new features is to buy the next model when it comes out. Yay! - Yeh.. so VioFo does not release new models ? I hear T130 coming out soon.. so Yaay !!
They seem to be taking from the Tesla play book, "move fast, break things". No comments- as I am no Elon Musk to comment on Tesla processes.
Yes this can cause short term pain, but in the long run it's a much better model. IMHO - really but T130 comes out soon, so if i wait long enough for the long run there will already be like 3 different newer models released vs working stable useful features for existing hardware..

Si my responses in Red !
One more thing ...
I might still return this camera next week .. if i just wanted a plain dash cam with no working wifi or proper parking mode or features, i would have just gone with TopGaurd or Autowell that are well under the 180 price range ...Not to mention the hardwire kit I purchased as well . That would need to be returned too now that i think about it all.. so well over 300 bucks spent with the hope I will get basic features that worked all the time without bugs (insert bunny joke here..)

 

[cat2devnull]

Maybe I am a Viofo unicorn
I have two A139 cameras. One is on v1.2 and is in my daily driver. I agree that there are some features that I would like it to have, but I haven't hit any bugs.
The other is in a less used car and is the one that I tinker with, hence on v1.6.
I'm interested to know what problems you have run into on the older "stable" software. Maybe I have bugs I don't even notice. Can you point me at some of your early bug threads.
Thanks,