Firmware-Upgrade of a Dahua IPC-HFW1320S network camera

Written by Claudio Kuenzler - 1 comments

Published on April 18th 2017 - last updated on October 30th 2024 - Listed in Hardware Security Network Surveillance

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Over a year ago, in March 2016, I bought a Dahua IPC-HFW1320S ip/network camera. I installed the camera outside at the door entry and it has been running 24/7 since May 2016. 

So far so good - but I always wondered why there are newer any new firmware versions available. I also have two other network cameras from D-Link which got more or less frequent firmware updates.

Dahua Firmware Download

Today I checked again and hey! There's indeed a new firmware version available for download:

I downloaded the PAL version (I'm in Switzerland) and unzipped the file - which at the end is the following file: DH_IPC-HX1X2X-Themis_Eng_P_V2.600.0005.0.R.20161219.bin.
Note: NTSC version is for USA, Japan and some countries in South America. Check out https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/PAL-NTSC-SECAM.svg if you're unsure.

Firmware update with ConfigTool software

I decided to give it a shot and use ConfigTool as software for the firmware upgrade. Once opened it quickly detected the already running Dahua camera and also showed the current firmware version (2.400.x):

After a click on the operate icon, a new window is opened for this camera. In the tab "Upgrade" a firmware upgrade can be launched. I selected the previously unzipped file and started the upgrade by clicking on the  "Upgrade" button.

The firmware file was first transferred, then the upgrading process started:

At the end a message "Upgrade successfully, device need to reboot" appeared. During this phase the camera indeed booted itself. The window can now be closed with the "Return" button at the bottom right.

Back in the ConfigTool I launched a refresh and the camera now showed the new firmware version (2.600.x).

Newer cameras offer easy firmware update via browser UI

Note: This section was added on October 30th 2024

Newer Dahua cameras meanwhile offer a much easier approach to update the firmware. Inside the admin UI (using the browser and entering the IP address of your Dahua camera), the firmware update can be found under Setting -> System -> Upgrade.

This allows you to either manually select and upgrade a specific firmware file or your can use the new Online Upgrade function, which auto-detects a new firmware version for you.

Here's how such a firmware update using the browser UI looks like:

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Comments (newest first)

abod from wrote on Mar 1st, 2022:

thanks

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