Why to connect Xiaomi camera to your computer and what you need
Xiaomi cameras are some of the most popular surveillance devices, thanks to their combination of price, quality and functionality. However, many users are faced with the problem of how to display images from the camera directly to the computer screen, not just through the Mi Home mobile app? This may be necessary for round-the-clock monitoring, recording archives on a hard drive or integration with smart home systems.
In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of connecting: from simple to simple. USB-OTG for cameras with a connector before setting up streaming protocol RTSP for IP-You will also learn which software is best to use for watching videos, how to set up a network and avoid typical errors.°, Dafang and Mijia, as their customization has nuances.
Before you start, check it out: 1. Your camera supports PC connectivity (not all models are equipped with PCs) USB-port). 2. The computer has current drivers (especially important for Windows) 7/10). 3. Camera and PC are on the same local area network (for wireless methods).
Method 1: USB connection (for cameras with a Micro-USB/Type-C connector)
The most obvious, but not always the most effective, method is to connect the camera directly to the computer via cable, and it's suitable for models with physical applications. USB-The Xiaomi Mi Home Security Camera 2K But there are pitfalls: most Xiaomi cameras don’t recognize as default webcams.
What to do: 1. Connect the camera to your PC via cable (usually Micro-USB or Type-C). 2. Wait for the drivers to install (Windows can automatically identify the device as "unidentified"). 3. Check Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager): If the camera is displayed with an exclamation mark, you will need to manually install the drivers.
- 🔌 For cameras on a chip Hi3518: Download the driver from Hikvision (many Xiaomi cameras are built on their platform).
- 🖥️ For Windows 11: You may need to disable driver signature verification (Shift) + Reboot. → Diagnostics → Additional parameters → Loading parameters → Deactivate mandatory inspection...).
- 📁 Alternative: Use Amcap or ManyCam to force device recognition.
⚠️ Note: Xiaomi Mi Home (white round model) cameras do not support USB-- The video connection. USB-The port is intended for food only!
Make sure the camera is supporting USB-video|
Use the original cable (not all of it) USB-cables transmit data)|
Check the Device Manager for errors |
Install drivers manually if necessary-->
Method 2: Connect via Wi-Fi via the Mi Home app (simple but limited)
If your camera is already connected to the network through the Mi Home app, you can stream video to your PC using an Android emulator or a web version of the service. This method does not require technical skills, but has limitations: video delay, no recording on your PC, and dependence on the Xiaomi cloud.
Instructions: 1. Install an Android emulator on your PC (e.g. BlueStacks or NoxPlayer). 2. Sign in to Mi Home via the emulator and add a camera (if it is not already tethered). 3. Alternative: use the web version of Mi Home Web (does not work in all regions).
| Method | Pluses | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Android emulator | No need to set up the network | High latency, no record on PC |
| Web version of Mi Home | It works without installing software | Limited functionality, not all regions are supported |
| Screen Mirroring | You can duplicate the screen of the smartphone | Additional software is required (e.g. ApowerMirror) |
This is not a good technique for high-resolution camera recordings, but it's more suitable for periodic viewing when you don't have a smartphone at hand.
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If the Mi Home web version doesn’t work in your region, try changing your country in your account settings to “China” via your mobile app.
Method 3: Setup RTSP-stream (for experienced users)
RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) allows you to stream video from Xiaomi’s camera directly to your computer without intermediaries, which is the most flexible way, but it requires unlocking RTSP on the camera and setting up the local network.
Do you support your model? Most cameras on chips. Hi3518 (For example, the Xiaomi Mi Home Camera 360° 1080p) have hidden support RTSP. Activation will require: 1. Install an alternative firmware (e.g. Dafang-Hacks). 2. RTSP-server (if the camera supports it out of the box").
- 🔧 Step 1: Find out IP-camera address on the router (usually 192.168.x.x).
- 🌐 Step. 2: Enter in the browser http://[IP_camera]/cgi-bin/hi3510/param.cgi?cmd=getrtsp (for some models).
- 📹 Step. 3: Use it. URL species rtsp://[IP_camera]:554/onvif1 in a player (e.g, VLC or PotPlayer).
Example of a team for VLC:
vlc rtsp://192.168.1.100:554/onvif1 --rtsp-user=admin --rtsp-pw=your passwordWhere 192.168.1.100 is the IP camera, admin is the login (by default), your password is the password from the camera.
⚠️ Note: After installing an alternative firmware (e.g. Dafang-Hacks), the camera may lose support for the Mi Home cloud!
How to get your original firmware back after Dafang-Hacks?
Method 4: Using ONVIF to integrate with video surveillance systems
The ONVIF protocol allows you to connect Xiaomi’s camera to professional video surveillance systems such as Blue Iris, iSpy or Synology Surveillance Station. This is true if you need motion recording, facial recognition or archive storage on the NAS.
How to set up: 1. Make sure the camera supports ONVIF (most models Hi3518 — 2. In the router settings, fix IP-camera (DHCP reservation) so that it does not change. 3. In the video surveillance program add a new device by protocol ONVIF, pointed IP, login (admin) and password.
Example of settings in iSpy: (a) Go to Add → IP Camera with Wizard.b Select ONVIF If automatic detection fails, manually select port 80 or 554.
A critical nuance: some Xiaomi cameras block ONVIF by default. Unlocking may require Dafang-Hacks firmware or manual editing of the configuration file via Telnet.
Method 5: Cloud Services (for remote access)
If you don’t need a local connection, but you need to access the camera from any computer, use cloud services. Xiaomi offers its own cloud storage, but there are alternatives:
- ☁️ Mi Cloud: 7 days free storage of records (subscription required for extended archive).
- 🔗 YooSee: Supports some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mijia 360)°).
- 🌍 Synology CMS: If you have NAS Synology can connect the camera through their cloud.
How to set up Mi Cloud: 1. In the Mi Home mobile app, go to the camera settings. 2. Select Cloud Storage → Enable. 3. On PC, open home.mi.com and log in.
Restrictions of cloud services:
- Video delay up to 5-10 seconds.
- Paid archive (only the latest records are available for free).
- Data leakage risk (video is stored on Xiaomi servers).
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Cloud services are convenient for remote viewing, but are not suitable for round-the-clock monitoring due to delays and recording restrictions.
Solving the problem: why the camera doesn't connect to the PC
If none of these methods worked, check for common errors:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The camera is not detected by USB. | No driver or camera does not support USB-conclusion | Check the camera model (see section 1) or use RTSP |
| No image in VLC on RTSP | The wrong URL or port is blocked | Check it out. IP-camera address and firewall settings |
| Freeze when connecting via ONVIF | Weak Wi-Fi signal or router overload | Connect the camera over Ethernet or restart the router |
| The Mi Home cloud is not working. | Regional restrictions or account problems | Change your region to China or re-create your account |
If the Xiaomi camera doesn’t turn on at all: 1. Check the power supply (use the original adapter on 5V/2A). 2. Reset settings with the Reset button (hold 10-15 seconds). 3. Update the firmware through the mobile app (under Camera Settings → Firmware Update).
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If your camera is permanently disconnected from Wi-Fi, try to assign a static IP to your router settings or switch it to 2.4 GHz (5 GHz may be unstable).