Using the wrong firmware file can "brick" your camera (render it unusable). Always source files directly from official Hikvision portals based on your specific region.
Before we dive into the firmware download process, please take note of the following precautions: ds2cd1021i firmware download better
Do not download firmware for the DS-2CD1021-I without checking the suffix. The "I" stands for infrared, but there are "I5" and "I8" variants. Mixing them up will brick the camera. Using the wrong firmware file can "brick" your