Cannot downgrade Xiaomi Router 3 firmware to development version

I bought a Mi Router 3 for the express purpose of installing Padavan firmware on it, but lo and behold, I could not for the life of me install the BIN file for the 2.11.20 development version of the firmware (see here and here) as, when choosing the BIN file from the browse file dialog of the router web interface, the popup just went numb, no action, no buttons, no upload activity. Tried many times it with Firefox Chrome and even Internet Explorer AND Edge, NOTHING!

Then, I found in a forum (can’t remember for the life of me where) that there is an alternative method do to it:

  1. Put the BIN file in an empty USB pendrive
  2. Turn off the router (unplug the power)
  3. Place the USB stick in the router
  4. Press the reset button on the back of the router, and while keeping it pressed plug in the power, and STILL keep the reset switch pressed
  5. Stay there like this for a while contemplating on the meaning of existence
  6. In my case I noticed that after a while (10-15 secconds maybe?) the front led was flashing in a different way than when it just booted up, so I figured I could finally leave the reset switch be
  7. I connected to 192.168.31.1 after a while when the front led became static blue and, go figure, the firmware had downgraded

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