A complex issue with a camera connecting to NVR - Can not find network host

JaJe

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Greetings
I have enough experience with computers to install and configure cameras by myself without issues, I have installed more than 10 using multiple routers and switch without any issues.

However I'm asking you for a little help since my last little project didn't works very well and after 2 days of trying to find a solution I gave up.

So this is my network:
Primary Router1 192.168.2.1 - First Floor, with Internet cable in - Model: Asus RT-56u - Custom firmware, Padavan.
Secondary Router2 192.168.2.200 - Second Floor, I made this router AP - Model: Asus RT-AC1200G+
Access Point 192.168.2.108 - Access point mode 'CLIENT' - Model: TP-Link TL-WA701ND
Dahua NVR IP: 192.168.2.5 - Model: DH-HCVR5216A-S3
Dahua WiFi Camera IP: 192.168.2.246 - Model: IPC-HFW1320S-W

NVR---cable---Router1 ---cable--- Router2 ))))Wi-Fi(((( AP--cable--Camera

I hope the little scheme above is simple to understand how it's made the network.

My NVR to recognize the IP of my camera with .247 address but when I add it and set the password I receive the error "Can not find network host" no matter what I'm doing.
NOTE: I tested with .247 for cable connection and .246 for Wi-Fi connection.

I tried connecting my camera using its wi-fi device directly to one of my Router1 or Router2 but I was dissapointed that the signal is so weak that the camera cannot connect so I had to use the cable instead.
But I did a test by moving my Router1 on different area where the signal is stronger and making directly the connection like this:

NVR---cable---Router1))))Wi-Fi((((Camera

My NVR Recognize the camera and everything works.

What configuration do I have to check to work my camera over cable which pass through and AP then the AP is connected via Wifi to another AP Router and lastly via cable to my main Router?

Is also strange that I can see the camera without any problem from my computer, I can configure it, I can see the image but not my DVR.

What I'm missing?

Thank you in advance.
 

civic17

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TLDR. Are you connecting your camera via the ethernet port on that TP-Link TL-WA701ND? I don't think that will work. You can try connecting a network switch to that port first and connect to your camera. You can plug a laptop to that ethernet port of your TP-Link TL-WA701ND to see if your laptop can get a connection to confirm this.
 

Valiant

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Looks like you are setting up a wireless bridge. Can you ping the wireless client ? .108 ?, you should then be able to ping the camera.

Ensure you only have Router 1 set up as a DHCP server.
 

JaJe

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@civic17, yes my camera is connected on that TP-Link which from any device I can ping both AP and the camera even my NVR recognize the ip of Dahua but gives me the error can not find host .

@Valiant, yes I can ping both AP and the camera. I have DHCP ENABLED only to router1.

My camera IP is static so all my routers/Ap are. I feel the problem is between router2 and AP since the camera connected directly to the router1 via wifi works perfectly. Something blocks certain packets I guess or I have to change some settings to please my Dahua which I really don't know what setting.
 

catcamstar

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@civic17, yes my camera is connected on that TP-Link which from any device I can ping both AP and the camera even my NVR recognize the ip of Dahua but gives me the error can not find host .

@Valiant, yes I can ping both AP and the camera. I have DHCP ENABLED only to router1.

My camera IP is static so all my routers/Ap are. I feel the problem is between router2 and AP since the camera connected directly to the router1 via wifi works perfectly. Something blocks certain packets I guess or I have to change some settings to please my Dahua which I really don't know what setting.
This is indeed a "strange" situation. I would suggest you plugin your NVR in the AP to see whether this issue is also occuring whilst being on the same TPLink, however from the manual, this thing only has 1 ethernet port. If you would plugin an additional switch, the communication between NVR & cam would go directly over the switch and not over the TPLink.

I'm just wondering: you say you can ping with your laptop from LAN1 over that wifi bridge towards the camera, can you actually see the camera footage? Or does that not work? You might want to try to query your cam with ONVIF device manager over that wifi bridge. If that ain't working too, I would suggest to swap out devices with the AP: disconnect your internet router (the RT65U), configure that one in Access Point mode (as client for the 2nd asus AC2900+) - hook up NVR to first, cam to the second. Does that work?

But like you wrote, wifi ain't the wondersolution, if there might be a small chance in drawing a cable, through the attic, under the ground, it might be bit more work, but you eliminate any protocol/tech mismatch from one device to another. It should work in theory. But we live in a complex world :)

Good luck!
CC
 

JaJe

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I didn't tried putting a switch between the Ap and the camera I'll give a try.
I also tried to configure nvr with onvif instead of IPC, still not working.
Also yes from my laptop connected to the router1 via wifi I can access the camera both settings and the video without any interruption.
Is not possible due nature of the area and how cables are setup to not make any changes to eliminate the Ap.

As I said my suspicion of the problem is that the camera go through 2 Ap. Router2 made Ap and tp-link Ap connected via wifi to router2.

If I make the second router non AP I will screw the entire network by having 2 Lans.

Settings like MTU, BEACON interval WMW influences the video signal of the camera through wifi to recognize the NVR?
 

catcamstar

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I didn't tried putting a switch between the Ap and the camera I'll give a try.
Keep in mind that adding the switch on the at-that-moment local NVR might not solve the initial problem.

I also tried to configure nvr with onvif instead of IPC, still not working.
Also yes from my laptop connected to the router1 via wifi I can access the camera both settings and the video without any interruption.
Is not possible due nature of the area and how cables are setup to not make any changes to eliminate the Ap.

As I said my suspicion of the problem is that the camera go through 2 Ap. Router2 made Ap and tp-link Ap connected via wifi to router2.

If I make the second router non AP I will screw the entire network by having 2 Lans.
If nothing else works (regarding the APs), I would not see any reason why adding a router would cause more harm than what you know have. An NVR should not have an issue in reaching out to another CAM in another subnet.

Settings like MTU, BEACON interval WMW influences the video signal of the camera through wifi to recognize the NVR?
Beacon settings shouldn't matter, however MTU can be a tricky beast. Normally you should not mess with it, but I remember back in the days with my netgear AP, I had some issues too. I found this gem back: Ping Test to determine Optimal MTU Size on Router | Answer | NETGEAR Support --> try this to ping the CAM from your PC. IF you see packages break, than this can be the reason why the NVR couldn't pick up the CAM. Having a wireshark running at both ends (before and after the AP) and match these packets can also give insight (eg whether or not UDP fragments are eaten up).

But my best guess is to try the Wifi bridge between the 2 ASUS routers (both in plain AP mode). I'm betting that will work.

Good luck!
CC
 

redfive

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The AP, while used as wireless client, should work in transparent-bridge mode (L2 full transparent), most of the commercial AP's, are instead so-called L2.5 (they tend to change the mac-address with their own). L2 transparent wireless bridge (sometimes called WDS) is usually feasible using two device which are intended for do this job, you have to check yours ....
Or, If you can ping the camera, and then you issue (cmd on windows, terminal on *nix) arp -a or sudo arp -a, do you see the ip address of the camera associated with its correct mac-address ?
Cheers,
 

JaJe

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Yes from cmd with command arp -a I can see the ip with the specific mac of the camera If I enable WDS to my Ap I lose acces to it and the camera.
 

redfive

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So the NVR, under 'Remote device', is able to detect the camera, but won't allow to add it ?
 

JaJe

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It detect, allow it to add but keeps saying can not find the network host .

I checked again the arp -a and I think I found the issue . Both the Ap and the camera have the same Mac address!! Mac from tp-link. Is because nvr won't accept other Mac than from Dahua? How can I fix this Mac issue ?
 

redfive

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This is the so-called L2.5 .... :)
Easy solution, enable the routing between router, no nat on the second router, and static route on the first for reach the network behind the second one ....
 

JaJe

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Sorry but I need you to explain me exactly what router and what settings to do exactly to make it works
 
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