bugmenot01
Young grasshopper
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2015
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I just wanted to share my experience with Dynamic DNS on the Annke DT81DP DVR and to see if anyone saw something familiar.
DVR SPECS: The Annke DT81DP hybrid DVR is a rebranded Dahua DVR, although I haven't been able to work out the model number. Major specs include 4K@30FPS UltraHD HDMI (TV) output, H.264/H.264+/H.265/H.265+ compression, 8 Analog inputs (CVBS and TVI/AHD/CVI at 720P@30fps through 8MP@5fps) and 4 IP cameras (up to 6MP@10fps). One SATA drive interface.
PROBLEM: Dynamic DNS is unrealiable. The only remaining cost-free Dynamic DNS provider supported was No-IP, which I'm attempting to use. After pulling out a network sniffer to debug my woes, I made two discoveries.
ISSUE #1: The web interface will quietly erase your DynDNS password.
The first issue is that if you update any of your Dynamic DNS settings via the DVR's web interface, it silently drops your Dynamic DNS service password. This may have been the result of a failed security feature. When you go to the DynsDNS settings page, the DVR sends all of the fields to your web browser except for password. When you submit the page and the browser sends your DynDNS settings back to the DVR, unless you have typed in a new DynDNS password, it does not send that field back to the DVR with the rest of your updates. The result is that your DynDNS password is dropped (blanked), which I first saw through a network sniffer (debugging my DynDNS issues) and confirmed when going to the DVR's HDMI (on-screen) interface and seeing that the password field was blank.
I have provided a series of steps to replicate the problem and sniffer output, but their current response is as follows: "For the first issue, please just set it either directly on the DVR or on the web page. If you have input the information of DDNS on the DVR but the password disappears, may I ask for a short video to see the problem again? Not sure if this is a bug for the DDNS. But our higher technicians have tested it and it's normal on our side." I'm not sure what that means, but at least they want a video to further demonstrate it?
ISSUE #2: Cannot connect to DynDNS provider after reboot.
After the DVR has been rebooted, it is unable to connect to the No-IP dynamic DNS service. Its state always seems to be "Connecting..." I have no problems replicating this issue. But when I pulled out the network sniffer, things were a little more strange. The network sniffer showed that it actually was negotiating correctly. And then I stumbled across a crazy manual workaround that's 100% reliable. You can cause the DNS to regularly connect to the Dynamic DNS service (until the next reboot) by performing the following two actions (oddly enough, in either order). And don't get thrown by the similar names here, just more of an unfortunate coincidence.
1. Make a change (any valid change) to the primary DNS SERVER setting, such as: 8.8.4.4 or 8.8.8.8. (Yes, DNS. Not Dynamic DNS or DDNS.)
2. Disable then enable the DYNAMIC DNS service.
Again, the order of events does not matter. But once you perform those two manual actions, the DVR will figure out its public IP address and report that the Dynamic DNS service is working. After carefully explaining the issue (and providing the corresponding network sniffer output), their response is as follows: "According to the feedback of the product manager, DDNS connection is generally related to router setup and DDNS configuration. If the DDNS server is working well, it will be connected to the DVR. But we will keep an eye on further testing in the future. "
So...
After finally upgrading my Q-See system, yes, I think I'm finally seeing the shortcomings of going with 2nd tier names in CCTV products. You don't have to let me know that they don't quite measure up. I'm already there (and willing to take recommendations on replacement Dahua or Hikvision DVRs with similar features). I wanted to share this story to see if anyone else has run into something similar.
DVR SPECS: The Annke DT81DP hybrid DVR is a rebranded Dahua DVR, although I haven't been able to work out the model number. Major specs include 4K@30FPS UltraHD HDMI (TV) output, H.264/H.264+/H.265/H.265+ compression, 8 Analog inputs (CVBS and TVI/AHD/CVI at 720P@30fps through 8MP@5fps) and 4 IP cameras (up to 6MP@10fps). One SATA drive interface.
PROBLEM: Dynamic DNS is unrealiable. The only remaining cost-free Dynamic DNS provider supported was No-IP, which I'm attempting to use. After pulling out a network sniffer to debug my woes, I made two discoveries.
ISSUE #1: The web interface will quietly erase your DynDNS password.
The first issue is that if you update any of your Dynamic DNS settings via the DVR's web interface, it silently drops your Dynamic DNS service password. This may have been the result of a failed security feature. When you go to the DynsDNS settings page, the DVR sends all of the fields to your web browser except for password. When you submit the page and the browser sends your DynDNS settings back to the DVR, unless you have typed in a new DynDNS password, it does not send that field back to the DVR with the rest of your updates. The result is that your DynDNS password is dropped (blanked), which I first saw through a network sniffer (debugging my DynDNS issues) and confirmed when going to the DVR's HDMI (on-screen) interface and seeing that the password field was blank.
I have provided a series of steps to replicate the problem and sniffer output, but their current response is as follows: "For the first issue, please just set it either directly on the DVR or on the web page. If you have input the information of DDNS on the DVR but the password disappears, may I ask for a short video to see the problem again? Not sure if this is a bug for the DDNS. But our higher technicians have tested it and it's normal on our side." I'm not sure what that means, but at least they want a video to further demonstrate it?
ISSUE #2: Cannot connect to DynDNS provider after reboot.
After the DVR has been rebooted, it is unable to connect to the No-IP dynamic DNS service. Its state always seems to be "Connecting..." I have no problems replicating this issue. But when I pulled out the network sniffer, things were a little more strange. The network sniffer showed that it actually was negotiating correctly. And then I stumbled across a crazy manual workaround that's 100% reliable. You can cause the DNS to regularly connect to the Dynamic DNS service (until the next reboot) by performing the following two actions (oddly enough, in either order). And don't get thrown by the similar names here, just more of an unfortunate coincidence.
1. Make a change (any valid change) to the primary DNS SERVER setting, such as: 8.8.4.4 or 8.8.8.8. (Yes, DNS. Not Dynamic DNS or DDNS.)
2. Disable then enable the DYNAMIC DNS service.
Again, the order of events does not matter. But once you perform those two manual actions, the DVR will figure out its public IP address and report that the Dynamic DNS service is working. After carefully explaining the issue (and providing the corresponding network sniffer output), their response is as follows: "According to the feedback of the product manager, DDNS connection is generally related to router setup and DDNS configuration. If the DDNS server is working well, it will be connected to the DVR. But we will keep an eye on further testing in the future. "
So...
After finally upgrading my Q-See system, yes, I think I'm finally seeing the shortcomings of going with 2nd tier names in CCTV products. You don't have to let me know that they don't quite measure up. I'm already there (and willing to take recommendations on replacement Dahua or Hikvision DVRs with similar features). I wanted to share this story to see if anyone else has run into something similar.
