Dahua NVR and Camera Setup - Best Practice

[10eighty]

Hey guys,

So Noobie here, and with full disclosure, I bought a bunch of stuff and hooked it up figuring I'd learn as I go. Best practice for a guy like me lol.

So I bought an NVR5216-16P-4Ks2E, and a fun combination of @EMPIRETECANDY cameras along with a couple of Amcrest amazon 4K on sale cams (and yes, I realize the chip size is too small for the 4K, but they don't work too bad for under $100)

After some struggling, I got everything up and limping and during this time played around with location, height, lens angles and so forth until I started to figure out what I was really trying to accomplish. So I grabbed another couple of cameras and as I started to add them I realized how botched up everything was.

After spending hours going through this forum it seems to me that there are a couple of different ways of adding cameras to your NVR. I really liked @bigredfish "***PSA for those with a New Dahua NVR with Built-in PoE switch. I had originally used config tool and it was a fight to get camera ip's changed, or changed the ip of my computer to locate the cameras and change them in their web settings. At the end of the day, I got everything working acceptably (barely). But now I am getting ready to add more and I am ready to start over with a clean slate. Factory reset everything and start from scratch. Step 1 if you will.

SO HERE IS THE QUESTION,

All of my network is on the 192.169.2 range. Not sure why, but that's where I'm at. I started factory resetting everything last night and adding cameras carefully following bigredfish's PSA as close as I could with the exception being I was on the 192.168.2, and not the 192.168.1. I was still having troubles getting the cameras to move to the bottom a little bit even after factory reset and when they did they would have an IP of 10.1.1.XX. This would probably work fine, but some of these cameras will be running off a PoE switch and when I pull them from the NVR and put them on the switch i'm not sure they work of the 192.168.2 gateway. After more reading and browsing and poking around I found the "switch" in the network tab which is set to 10.1.1.1 which makes me think that's why the cameras keep entering the bottom row and green. I tried changing the IP address and default gateway to my 192.168.2 thinking that would bring my cameras into the same gateway, but I get an error thats says "Switch IP and device IP cannot exist in the same segment"

At this point, everything is Jacked and I am ready for another fresh start of factory resetting everything. So, is the best practice to follow the "PSA"? Should I just change my Gateway to the 192.168.1? Is there a way to have the switch assign the cameras in my segment so I don't have to change them later in the browser (this always seems to cause problems). Having the NVR sort everything out seems like the best play, but I think I am missing something.

I am thoroughly enjoying this learning process but when you start out with a mistake it will always be lurching in the dark waiting to come getcha LOL


Thanks in Advance, and I really appreciate all the help you guys provide ;-)

 

[bigredfish]

SO a couple of things I'll try and steer you based on my experience.

1- Leave the internal switch as it defaults to 10.1.1.x. This works by assigning cameras plugged directly into the NVR PoE ports to that subnet. Its a security thing. So as you indicated, cameras plugged into those ports will eventually show (correctly) in the bottom pane as Port 1,2,3 etc and IP's of 10.1.1.x. Thats how its supposed to work. The NVR switch cant be on the same segment as your LAN, in your case, 192.168.2.x. Thats by design

If you initially plug the cameras into the NVR ports and later want to plug them into an external switch, simply go into the camera interface itself, and under Network, set the IP to Static, and assign an IP in your 192.168.2.x range, then Save, unplug it from the NVR, and connect it to your external switch. These you will then find in the top pane on the NVR, and you have to manually move them to the bottom pane.

Remember that new or defaulted Dahua cameras will all default to 192.168.1.108. So as your LAN is different, (192.168.2.x) plugging them into the NVR, changing the camera network settings to Static and assigning a 192.168.2.x address while plugged in, is a simple way to get them switched over to your network. You must do this ON THE CAMERA itself. Not via the NVR interface.

You can have a mix of cameras using the NVR PoE ports along with those coming from the external switch.


On the NVR, under network, your gateway would typically be the IP of your router, likely 192.168.2.1

 

[10eighty]

SO a couple of things I'll try and steer you based on my experience.

Thank you for your response @bigredfish, I feel like I know you after going through a million pages of you trying to help another gentleman out lol. I think you checked all the boxes for me. I was finding it dificult/impossible to get the cameras as you had described pulling them off the NVR, I'll give this a whirl and share my experience. Thanks Man

 

[bigredfish]

Glad to help. That old PSA probably needs updating, but the basics remain the same.

There may well be other ways to accomplish what you're trying to do, but without changing your home LAN IP scheme or playing with the network settings on your computer, the steps I show above should work fine.

 

[bigredfish]

OH one more thing, dont forget when changing the cameras for use on an external switch after having been connected to the NVR ports, to set the IP to Static, assign an IP in the 192.168.2.x range, AND assign the gateway to that of your router, (192.168.2.1 probably) before saving and unplugging from the NVR

 

[bigredfish]

Sorry to ramble but just thought of something else obvious that not sure you have worked out or not..

If you plan on running some cameras on an external switch, you would run a cable from the switch to the LAN port of the NVR. Then both the NVR and any camerras you add to the switch will all be on the same 192.168,2.x subnet

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

Also can refer to this video for intial set up.

 

[10eighty]

Sorry to ramble but just thought of something else obvious that not sure you have worked out or not..

If you plan on running some cameras on an external switch, you would run a cable from the switch to the LAN port of the NVR. Then both the NVR and any camerras you add to the switch will all be on the same 192.168,2.x subnet

AHHHHH!!!! Because my house is under remodeling, I have friggin switches everywhere! Like 4 or 5 of them. 2 are Poe and they are the only two I have running cameras. With this advice, I might take a look at my "temporary routing" LOL. Wait, actually, I think I have everything under the 192.168.2 subnet, but thanks for the heads up, I will keep my eye on this and report back.

 

[10eighty]

Also can refer to this video for intial set up.

Thank you @EMPIRETECANDY, I'll keep you guys posted. Cheers,

 

[10eighty]

@bigredfish

Well Update.....

So the PSA process works pretty well. I was able to get most of the 5 cameras to do their own pushing down to the bottom, but one was being difficult even after a factory reset. Given its location (not easy to plug the NVR into) I "forced it" down after finding it on a distant PoE switch. So everything is going good at this point and I have all cameras on the bottom, green, and functioning as they should. Here is the strange part. So one of the cameras was to be plugged into the NVR, and when I unplugged it and plugged it back in to the NVR it would show up in the bottom (Red with my assigned IP) and in the top with a nvr assigned 10.1.1.XX IP. There was a port conflict which I changed ports several times and then the 10.1.1.xx would just keep adding itself to the bottom no matter how many times I deleted it, it would show up in the top and move itself to the bottom. After some time and frustration, I finally decided to just grab another PoE switch and gave it ethernet, and from there out to the camera and NVR separately. Then it quit trying to bring the camera in on a 10.1.1.xx ip and it stayed as my assigned ip. MAN, i sure would love to draw a network map of this to stress out the IT guys . So all cameras are happy (seemingly) and I just have to figure out all the IVS stuff and get it to push to my phone.

I guess this brings up another question. I think I recall you suggesting to set up IVS and SMD on the camera interfaces instead of the NVR or SmartPSS. At one point I had them working somewhat using a missmatch of camera and nvr settings (I was experimenting LOL). So after this entire reset, I only did IVS on two cameras (tripwire) in the web camera settings, nothing is pushing through to the phone anymore. I know it can't be that simple with a smart camera, smart nvr, and a somewhat frustrating DMSS app lol, This subject to I have spent a considerable amount of time browsing, so I thought I'd pick your brain.

Camera List:

			Cam Model
NVR	0​	NVR	NVR5216-16P-4KS2E
Front Door	1​		IPC-T5442T-ZE
Back Yard	2​		IP8M-T2669EW-AI
Little Guy	3​		IPC-T2431T-AS-3.6
Back Patio	4​		IP8M-T2669EW-AI
Fish	5​		IPC-EW5541-AS

P.S., I think after this I will only be buying @EMPIRETECANDY cameras. It's hard when you can get the IP8M-T2669 for under $90 occasionally on Amazon LOL, but I like the continuity of all the same web interfaces. Also, the daytime quality is quite good, and the nighttime isn't too bad once you change a couple settings. I half-ass tried to flash them to andy's firmware like a lot of people had posted but I didn't have any luck except for somehow I didn't brick them

Cheers,

 

[bigredfish]

Glad to see you made progress

On the first part, how did you "assign" an IP to the camera connected to the NVR? The only way to do that would be to edit the network details on the camera itself and set to static. Otherwise, if it was still DHCP and had an IP assigned by the NVR, unplug/plug in, it may have a conflict depending on the order of connecting other cameras, but my experience is if you leave it be for 5m minutes it will sort itself out to a new unused 10.1.1.x IP

On the second question, what do you mean by "not pushing through to the phone..."? You mean you cant see the camera or the events arent pushing notifications? Typically push notifications are sent using P2P set on the NVR. Im no expert of DMSS notifications, losts of threads on it, its simply not consistent. I gave up and use email notifications

 

[wittaj]

@bigredfish

Well Update.....

So the PSA process works pretty well. I was able to get most of the 5 cameras to do their own pushing down to the bottom, but one was being difficult even after a factory reset. Given its location (not easy to plug the NVR into) I "forced it" down after finding it on a distant PoE switch. So everything is going good at this point and I have all cameras on the bottom, green, and functioning as they should. Here is the strange part. So one of the cameras was to be plugged into the NVR, and when I unplugged it and plugged it back in to the NVR it would show up in the bottom (Red with my assigned IP) and in the top with a nvr assigned 10.1.1.XX IP. There was a port conflict which I changed ports several times and then the 10.1.1.xx would just keep adding itself to the bottom no matter how many times I deleted it, it would show up in the top and move itself to the bottom. After some time and frustration, I finally decided to just grab another PoE switch and gave it ethernet, and from there out to the camera and NVR separately. Then it quit trying to bring the camera in on a 10.1.1.xx ip and it stayed as my assigned ip. MAN, i sure would love to draw a network map of this to stress out the IT guys . So all cameras are happy (seemingly) and I just have to figure out all the IVS stuff and get it to push to my phone.

I guess this brings up another question. I think I recall you suggesting to set up IVS and SMD on the camera interfaces instead of the NVR or SmartPSS. At one point I had them working somewhat using a missmatch of camera and nvr settings (I was experimenting LOL). So after this entire reset, I only did IVS on two cameras (tripwire) in the web camera settings, nothing is pushing through to the phone anymore. I know it can't be that simple with a smart camera, smart nvr, and a somewhat frustrating DMSS app lol, This subject to I have spent a considerable amount of time browsing, so I thought I'd pick your brain.

Camera List:

			Cam Model
NVR	0​	NVR	NVR5216-16P-4KS2E
Front Door	1​		IPC-T5442T-ZE
Back Yard	2​		IP8M-T2669EW-AI
Little Guy	3​		IPC-T2431T-AS-3.6
Back Patio	4​		IP8M-T2669EW-AI
Fish	5​		IPC-EW5541-AS

P.S., I think after this I will only be buying @EMPIRETECANDY cameras. It's hard when you can get the IP8M-T2669 for under $90 occasionally on Amazon LOL, but I like the continuity of all the same web interfaces. Also, the daytime quality is quite good, and the nighttime isn't too bad once you change a couple settings. I half-ass tried to flash them to andy's firmware like a lot of people had posted but I didn't have any luck except for somehow I didn't brick them




Cheers,

Make sure you reboot the NVR after you make the changes then go into the app and set up the notifications. Doesn't mean it will fix it, but sometimes it needs the reboot to have the NVR pull the new info from the camera.

 

[10eighty]

Glad to see you made progress

On the first part, how did you "assign" an IP to the camera connected to the NVR? The only way to do that would be to edit the network details on the camera itself and set to static. Otherwise, if it was still DHCP and had an IP assigned by the NVR, unplug/plug in, it may have a conflict depending on the order of connecting other cameras, but my experience is if you leave it be for 5m minutes it will sort itself out to a new unused 10.1.1.x IP

Oh man, so this was after midnight and I may or may not have been a few beers in, but I want to say that unplugged the camera, rebooted the nvr. As I mentioned I took ethernet to a switch and out of the switch to the NVR and Cam. It showed up on the top pane with the 10.1.1.xx and I'm pretty sure I selected it and did a "manual add" from the top to bottom which allowed me to change the IP. I know this isn't the advised way, but it was late, it worked, and at some point the NVR will be in a media cabinet with all its RJ45 buddies. LOL

 

[bigredfish]

Cool.
The beer is probably where you went wrong I’ve found bourbon to be more surveillance system friendly

 

[10eighty]

On the second question, what do you mean by "not pushing through to the phone..."? You mean you cant see the camera or the events arent pushing notifications? Typically push notifications are sent using P2P set on the NVR. Im no expert of DMSS notifications, losts of threads on it, its simply not consistent. I gave up and use email notifications

Yeah, actually I have a couple of weird things going on that are new. By pushing through, I mean I get a push notification on my phone, which strangely enough are showing up on my front door camera, but not the back patio. 2ndly I am no longer getting live feed from cellular data, keeps timing out. I'll play with it and see what I can figure out.

TOTALLY AGREED on the "simply not consistent"

Anyway, hope this clears that up, and thank you for the advice on the setup and especially the reboot, I always forget how much that helps.

Cheers,

 

[10eighty]

Cool.
The beer is probably where you went wrong I’ve found bourbon to be more surveillance system friendly

HA HA HA!!!! You know, I would have probably gone down that road, but I knew I was going to be terminating some RJ45's and from previous experience, A few glasses of bourbon, cat6, and rj45's just don't mix .

 

[versitron]

When setting up a Dahua NVR and camera system, it's important to follow best practices for optimal performance and security. Here's a guide to help you through the process:

1. Choose Compatible Devices: Ensure that the Dahua NVR model you select is compatible with the Dahua cameras you plan to use. Refer to the product specifications and documentation for compatibility details.
2. Firmware Updates: Before installation, check for firmware updates for both the NVR and cameras. Keeping the firmware up to date helps address security vulnerabilities and ensures compatibility with the latest features.
3. Physical Installation: Mount the cameras in strategic locations for optimal coverage, taking into consideration factors such as field of view, lighting conditions, and potential obstructions. Ensure a secure and weatherproof installation for outdoor cameras.
4. Power Supply: Provide stable power to both the NVR and cameras. Consider using uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) to prevent data loss in case of power outages and to ensure continuous operation.
5. Network Configuration: Connect the NVR to your local network using a reliable and secure Ethernet connection. Configure the NVR's IP settings and ensure it has a unique static IP address on your network.
6. Camera Configuration: Access each camera's interface to configure settings such as resolution, frame rate, and motion detection. Set strong and unique passwords for each camera to enhance security.
7. NVR Configuration: Access the NVR's interface and configure recording settings, storage allocation, and network settings. Adjust motion detection settings and set up alerts for real-time notifications.
8. Remote Access: If you require remote monitoring, configure remote access settings on the NVR. Use secure methods such as Virtual Private Network (VPN) or HTTPS to protect the connection.
9. User Authentication: Implement strong authentication practices. Change default usernames and passwords on both the NVR and cameras to prevent unauthorized access.
10. Regular Maintenance: Schedule regular maintenance checks to ensure the system's functionality. Monitor firmware updates and security bulletins from Dahua to stay informed about potential vulnerabilities.

 

[wittaj]

^ got BOT

 

[Tic]

I would put Firmware Updates last...”if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”…is the best practice.

 

[Mluck0315]

I have about a dozen Dahua cams and a Blue Iris NVR. Been working swimmingly for years. Recently we had a brief power outage (gotta love ComEd). Afterwards one of the cameras came back online with an IP address (192.168.1.251) outside of my DHCP range (10.0.0.X). All the other cameras recovered as I would expect. I tried the config tool, but it doesn't find my rogue cam because I imagine it's not 192.168.1.108. All my cameras, including the offender, had static IP reservations. And I'm not sure how to access the camera directly to change the IP address statically. I've tried rebooting and restarting the camera. No change. I've tried manualing re-adding it through the config tool. No joy there either. I even tried changing my Windows PC to a static address in the 192.168.1.X range and then access to the camera through a browser, but that didn't work either.

Any ideas? I'm really stuck.