Dahua NVR won't save camera (passwords) after reboot

feller42

n3wb
Aug 3, 2019
3
0
Denmark
Hi,

I have some problems with setting up my Dahua NVR with my 4 Dahua IP cameras.

Each time I use the Remote Search function, the NVR auto adds all my cameras (sometimes it even adds the same camera multiple times). It seems like it tries to login to each of the cameras using admin/admin, but when i initialize the cameras, I was forced to change the password, using at least 8 characters. To avoid the NVR from locking the admin account, I have created a new account (called nvr) on each of the cameras.

When I change the username and password on any of the auto added cameras, it seems to work okay, but when i refresh or go to the live view, the NVR have reset the username and password to the admin account.
The same thing happens if I add the cameras manually.

I have tried to use the SmartPSS software from Dahua, to control the NVR. Here I'm able to add the cameras manually, using the "nvr" account and live view them - they all work perfectly. But when i reboot the NVR (either using the Maintenance feature or by removing the power cord) it forgets the logins and reverts back to the admin account.

Please see this video where I have added all four cameras manually, using the SmartPSS software. They are setup using the "nvr" account on each camera and they are all displaying the video feed, but when I reboot the NVR, they reset back to "admin" account:



Have anyone had the same problems and how did you solve them? Is the NVR broken?

Thank you very much.

Some more info:

I have the following:
  • 1x Dahua NVR (DHI-NVR4104-P)
  • 4x Dahua IPC - HDW4431EM-ASE
The NVR and all 4 cameras have been initalized and I have created a new admin account on all 5 devices, called "nvr" with the same password.

The 4 cameras are connected to the NVR using CAT6 cables and are powered by PoE from the NVR.
The NVR switch is setup to use the 10.1.1.xxx subnet and the NVR is attached to my router, which is in the 192.168.1.xxx subnet.
Each camera has been assigned a static IP (10.1.1.66-69).
 
I have tried to update the firmware of the NVR (the camera firmware are already the newest version).
I downloaded the firmware file from here: https://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/productDetail/8241, extracted the RAR file and uploaded the bin file under Upgrade, when logging into the NVR.
It starts by uploading the bin file, but then it displays an error "Connection is time out". I guess it means the connection timed out. I have no idear why it does this.
I also tried to update it from an USB, using a mouse and keyboard and a HDMI screen and i tried to upgrade it using SmartPSS software. Same result..

Any idear why i can't upgrade the firmware?

Thanks.
 
I have tried to update the firmware of the NVR (the camera firmware are already the newest version).
I downloaded the firmware file from here: https://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/productDetail/8241, extracted the RAR file and uploaded the bin file under Upgrade, when logging into the NVR.
It starts by uploading the bin file, but then it displays an error "Connection is time out". I guess it means the connection timed out. I have no idear why it does this.
I also tried to update it from an USB, using a mouse and keyboard and a HDMI screen and i tried to upgrade it using SmartPSS software. Same result..

Any idear why i can't upgrade the firmware?

Thanks.

Set the cameras back to factory defaults. Also, Set the NVR back to factory defaults.
Start NVR and go through it's setup. Do not plug in cameras into NVR until after you have setup the NVR fresh.
After You have setup the NVR, now plug in ONE camera at a time into the NVR, do NOT initialize them first.
Wait at least 5 minutes to see if the cam appears on screen.
Then plug in the 2nd camera and repeat.
 
Set the cameras back to factory defaults. Also, Set the NVR back to factory defaults.
Start NVR and go through it's setup. Do not plug in cameras into NVR until after you have setup the NVR fresh.
After You have setup the NVR, now plug in ONE camera at a time into the NVR, do NOT initialize them first.
Wait at least 5 minutes to see if the cam appears on screen.
Then plug in the 2nd camera and repeat.

Hi looney2ns, thank you for your reply. I finally got the time to take a look at it and try your approach. Unforntunately it still does not work.

I did the following:
  1. Removed all cameras from the NVR
  2. Factory reset the NVR
  3. Factory reset each camera, by attaching it to my router (without the NVR)
  4. Connected the NVR and my router and booted the NVR. Changed the admin password (was forced to this), by logging in using my browser
  5. Set the time correctly on the NVR
  6. Attached one camera to the NVR. Waited 5 minutes
  7. The camera appeared under Remotes, but it can't connect. I think it is trying with the wrong password and therefore locking the account on the camera
  8. The single camera appears two times in the list of remotes, if i delete the camera in the bottom panel, from the list of connected remotes, it reappears if i click "Refresh"
Here is a screenshot of the view:
upload_2019-10-5_12-5-11.png

Do you have any idear what is wrong and do you have any other suggestions, that I can try?

Thank you
 
Hi looney2ns, thank you for your reply. I finally got the time to take a look at it and try your approach. Unforntunately it still does not work.

I did the following:
  1. Removed all cameras from the NVR
  2. Factory reset the NVR
  3. Factory reset each camera, by attaching it to my router (without the NVR)
  4. Connected the NVR and my router and booted the NVR. Changed the admin password (was forced to this), by logging in using my browser
  5. Set the time correctly on the NVR
  6. Attached one camera to the NVR. Waited 5 minutes
  7. The camera appeared under Remotes, but it can't connect. I think it is trying with the wrong password and therefore locking the account on the camera
  8. The single camera appears two times in the list of remotes, if i delete the camera in the bottom panel, from the list of connected remotes, it reappears if i click "Refresh"
Here is a screenshot of the view:
View attachment 48498

Do you have any idear what is wrong and do you have any other suggestions, that I can try?

Thank you
Ok, didn't realize your NVR was an older model.
Maybe try this:
Attach computer monitor to the NVR.
Open the NVR gui directly in the NVR.
Delete the camera from the NVR.
Plug one camera into the POE port on the back of the NVR.
Right click on the screen and select smart add.

If that doesn't work, then see if this section of the wiki helps.
IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes | IP Cam Talk