Dahua Web plugin has stopped working in Firefox

[Dave Lonsdale]

Firefox has just updated to v52 with better security. Now it complains about insecure passwords but the big problem is it asks for the plugin to be reinstalled but ignores having done it. So no video.
IE is unusable on my PC - the video window doesn't fit (previous post).
For playback from SD cards, SPSS does not show IVS events when motion is already triggered.
Solution please?

 

[Mike]

Here's some info PSA: Firefox and Hikvision Web Component

 

[alastairstevenson]

IE is unusable on my PC - the video window doesn't fit (previous post).

Check if you have the screen zoom set to something other than 100%

 

[AlexM]

Firefox 52 How To Re-Enable NPAPI Plugin Support

 

[Dave Lonsdale]

Many thanks guys for your help. Unfortunately I failed to get the 32 bit Firefox to play ball (my IT skills are limited) but have found success from Mike's link that introduced me to Pale Moon that I am very happy to use instead.

By the way Alastair, the problem with IE is not a simple zoom thing and would need somebody more clever than me to fix it. I did also notice from Mike's link that I'm not the only one to have that problem.

 

[Bryan]

I had the same problem..but found even though I could not view the video on my laptop because the plugin would not install, I could still make changes to the camera settings. I just watched the picture changes on my NVR monitor.

 

[Gregw!]

Easy fix! Thanks for finding this!

 

[mm4games]

I watch the video and found it like text instruction better I think combine the video showing how to enter the "about:config" and right click to add a new->boolean string ""plugin.load_flash_only" with value to "false" that I found in the following link is easier for me, hope this also help others.

How To Re-Enable NPAPI Plugin Support (i.e. Java) in Firefox 52 - OMG! Ubuntu!

 

[Frank van der Heide]

Received firefox update 55 today and now my image from my Dahua PTZ is not viewable anymore. Anyone who has experienced this also and has a solution? Help would be very much appreciated.

 

[MikeGutmann]

We had the problem that is addressed here: Previously working plug-ins for the Dahua WebService (used with both NVR and IP Camera access) stopped working due to the discontinued support for NPAPI, which is apparently an old NetScape Java API (?) that has security issues, and so support for it was removed, first in Chrome, then Firefox. While the less well-known browser PaleMoon was able to run the Dahua Webservice, it also began failing very recently (in August 2017).

I tried EVERYTHING described here, including the Firefox about:config plugin.load_flash_only addition; but nothing worked. When I contacted Dahua USA Sales and Support, they were not able to help me, either. (Something about not being able to verify my camera purchase as a valid Dahua North American purchase, and so support from their office was not possible.)

Anyway, the work-around/fix is easy and is available in Chrome.

By adding something called an "IE Tab Extension" to Chrome everything works. And one doesn't need to use Firefox, PaleMoon or one of the other browsers.

See: How to enable Java in all the major web browsers | Digital Citizen

This will be a fix for the Dahua community that is struggling with Dahua WebService browser plug-in issue. Again, I've found it works very well.

Let me know if you'd like more information. I know I really pulled my hair out on this one trying to get things to work.

--Mike Gutmann

 

[Frank van der Heide]

We had the problem that is addressed here: Previously working plug-ins for the Dahua WebService (used with both NVR and IP Camera access) stopped working due to the discontinued support for NPAPI, which is apparently an old NetScape Java API (?) that has security issues, and so support for it was removed, first in Chrome, then Firefox. While the less well-known browser PaleMoon was able to run the Dahua Webservice, it also began failing very recently (in August 2017).

I tried EVERYTHING described here, including the Firefox about:config plugin.load_flash_only addition; but nothing worked. When I contacted Dahua USA Sales and Support, they were not able to help me, either. (Something about not being able to verify my camera purchase as a valid Dahua North American purchase, and so support from their office was not possible.)

Anyway, the work-around/fix is easy and is available in Chrome.

By adding something called an "IE Tab Extension" to Chrome everything works. And one doesn't need to use Firefox, PaleMoon or one of the other browsers.

See: How to enable Java in all the major web browsers | Digital Citizen

This will be a fix for the Dahua community that is struggling with Dahua WebService browser plug-in issue. Again, I've found it works very well.

Let me know if you'd like more information. I know I really pulled my hair out on this one trying to get things to work.

--Mike Gutmann

Thanks Mike, this worked for me. Really appreciate your help!

 

[RafflesNH]

We had the problem that is addressed here: Previously working plug-ins for the Dahua WebService (used with both NVR and IP Camera access) stopped working due to the discontinued support for NPAPI, which is apparently an old NetScape Java API (?) that has security issues, and so support for it was removed, first in Chrome, then Firefox. While the less well-known browser PaleMoon was able to run the Dahua Webservice, it also began failing very recently (in August 2017).

I tried EVERYTHING described here, including the Firefox about:config plugin.load_flash_only addition; but nothing worked. When I contacted Dahua USA Sales and Support, they were not able to help me, either. (Something about not being able to verify my camera purchase as a valid Dahua North American purchase, and so support from their office was not possible.)

Anyway, the work-around/fix is easy and is available in Chrome.

By adding something called an "IE Tab Extension" to Chrome everything works. And one doesn't need to use Firefox, PaleMoon or one of the other browsers.

See: How to enable Java in all the major web browsers | Digital Citizen

This will be a fix for the Dahua community that is struggling with Dahua WebService browser plug-in issue. Again, I've found it works very well.

Let me know if you'd like more information. I know I really pulled my hair out on this one trying to get things to work.

--Mike Gutmann

Mike, have you tried the ONVIF Device Manager (ODM)?

ONVIF Device Manager

Looks and works very similar to the Chrome/IE Web Service plugins and no need for a browser.
IPCamtalk thread here too:
Onvif Device Manager v2.2.250

Nigel

 

[GaryOkie]

I am trying to access StarLight camera's Setup page to define motion sensing areas, but am having a lot of trouble with browser compatibility.

I followed Nigel's advice here and tried ONVIF Device Manager (ODM), and it works great for streaming video directly. Does ODM have a means of configuring motion sensing areas? It has an "Analytics" section for creating "myCellMotion" but errors with "schema: CellLayout Missing", so not sure if it has this capability or not. I also tried to access the camera's web page directly with ODM and it either craps out with an IE index.js script error, or no live image appears in the AREA window to define the motion detection blocks. (The windows and text are also tiny on a high-res display and really hard to use).

When using FireFox, and after installing the required webplugin, FireFox continues to prompt to install it and thus I can never get a live image using FF. As discussed here, that appears to be due to it no longer being supported.

When using Chrome, I can use the deprecated but still usable (for now) NACI plugin, which displays and scales the live image perfectly. However, it is extremely difficult to select the motion sensing blocks since the mouse pointer is several blocks down and to the right of where the clicks are activated. This problem also makes it impossible to activate the right and lower sections of the image for motion detection.

I also tried Mike's advice to use the Chrome IE Tab extension, and while it worked fine to display a live image, it also craps out withe IE script errors when accessing the Setup tab.

When using IE11, I can properly select the motion blocks in the live image if I am lucky to have the full image displayed and not off the screen. The image is also positioned outside the intended window and obscures the SAVE button, so impossible to click it to save. By changing screen resolutions and resizing windows, I can sometimes just barely get a piece of the SAVE button to click, so this has been my only means of configuring areas. What a pain.

Any advice? (other than BlueIris)

Thanks!

 

[Frank van der Heide]

Solution: Firefox Extended Support Release FAQ

Install the ESR version and all functions of firefox work again. I use it with my Dahua cams and all is well.

 

[GaryOkie]

Thanks Frank! I just installed the ESR version, reinstalled the plugin, restarted FF and still no luck getting FF to recognize the plugin was installed. When checking FF's Add-ons Manager, there are 2 default plugins installed (OpenH264 Codec and a decryption module) but no webplugin.

I of course execute webplugin.exe after downloading and assume that would install the plugin, but apparently that's not sufficient. I see in add-on manager a means of installing a plugin by browsing for (*.xpi, jar, zip), but it sure isn't obvious what/where this is. All I can tell is this webplugin.exe installs several dll's in Windows that FF-RTS isn't recognizing after restarting as it just continues to prompt to download it again.

 

[Frank van der Heide]

Thanks Frank! I just installed the ESR version, reinstalled the plugin, restarted FF and still no luck getting FF to recognize the plugin was installed. When checking FF's Add-ons Manager, there are 2 default plugins installed (OpenH264 Codec and a decryption module) but no webplugin.

I of course execute webplugin.exe after downloading and assume that would install the plugin, but apparently that's not sufficient. I see in add-on manager a means of installing a plugin by browsing for (*.xpi, jar, zip), but it sure isn't obvious what/where this is. All I can tell is this webplugin.exe installs several dll's in Windows that FF-RTS isn't recognizing after restarting as it just continues to prompt to download it again.

Try this:

1. Install the plug in first.
2. Open a blank page of Firefox and input about:config (where you normally type the web address)

3 Press Enter. Click on the, “I Accept the Risk” Button.

4. You will then be in the plugin section of Firefox.
Right click, then go to NEW from the dropdown list. You will have 3 options to choice from, you will need to select Boolean. Once you have done that, you will need to type the plugin name:
plugin.load_flash_only


Click OK and choose “false” for the VALUE.

5. Exit firefox and reload the DVR/NVR web interface to 'accept' to run the plugin at the top of the page.

 

[GaryOkie]

Thanks again Frank for all your help. Unfortunately, I am still getting prompted by FireFox-ESR to download/install the plugin again. I never get the option to 'accept' it to run. Please note that I was trying to access each StartLight camera's web page directly to configure video detection, not the NVR's web page.

I now see that the NVR web interface provides the same configuration options as the camera, so have been focusing on getting that to work. I am seeing the same problem with FF-ESR accessing NVR5208 interface - no luck at all getting it to run the plugin.

I then tried the other browsers accessing the NVR web UI and found that the Chrome IE Tab extension is working pretty well. Interestingly, it does not exhibit the same script error problems as using IE11 directly or accessing the camera's directly.

So while it is still a goofy hack to have to use Chrome with IE and ActiveX underneath, I do have a workable solution now for configuring the cameras via my NVR5208.

 

[randyth]

Thanks again Frank for all your help. Unfortunately, I am still getting prompted by FireFox-ESR to download/install the plugin again. I never get the option to 'accept' it to run. Please note that I was trying to access each StartLight camera's web page directly to configure video detection, not the NVR's web page.

I now see that the NVR web interface provides the same configuration options as the camera, so have been focusing on getting that to work. I am seeing the same problem with FF-ESR accessing NVR5208 interface - no luck at all getting it to run the plugin.

I then tried the other browsers accessing the NVR web UI and found that the Chrome IE Tab extension is working pretty well. Interestingly, it does not exhibit the same script error problems as using IE11 directly or accessing the camera's directly.

So while it is still a goofy hack to have to use Chrome with IE and ActiveX underneath, I do have a workable solution now for configuring the cameras via my NVR5208.

I couldn't get the dahua cam webpage working with the latest ESR version (version 52) aswell (I got the exact same behaviour as GaryOkie).
In the end I just installed an older ESR version (from Directory Listing: /pub/firefox/releases/ ) and disabled automatic updates. The dahua page is working fine now with video. But please note to only use this old version for loading internal pages as this version is very unsafe for internet surfing!

 

[looney2ns]

Chrome works just fine with IE-TAB plugin installed.

 

[Carver]

@randyth: What older ESR version do you use? Or, could you post a deep link please? Thanks