Dense persons guide to the Dahua IPC-HDW5231R-Z

Hirize

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
36
Reaction score
17
I have had a tough time starting out with the whole IP camera thing.
So much of the information on this forum is just a single degree past the noob like me that it was difficult to grasp much of the stuff talked about or understanding how it worked and because of that I decided to make the following guide for the total noob / dense person / old guys / I really don't want to become an expert on this also...... type of people!

Written 10-2017 and I will add as I go along.

A) First off this is a great camera, easy to install and set-up if you know the tricks.
B) I do not use a NVR so nothing here about that, might save you some reading.
C) I have 5 cameras purchased through Andy at Empire. Good deal fast shipping if he has them in stock.
D) Out of 5 cameras 2 are for live viewing only and 3 have a MicroSD card to record motion detection events plus live viewing.


1) You do not 'need' anything else to mount it onto a flat wood surface. It has plastic anchors included for drywall / siding. I mounted on wood so never used them. I also mounted a few on angled siding and it does not matter because of how you can angle the camera.
2) If you want to cover all the wire connections to be super neat then a junction box of some kind would work. I have not studied what Dahua offers. The ethernet connection comes with a waterproof connection which is pretty neat!
3) I used the POE (Power Over Ethernet) but there is a power connection cable which 'y's off the main cable coming off the camera. Do the POE sooooo simple!!
4) I have 5 cameras and some other ethernet cables in an electric connection cabinet so I purchased this POE switch.
If you do not need so many POE connections there are many with 4 POE connections. I plugged this in connected to my router, connected first camera and it worked, done, finished. Nothing else to do with the switch.
5) I upgraded my router so I would have one that acted as a VPN server. Got the Netgear AC1900 Nighthawk Model R7000. Have not at this point setup the VPN so will add info after doing it. Pretty much left the settings as they were out of the box but I did change the password, sort of a must do thing, never leave a factory installed password on a router!

Steps and tips

Tip 1) If you want to record to the camera itself you must install a microsd card inside the camera body. Nayr has pics detailing all this here. Nayr does great on all this so check out his pics.

Tip 2) Get a microsd card made for this, I used a Lexar 64GB. I'm not recording vids just snapshots so even a 32 GB would work for me but I did make sure it was made for rewriting but don't ask me how long it will last me I have no idea how many rewrites, I'll switch them out when they die.
Install the microsd card before mounting the camera. Use a #2 size phillips head screwdriver. It seems like a smaller one would work better but the heads of the screws fit tight with a #2, smaller slips and could strip the head. The #2 is your most common size screwdriver.

INSTALLING

1) The camrea comes with a base plate attached. This you take off and install on whatever surface you want to place the camera. I suggest predrilling holes in wood for the screws. When you mount it I found you needed to install one screw then drill the second hole and start the second screw just so it catches firm. Now loosen the first most of the way out. Hold the plate out and slip the wires under the plate so they come out and match where the slot is for the wire. Now tighten the frist and second screw. The camera will hang from the bracket just fine while you install the thrid screw. Draw the wire out through the slot as you put the camrea body in place. Put the case over the camera body. You need to put the side opposite the set screw on first at an angle then wiggle the camera body to latch it correctly, then push the side with the set screw down to seat and tighten the set screw.

2) If you are installing the ends on the ethernet cable you need to remember to install the waterproof housing supplied with the camera first then install the ethernet clip end. (Guess how I figured this out) If you have cables already made up with the end connectors you cannot put the waterproof connection on so plan ahead and make the cable ends yourself. If course using a waterproof junction box negates the need for this.

3) Once you have it mounted you can connect the ethernet cable.

NOTE: I connected one camera at a time so as not to get conflicting IP addresses because all the cameras come loaded with the same IP address. (I found one with a different IP??? Go figure!)
NOTE 2: Before plugging in the camera check in your router to make sure the cameras initial IP address is not taken by something else. If not, you can do what I did below if it is then use the instructions in the booklet received with the camera.

Setting up the camera via software

1) The camera comes with it's own software. In the instructions it will tell you the IP address of the camera. You can just enter this in your browser.
***(CHANGE 10-6-17: All my instructions are now via the Pale Moon browser, download the X86 version which is actually the 32 bit version)
The browser will show the startup screen and as of now the user name and password is "admin". It will then prompt you to change the password.

2) Once you get in you will have a link message in the window telling you to get the plugin to view the camera picture.
FIRST click on the "Setting" tab and on the left click on "Network" then the "TCP/IP". Change the IP Address to something else which is within the range of IP addresses allowed by your router setup. Good idea to go into your router and check the IP address range and also to see the attached devices so you don't use one already taken.
Click on "Save" and then click on the "Live" tab on the top.

3) NEW 10-6-17: On the "Live" view you will see the notice telling you to get the plugin. Click on this and download the plugin.
NOTE: I had to disable my AV to allow the download. (It told me of malware but it seems OK)
Once downloaded I logged out of the camera software and exited the Pale Moon browser then double clicked on the downloaded file to extract it and install it. It tells you it is installing but nothing ever pops up telling you it succeeded.
*Reactivate your AV!!

4) Restart Pale Moon and type in the ip address for the camera, enter the login info and the live view will show up. (Hopefully!)

5) NOTE: 10-6-17 The camera software with the chrome browser and plugin is buggy as hell!!!! I found the motion detection section had places selected in the Pale Moon browser that were NOT selected in chrome, drove me nutz!! Will add info below on that section.

6) Now that you can see the live view go back and adjust the camera to view what you like.

You have the camera working to see live view but there is so much more.
I will add more tonight along with pics 10-5-17

Added 10-9-17

Here are a few things once I got into the camera software.

1) DATE: Oh boy this caused me issues to view the recorded pics from the motion detection. There is a place shown here to set your time. Mine defaulted to 2000 and then I tried to view pics for the current date......no pics. So remember to set the time.



2) Storage: Like I mentioned above I only send snapshots to the "local" storage in the camera. This is a micro SD card you need to install and then shown here is where you choose to send movies/recordings or snapshots to the SD card.


Then go to "Local" to see the SD Card



TIP: Not sure if just me but I tried to format the card via the camera software and it lost sight of the SD Card afterward. I had to take the card out and re-format it on the computer then reinstall it. After that it showed up again.

I tried the NAS feature to record to a local USB hard drive attached to my router but have not found the correct settings as of yet. Maybe someone else can chime in on this.


3) Motion detection: So to set up capturing snapshots via motion detection is easy once you know a few things. I had a bad time trying to do it in chrome as the plugin was really buggy and then once over to Pale Moon 32 bit everything worked correctly.

Here is the main page for motion detion recording. As I have it setup it will record snapshots only. If you also check off the "Record" box it will record movies. If you check off the "Send Email" box it will send you emails each time it is tripped. I have not done this yet and until I get the motion detection perfected I will not.


When you click on the "Period" "Setting" Box here is what you get.
Once you set this up you need to click "Save" and when you get back to the main screen click "Save" there also.


Setting the motion detection areas is just clicking on the squares you want it to be activated to take the snapshots if something crosses the area. Each "Region" you can choose different squares and different tolerances to activate the snapshot recording. I'm still playing with this and trying to get it so bugs do not activate it. You will need to change things around here a bit to get it dialed in for what you want. I'm about 80% there now and just fine tuning it.


TIP: This messed with my head so remember this one. When done with your settings click "Save" and when back to the main page click "Save" again or it will not save the settings you just made.

4) Path for live snapshots/Recordings: So I have not been able to save the motion detection snapshots to my USB drive attached to the router but I can take live snapshots and have it record to it. That's all I can help you with here :-(



Pete
 
Last edited:

giomania

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Jun 1, 2017
Messages
780
Reaction score
538
The first step should be to disable the internet connection on the PC. Hit the link in my signature for a "tinfoil hat" version of your guide.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

DavidDavid

Getting comfortable
Joined
Jan 29, 2017
Messages
605
Reaction score
267
Location
Ohio
The ethernet connection comes with a waterproof connection which is pretty neat!
I wouldn't trust it though. I thought it would be enough on the last camera I installed (my only one in the direct elements) and water got in and started corroding the cat5e connotation within 2 weeks. I cut that off (didn't see any visible damage to the camera connection thankfully) and used self bonding waterproof tape from harbor freight to Wrap the entire thing up tight. Also threw a piece of metal over top of the camera to protect from rain/sun. Haven't had any problems since.
 

Hirize

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
36
Reaction score
17
bp2008,

So this is one of the problems with us dense people.
You mention using the Palemoon browser because it "supports old NPAPI plugins and can be used to access most cameras".
So I download it, start it up and try to access the camera but no live view and it asks me to click for plug-in. When I click for plug-in my anti virus pops up that the file is infected with malware (AVG).

So how do I do this????? What am I missing??? Remember I'm dense :)

Pete
 

bp2008

Staff member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
12,666
Reaction score
14,006
Location
USA
It isn't infected with malware unless your camera got hacked by someone, and even then it is unlikely. You can either tell AVG to allow it, or not use the plugin.
 

Hirize

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
36
Reaction score
17
So here again I'm only getting bits and pieces.
OK I disabled AVG and downloaded the file, ran the program and it installed, I guess, as it did not ask me anything. How do I open the plug-in? Do I just open it from the windows start menu? It's the same plug-in I used with chrome how does it know to use pale moon once chrome stops supporting it?
Your talking fishing to a man who has never seen water :)
 

bp2008

Staff member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
12,666
Reaction score
14,006
Location
USA
Once the plugin you downloaded from the camera is installed, you should be able to just restart pale moon and connect to the camera again.
 

Hirize

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
36
Reaction score
17
Once the plugin you downloaded from the camera is installed, you should be able to just restart pale moon and connect to the camera again.
Tried this a few times. Even uninstalled the plug-in rebooted and downloaded + installed again.
Go to Pale Moon and still not showing picture, asking for plug-in.
"I" and I mean "Me" is missing something in this equation.
I do not see any toolbar of any kind in Pale Moon to find a place to activate or install plug-in. I'm lost here.

Thanks, Pete
 

bp2008

Staff member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
12,666
Reaction score
14,006
Location
USA
I'm not sure then. I never had any trouble with it on my systems. It even picked up plugins that had been installed before I installed Pale Moon, and they just worked.
 

Hirize

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
36
Reaction score
17
I'm not sure then. I never had any trouble with it on my systems. It even picked up plugins that had been installed before I installed Pale Moon, and they just worked.
The wonderful world of computers!

I can have both browsers closed and open NACL and it works so maybe that is the program and once chrome deletes support it will use Pale Moon. Maybe nobody will ever know! :)
Anyway I'll move on the the rest of the info.
As of today chrome works with NACL.........that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

BTW bp2008 thanks for trying with the help!

Pete
 

Spudz

Young grasshopper
Joined
Dec 6, 2016
Messages
50
Reaction score
16
@Hirize i think this may be your problem...

Did you happen to install the 64bit version of Pale Moon? IIRC it didn't work for me on that version but once uninstalled and then downloaded and installed the 32bit version the plugin worked fine and I could see the live views of the cams.
 

bp2008

Staff member
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
12,666
Reaction score
14,006
Location
USA
Definitely, you want the 32 bit version. I forgot to mention that.

NACL is proprietary to Google and will never work in anyone else's browser.
 

Hirize

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
36
Reaction score
17
@Hirize i think this may be your problem...

Did you happen to install the 64bit version of Pale Moon? IIRC it didn't work for me on that version but once uninstalled and then downloaded and installed the 32bit version the plugin worked fine and I could see the live views of the cams.
AAAAHHHHHH!!! The plot thickens!!
And yes of course I installed the 64 bit as that is the Windows I use. This one I never would have figured out.
How did you stumble upon this??
 

Hirize

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
36
Reaction score
17
Definitely, you want the 32 bit version. I forgot to mention that.

NACL is proprietary to Google and will never work in anyone else's browser.
Bad dog no biscuit! :)
All little bit of info which makes the big picture come together.
 

Hirize

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
36
Reaction score
17
Pale Moon 32 bit WORKS!!!
I ammended the info above for this. It shows on the download page as the X86 version.

Cheers, Pete
 

Hirize

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
36
Reaction score
17
Now I have gotten back to Cali and got the VPN working which took a little while.
I'll post about that within a couple days.
Does work really cool!!!
 

Spudz

Young grasshopper
Joined
Dec 6, 2016
Messages
50
Reaction score
16
Now I have gotten back to Cali and got the VPN working which took a little while.
I'll post about that within a couple days.
Does work really cool!!!
Interested to hear about your VPN experience when you have time..
 

elpanson

n3wb
Joined
Oct 27, 2017
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hirize, thanks for the laymans guide. Sometimes we just want the meat and potatoes of how something works when we come to a forum of chefs!

Question:

I just really need one good camera covering my driveway (2 car driveway about 50 feet from street). Camera will be between garage doors, POE'd to switch connected to second wifi router used as a bridge as it would be in the garage versus running a Ethernet cable to my living room but suggestions are welcomed on this setup.

So, is the IPC-HDW5231R-Z a little overkill for my needs or just right?
 
Top