I need some help with the time stamps on my cameras

[Rhody96]

Hi,

My BI camera times keep changing. I have used the Dahua config tool to find my cameras and sync to the correct time (see below). This works, but it always reverts back to incorrect times (i.e. like AM vs. PM, etc.). Any better options to fix the times and keep them from changing? Thanks for the help, Roger

 

[SouthernYankee]

Eastern US time zone is GMT-5.

You also need to set up a time server on your network on a PC Have the cameras use that server. So the cameras are blocked for the internet access completely.

 

[crw030]

To expand on SouthernYankees good advice, you will need to login to the cameras individually after you setup a time service on a machine on your network (Blue Iris machine is obvious choice), so they connect to that server to keep their time updated.

 

[Q™]

1. Login to each camera and set each cameras NTP Server setting to the IP address of your Blue Iris server. Set "NTP Port" to “123” and "Interval" as desired.
2. Install (and test) the (free) “NetTime" time server utility on your Blue Iris Server: NetTime - Network Time Synchronization Tool
3. Open UDP port 123 on your Windows Fire Wall (forgot if it’s incoming or outgoing port...open both)

Problem solved!

 

[Rhody96]

Thank you all!!!

 

[davej]

Can't seem to get port open. Is this UDP?

 

[jmhmcse]

Many firewalls will have "known" ports identified with an enable/disable option. Rather than adding the port directly, check and see if you can find an existing entry for "Network Time Port 123".

If not, then need to enable (allow) port 123 UDP inbound and port 123 UDP outbound on the time server.

 

[davej]

I can't get this (NetTime) to work. Are you sure it is a server and not just a client? And as a server it will service multiple ports? My Hikvision cameras have a NTP test button, and they say the test fails.

 

[jmhmcse]

I've set up Windows Time as my time server and don't have direct experience with NetTime. From the SourceForge site for NetTime there is mention to enable the option to "Allow other computers to sync to this computer". Without this selected, NetTime only syncs time for the server it is installed on with pool.ntp.org servers.

What tests, and results, have you performed? A few things to try.....

To confirm that NetTime is started and running, open a Command Prompt (CMD) and enter

netstat -ano
​

Within the list that follows, you should find entries that look like

UDP 0.0.0.0:123 *:* #####
UDP [::]:123 *:* #####​

UDP - protocol
0.0.0.0 - ipv4
[::] - ipv6
##### - is the pid number of the process which has port 123 open.

To confirm that NetTime is sourcing and setting the server time correctly, change the local time on the BI/NetTime server off five minutes then force a sync to see the time updated correctly.

To confirm that NetTime is acting as a time server, log onto another system (windows, camera, unix, etc) and define its time source as the IP address of the BI/NetTime server. Force an update on that system.

Along the way, check log files for error messages; e.g. windows log, nettime log, firewall log, etc. The more detailed information provided, the more likely the problem can be identified/corrected.

 

[Q™]

I can't get this (NetTime) to work. Are you sure it is a server and not just a client? And as a server it will service multiple ports? My Hikvision cameras have a NTP test button, and they say the test fails.

Come on @davej...how about a better description of what you've done at this point in time and the problem that your experiencing?

• Is the Windows OS "NetTime" service "running"?
• What time servers have you specifien in NetTime > Settings?
• Have you opened UPD Port 123 Ingoing & Outgoing in your firewall?
• When you press the "Update Now" button in the NetTime utility does NetTime report that "Time is Synchronized?

 

[davej]

Oh heck, it was just that checkbox. Duh.

 

[Q™]

Oh heck, it was just that checkbox. Duh.

Dave, that is very rude: in the future other members may have the same problem as you, and if you explain how you fixed your problem it may help them fix their problem.

 

[davej]

No, I mean it was that darn "Allow other computers to sync to this computer" checkbox. That was the problem.