Im having issues with setting up camera/network system

[m4gnum]

Hi. I am am upgrading my house with Cat6 cable and security camera. I purchased these BV-Tech 6 Port PoE+ Switch. For managed switch I have this NETGEAR 8-Port GS908E. I am using Blue Iris on a Dell Optiplex.
Here is a diagram:

I bought few Dahua and Amcrest cameras and I am having some trouble with getting everything to work. Camera is connected to a PoE swtich, the switch is connected to a managed switch, the managed switch is plugged in to a router. Blue Iris PC is also connected to managed switch. Dahua config tool finds the camera but I am unable to initialize it. I also tried to find it through tinyCam app and it also finds the camera but cannot connect to it. Should I make any changes in my network? How should I get it to work?

Thank you

 

[catcamstar]

Hi @m4gnum! Great post, and nice diagram! This does help! However I'm lacking some bits and pieces, more importantly the networking addressing part: which internal subnet&gateway are you using (I suspect it's "managed" by the router). Are you using vlans? Where are you running ConfigTool on (I suspect BI pc)?

In theory, (POE) switches are "transparant" to your network devices unless you created vlans. Routers (especially with NAT) do fancy issues when not properly configured. Especially in a vlan-based configuration, you do need routing between your vlans (if you want that off course).

Hence your symptoms are vague: IF configtool finds the cam, THEN network-wise, it did see it (and could query information from it). This eliminates a wrongly setup vlan, then you shouldn't be seeing it at all. Therefor my question for additional TCP information & vlan setup.

My suggestion: device initialisation is a "once of a lifetime": if possible, plugin a laptop/bi-pc directly into the POE switch where your brand new cam is connected to. By doing so, you eliminate all networking interference. Push the correct IP address in it, and THEN start with another cam.

Good luck!
CC

 

[m4gnum]

which internal subnet&gateway are you using (I suspect it's "managed" by the router). Are you using vlans? Where are you running ConfigTool on (I suspect BI pc)?

I am a newbie in networking. I did not make any changes to it.

I am not using vlan.

I tried to run ConfigTool on both, laptop (connected to the router) and PC with BI (connected to managed switch)

My suggestion: device initialisation is a "once of a lifetime": if possible, plugin a laptop/bi-pc directly into the POE switch where your brand new cam is connected to. By doing so, you eliminate all networking interference. Push the correct IP address in it, and THEN start with another cam.

This would be hard because I have both PoE switch hidden below the attic, one in the garage and second one in a tiny closet space.

 

[catcamstar]

OK, can you tell us which subnet you're using internally (192.168.x.x I suspect). What is the IP of your BI pc (with the configtool)? Is it possible there is (already) another device with the default camera IP (ending on 108) in your network?

 

[m4gnum]

The Blue Iris PC IP is 192.168.0.193 and the subnet is 255.255.255.0
There are no devices using 162.168.1.108

I just connected Amcrect cameras and all work fine, Config Tool found them and I was able to set them up and change the IP without any problems. So Dahua cameras are the only ones that do not work, I purchased them from Andy. What could be the issue?

Edit. I just connected the Dahua camera and my network does not even find it right now.
Edit2.
I removed the camera plate and pressed the reset button for few seconds. Now the Config Tool does see the camera and I was able to initialize it and change the IP. However, I am not able to access my IP link and I am getting an error in tinyCam and Blue Iris.
I also installed SmartPSS and added the camera but the status is showing as Offline(Can not find network host)

 

[SouthernYankee]

The Dahua cameras when new have an IP address of 192.168.1.108. use the config tool with the correct address range. Only have one new dahua camera on the network at a time, until you fix the ip addresses.

 

[m4gnum]

The Dahua cameras when new have an IP address of 192.168.1.108. use the config tool with the correct address range. Only have one new dahua camera on the network at a time, until you fix the ip addresses.

I've tried with several different IP's, 192.168.1.108 as well, but still couldn't get it to work

 

[fenderman]

I've tried with several different IP's, 192.168.1.108 as well, but still couldn't get it to work

you wont be able to connect to the camera because your router is operating under a different subnet (this is different than the subnet mask). Your current setup only allows your pc to see devices that have address of 192.168.0.xxx where xxx is 1-254. Your camera is at 192.168.1.108. You should be able to use the config tool to change it. If you cant, there are several threads that explain how to change your ipv4 address on your pc temporarily to connect to your camera. You would connect only the pc and the camera to a switch, no router or anything else.

 

[Broachoski]

My simple procedure for new uninitialized cameras:
My entire home network runs on static IP's withing 10.0.0.xxx range. Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0 and Default gateway 10.0.0.1
I have a SPARE router configured at 192.168.1.xx
When adding a NEW camera I plug it into this SPARE router and connect to it via my desktop via wifi. You may plug your PC into the router via lan cable if you desire.
I log into the camera and assign a new IP in the 10.0.0.xx range and enter the same Subnet and Default gateway as above. Once it reboots it will not be detected any longer on the SPARE routers 192.xxxx network.
I reconnect my pc back to my home network.
I then plug the camera into my 10.0.0.xx home system via a POE switch and all is well.

 

[m4gnum]

I changed the camera's IP to 192.168.0.xxx and it worked ! Thank you very much guys.
Should I leave it with this IP or should I somehow change it to 192.168.1.xxx?

 

[looney2ns]

I changed the camera's IP to 192.168.0.xxx and it worked ! Thank you very much guys.
Should I leave it with this IP or should I somehow change it to 192.168.1.xxx?

You have to leave it in the 192.168.0.xxx range, or you will have the same issue all over again.

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[catcamstar]

I changed the camera's IP to 192.168.0.xxx and it worked ! Thank you very much guys.
Should I leave it with this IP or should I somehow change it to 192.168.1.xxx?

I am unsure why you don't follow the tips given in your topic? If you use different subnets, you need a ROUTER(gateway) to ROUTE traffic from each subnet to each other subnet. In a switched network, you setup only FLAT networks (only 1 subnet). So stick to EITHER 192.168.0.X OR 192.168.1.X. In the first, you only need to change the newly added cam IP address, in the latter, you have to change all your other devices.

The choice is yours, but without understanding this basic network concept, you'll run into issues every time, like @looney2ns wrote.

Happy camming!
CC