Need a lot of help with software

[silversp]

This is a post coming from someone who can barely get around a computer. So just letting you know. I am close to tears because I have been struggling with this problem for so long with no help other than google and I am so frustrated. If you decide to respond to this, my god thank you.

I have several dlink cameras and have been using them with ispy for a few years now. Well, a couple weeks ago I had to restart my computer, and after that, ispy wouldn't work anymore. I haven't been able to get it working since. All of the cams feeds are offline, when I try to access settings, the program freezes. I close it, it reopens immediately, rinse and repeat. I gave up.

So then I downloaded Blue Iris because 1) I no longer have any cameras recording which is a big problem for me 2) everyone seems to rave about it
First off I had a hard time connecting the cams, then had a really hard time setting up the motion detection, only to find it didn't work a lot of the time. Ispy worked about 95% of the time. I would say Blue Iris worked about 40-50% of the time. I was bummed and kept trying to figure out ispy but I can't.

So my SO wanted to restart the router, and ever since then, Blue Iris doesn't work anymore. I've tried everything with that too (keep in mind I hardly know how to do anything) but the cams in blue iris are now offline too.

So today I noticed when I used an app on my phone to look at my wireless network to see what was connected, my cams are not listed. I looked at the app for my cams and it says they are connected to my network. I can still see the live feed using the dlink app. I tried logging into the dlink website to look at settings but of course they want me to install a plugin to continue, which I do, then it asks me to install a plug to continue, I do, etc etc so I can't access that. I also can't access each cameras individual settings because I am on windows 7 and I guess firefox and chrome made it so I can't open any other (I know I am not able to say this part correctly) windows, like other blank windows where I can look at settings because of a security problem or something. I used to be able to.

So this is a mess and if anyone can help me then thank you baby jesus amen.

 

[Fastb]

Silversp,

Welcome to the forum!
Your frustration comes through loud and clear!

someone who can barely get around a computer.

I downloaded Blue Iris

Blue Iris requires some computer expertise, as compared to an NVR. So your choice may not be optimal for you. Most folks recommend using BI on a dedicated computer, so doing it right could make BI more expensive. It's very capable, once it's set up..

a couple weeks ago I had to restart my computer, and after that, ispy wouldn't work anymore.

restart the router, and ever since then, Blue Iris doesn't work anymore.

This sound like the ip addresses of the cams may have changed. Do you set up static ip addresses? If instead using DHCP, the dynamic nature means the ip address could change when you reboot the BI PC or your router....

I am on windows 7 and I guess firefox and chrome made it so I can't open any

It looks like your running into problems with the plugin. Firefox and Chrome dropped support of the plug in. Download a different browser, and the plug in will work. Get Pale Moon browser.

I used an app on my phone to look at my wireless network to see what was connected, my cams are not listed.

the app for my cams and it says they are connected to my network. I can still see the live feed using the dlink app.

These two statements sound like an ip address problem.

I don't have experience with Dlink cams, so can't offer spot-on guidance. Except for drastic guidance, such as reset everything, and start over from a new installation process. Hopefully, someone else will have more insightful guidance....

These threads may help:
Want to add a D-Link DCS-960L to Blue Iris
Adding Dlink DCS-935L to blue iris nightmare
Blue Iris and DCS 933L problems
Connecting dlink cameras

These threeads were found with this google search term;
dlink camera, setup, site:ipcamtalk.com
The last term means all hits will be from this site. Change the first two terms, or add more terms, to hone your search.

Good luck,
Fastb

 

[silversp]

Thank you so much for responding!!
I think the ip addresses have changed too but the weird thing is, they've been the same for years, I've never had to worry about them before. Also, I don't understand why the cameras aren't showing up at all on the network but still working, if the ip addresses changed, shouldn't I see some new ones that I don't recognize? I just don't see any, I see my other stuff like my roku and xbox etc but no cameras, but they are still on and working.

 

[silversp]

I also downloaded that pale moon browser but the dlink site still wouldn't work.

 

[Fastb]

Well, that's some progress, I guess.

I don't understand why the cameras aren't showing up at all on the network

To be clear, you don't see the cameras on that (unknown to me) app on your phone that is checking for wireless devices.
Maybe that app is only looking within a certain ip address range.
Can you surf to the admin page of your wireless router? Then check for "connected devices", "clients", "users" or something named similar. Surf in from the wired side (not the wifi side)
If the cams are truly on the wifi network, the wireless router will know it. And the wireless route will provide the ip of all connected devices.
Objectives:
1) confirm the Dlink cams are truly connected to the wireless router.
2) find the ip addr of cams.

I see my other stuff like my roku and xbox etc but no cameras, but they are still on and working.

You "see stuff" on your wireless network using the same tbd app on your phone?
That app won't show devices that don't broadcast their SSID. A security cam may very well want to operate in stealth mode, for obvious reasons.

I also downloaded that pale moon browser but the dlink site still wouldn't work.

My guidance was to use Pale Moon to get around the plug-in incompatibility problem with FF and Chrome. So hopefully, you're past the "download plugin.exe" endless loop, correct? BTW, what device was telling you that? A Dlink cam? or a Dlink web site on the internet?

I didn't mean to imply that Pale Moon would get a Dlink site to suddenly start working.
That "Dlink site" is somewhere on the internet, correct?

What about my drastic option, ie: reset the cams, and re-install as if new.... That may re-assign i addresses that are compatible with the ip subnet address range of your home n/w.

Fastb

 

[silversp]

To be clear, you don't see the cameras on that (unknown to me) app on your phone that is checking for wireless devices.
Maybe that app is only looking within a certain ip address range.

The app is Fing

Can you surf to the admin page of your wireless router? Then check for "connected devices", "clients", "users" or something named similar. Surf in from the wired side (not the wifi side)

Working on that now...I used to be able to but I get my internet through Comcast with their router and I guess they updated things and want me to upgrade my router now before I can access any settings through them.

You "see stuff" on your wireless network using the same tbd app on your phone?
That app won't show devices that don't broadcast their SSID. A security cam may very well want to operate in stealth mode, for obvious reasons.
Fastb

tbd? The app and others like it, as well as ipsy have always been able to see the cams before, and the ip addresses have always been the same, I am so confused by the disappearance of them.

My guidance was to use Pale Moon to get around the plug-in incompatibility problem with FF and Chrome. So hopefully, you're past the "download plugin.exe" endless loop, correct? BTW, what device was telling you that? A Dlink cam? or a Dlink web site on the internet?

I didn't mean to imply that Pale Moon would get a Dlink site to suddenly start working.
That "Dlink site" is somewhere on the internet, correct?

I don't think I understand this but I'll try, I was trying to use the website to access some settings but I always get asked to download and install plugin which I've already done, I thought you meant it would work on Pale Moon but the site just said dlink doesn't support that browser and no option to install plugin.

What about my drastic option, ie: reset the cams, and re-install as if new.... That may re-assign i addresses that are compatible with the ip subnet address range of your home n/w.

Not quite sure how to do this and haven't looked into it yet as I'm just relieved they're still on.

Thank you much for your help!!!!!

 

[Fastb]

Silversp,

I feel your pain!

I get my internet through Comcast with their router

I have a comcast cable modem, with my wifi router as the first stop. It's wired (cat 5) to the cable modem. So you have a comcast Wifi {cable modem + wireless router}. So yes, Comcast probbaly restricts your ability to surf into their {cable modem + wireless router}

I'm unfamiliar, at the detail level, of that type of setup. Me, I refused to rent a cable modem from Comcast most recently. When I added up my monthly "rental" fees, I paid two or three times what the cable modem is worth. So now, I bought my cable modem. Good bye rental fees. 18 months, and I break even. Secondly, it felt creepy to have a Comcast modem/wifi router installed in my house that broadcasts the "Xfinity" SSID so any comcast customer can reach the internet through my house. Sure, my WiFi is private and secure. And the Comcast router allows others using a "public" SSID, completely separate from my private subnet. Still, the "public" wifi and my "private" wifi share the same "pipe" to Comcast, ie: the coax cable from my house. I never got a good answer to my Q: "Will the public's use of my comcast 'pipe' degrade my Netflix bandwidth?". But that's me. If you chose my path, some technical chops would be required to select, buy, and setup my cable modem without the comcast techs coming to do it for oogums....

the ip addresses have always been the same, I am so confused by the disappearance of them.

DHCP changes ip addr only after something requires it. Such as PC re-boot or router power cycle (which you did both of them}. So saying "it hasn't happened before" doesn't add new info to troubleshooting. If a subnet is up and functioning, and devices aren't disappearing and re-appearing, new ip addr don't need to be assigned. Your comment speaks more to the static and stable situation of your home subnet than anything else.
My brother works in IT support. He says the most common word he hears when working with the internal users is "Weird". As in;
"It's really weird, it was working yesterday"
"It's just so weird, this problem just appeared out of nowhere"
Their observations, and technical clues, don't help him solve the problem.
I'm not dis'ing you. You said you computers aren't your strong suit. Maybe I'm saying be as factual and technical as you can possibly be. Again, that's not a scold.

the site just said dlink doesn't support that browser and no option to install plugin.

I was trying to use the website to access some settings but I always get asked to download and install plugin which I've already done, I thought you meant it would work on Pale Moon but the site just said dlink doesn't support that browser and no option to install plugin.

Okay, so I may have some answers to my previous questions. Plz confirm. The dlink site is on the internet, and not on your home netwrok, correct? Let me know if that question needs clarification.

So hopefully, you're past the "download plugin.exe" endless loop, correct? BTW, what device was telling you that? A Dlink cam? or a Dlink web site on the internet?

Is Pale Monn browser solving the previous pitfall?

That "Dlink site" is somewhere on the internet, correct?

Where is it?

What about my drastic option, ie: reset the cams, and re-install as if new.... That may re-assign i addresses that are compatible with the ip subnet address range of your home n/w.

This may soon be your best option. I'm not a dlink user, and rapidly running out of ideas....

Best Regards,
Fastb

 

[silversp]

I just tried reinstalling one of the cameras and it's not going well. It's starting to look like I can't reinstall it, and it's not showing up anymore in the app even though it sounds like it's working (I can hear it switching from day to night mode) So now I am down one camera.

We are buying a new router/modem whatever tonight and I thought that would help but I guess it won't if I can't set it up.

I am trying to keep it together here. I guess this is going to get really expensive. I am so upset.

Thank you for trying to help me. I REALLY appreciate it!!

 

[fenderman]

I just tried reinstalling one of the cameras and it's not going well. It's starting to look like I can't reinstall it, and it's not showing up anymore in the app even though it sounds like it's working (I can hear it switching from day to night mode) So now I am down one camera.

We are buying a new router/modem whatever tonight and I thought that would help but I guess it won't if I can't set it up.

I am trying to keep it together here. I guess this is going to get really expensive. I am so upset.

Thank you for trying to help me. I REALLY appreciate it!!

if you can barely get around a computer stop wasting your money on a new router.
You dont need a new router.
You need someone who knows how to setup network cameras.
Blue iris motion detection works perfectly if you take the time to read the help file and set it up properly.
You need to hire someone to at least do the basics for you or start learning.

 

[Fastb]

Silversp,

It comes down to tolerance for "seat of the pants university" It's a painful curriculum.
If you're literally pulling ur hair out, tine to call in pros. Maybe Geek Squad, the I'm not impressed with them (they didn't solve my prob, and left after 2 hours w/o charging $)

I'm stubborn, I'd be happy to keep at it. You're making progress, you might wanna keep at it. Depends...

Again , good luck
Fastb

 

[silversp]

I'm thinking of calling those guys. I got the camera reinstalled, and I noticed it popped back up on ipsy, I was elated, but now the feed is gone, I think it's because I unplugged the ethernet cable I was using to install it, it wouldn't install wirelessly. It's using the same ip address it's always been using, but now it shows up in my list of devices in the network. Ispy still won't see it though. I'm not sure what to think now.

I did notice also on my computer that it said it was connected to [old network name that I changed a while ago] so I disconnected it from that and reconnected again to the one with the new name, I'm not sure what happened there as I thought all I did was changed the name of the network (did this in the comcast router settings way back when I could get into them) maybe it caused a problem though. Still getting the router because comcast won't let me into theirs without upgrading anyway.

 

[NoloC]

How much is your time worth? Do you really need cameras?

If yes, hire someone to help you. It is pretty clear you aren't getting it done.

 

[Rocinante]

When in doubt, let the professionals do it. Find a good surveillance camera installer on Yelp or Angie's List and give them a call to see if they could help you. It won't cost anything to call, and you can decide if you want to spend the money for them to make house calls.

I have a decent knowledge of computers and networking, but when I went up to my attic to see how I could neatly wire my system, I saw how difficult it would have been, and I hired professionals I found on Angie's List to snake the wires from outside to one place in my garage. I did the final mile installation of the Cat 6 adapters and camera mounting.