NVR and networking troubles

[bigredfish]

DO NOT follow any instructions telling you to use the config tool or switch the IP of your NVR or cameras or initialize anything..!

With NVR's typically with a -P designation (Built-n PoE switch - example: 4208-8P-4KS2) none of that is required and it will make a mess of things.

if you have a Dahua NVR with built-in PoE switch

1- Fire up NVR using a mouse and monitor to do the initial setup, security questions, password, leave default Networking/IP (Verify it is static IP at 192.168.1.108), then disconnect from the NVR and never go back to that machine interface. Dont try and make any other setting changes here. You can change it all later in the Web interface.
2- Plug in your cameras to the NVR. Dont do anything else
3 Open a browser on a PC on your network (assuming a standard home network of 192.168.1.x) and type 192.168.1.108 and hit Enter. You will go to the WebGUI interface of your NVR. This is how you will mange your NVR from now on.
4- Assuming the newer 4.0 dark interface, Choose "Management" at top left then "Camera". This will take you to a page that looks like the thumbnail below. The NVR will have automagically assigned each camera a channel and an IP address in the 10.1.1.x range**. You can NOT access the cameras without going through the NVR interface and using the Blue IE icons. (well you can but its a PIA and not necessary)

5- Click on the BLUE IE icon to open the individual cameras Web GUI to make changes to your camera settings, IVS, etc. The login for each camera will default to Admin/your NVR password

Note: Its best to limit changes to image, IVS, etc to one device or the other, I recommend using the camera interface. If you make some changes on the camera and others on the NVR, it will mess up something eventually.

** When you go to the camera registration page, do not try and add cameras manually to move them from the top pane to the bottom. Let the NVR do it automagically, May need to unplug them and reboot once.

**If using a Dahua NVR with the bullt in Poe switch, cameras shown using port 37777 can’t be reached via the interface (IE button) as noted. Usually see this if you try to add them manually from the top pane to the bottom. If you let the NVR assign and pass credentials by itself, they’ll show up as port 1,2,3 etc and you’ll be able to access them via the IE button

 

[funkybunch]

This is great, however I ran into a snag today, When i logged into the NVR web browser, clicked management then camera I'm getting the page, but the internet explorer "e" is NOT blue and when I click on it, it does nothing. I was trying to take screenshots and compare settings between the NVR GUI, NVR web browser, and Camera browser. I can tell you now, the camera browser is mandatory to get into when trying to make adjustments to the 5241H to change configuration of the camera light pattern "either steady on or flash) you can also set flash rate, and another function that's only in the camera browser is the IR light intensity adjustment from 0-100. those functions are not available in the NVR web browser or in the NVR GUI. So today out of nowhere I cannot log into to camera directly to make these changes. dahua needs to make firmware updates so you can access all camera features in either the NVR web browser or NVR GUI or both. too many variables, log ins, etc. some people purchase NVR's because it's all in one. I thought this was the case and i'd be able to set it and forget it from within the NVR itself by connecting a mouse and monitor straight to it. If i knew i'd be messing with a computer on nvr and camera browsers I may have went the blue iris route instead. too many spoons in the soup. Or maybe my cameras are cursed with the corona virus lol. If anyone knows why my internet explorer "e" is no longer blue please let me know.

 

[alastairstevenson]

If anyone knows why my internet explorer "e" is no longer blue please let me know.

No plugin loaded - or Edge running instead of IE11.

 

[funkybunch]

I think i found it, under network at the bottom Virtual Host box needs to be checked. I swear this wasn't checked before and i was able to access the camera web interface. Now is there a way to factory reset a camera plugged into the NVR either via NVR GUI or NVR web interface, or heck even the camera interface? I'd like to be able to reset a camera without going to a rooftop and disassembling a camera just to press and hold a reset button for 10 seconds.

 

[alastairstevenson]

Now is there a way to factory reset a camera plugged into the NVR either via NVR GUI or NVR web interface, or heck even the camera interface?

The camera web GUI maintenance menu - 'reset to defaults'.

 

[funkybunch]

The camera web GUI maintenance menu - 'reset to defaults'.

thanks, as you can see getting there was not an easy task. the simple things take an hour sometimes. i'om resetting everything and starting from scratch, as i sit here and watch my cameras on smartPSS the IVS lines are appearing, and disappearing about every other minute, almost like someone has hacked me or there is some conflict between NVR browser settings and camera web browser settings. I figured if you set something and click apply the changes would be global between NVR GUI, nvr web and cam web interface, but maybe i'm wrong.

 

[alastairstevenson]

Remember that you are giving the NVR administrative control over some of the camera configuration settings.
So what you set in the NVR for the camera is saved in the NVR and applied to the camera periodically.
But you can also make configuration settings in the camera directly - which may not be read back by the NVR.

 

[bigredfish]

I’ve found it works best not to touch any camera settings other than Network and record schedule on the NVR. I make all changes on the camera itself and it pushes them to the NVR fine.

I’d reset the NVR and make all changes in the cameras.

And other than turning stuff off/on (like smtp if I expect big fog or MD if your you’re using it,) don’t try and adjust settings via SmartPSS. Too many fw versions of 3 different things is a recipe for stuff not working as intended.

 

[looney2ns]

SmartPSS is a pile of steaming.....

 

[bigredfish]

Yeah I use it for live viewing and playback/downloading clips. For that it works fine. Beyond that...

 

[funkybunch]

i forgot to factory default a camera before plugging it into the NVR. it sees the camera, shows it online but i can't view it or get into the web browser. I guess i'll have to climb the ladder and take it apart to reset it, or maybe plug it back into my poe switch and see if i can access it via smartPSS. also, the nvr sees my samsung smartcam that's onvif compliant. I entered the username and password but I can't see a live feed from it. is there a way to do that? making tons of progress, built the new closet shelfs, got a pure sine UPS, etc. next will be a ubiquiti mesh i think, can't find any other decent ceiling poe WAP's . I should add the cameras are on the top list and they are moving around every few seconds, i can't click on the check boxes, they disappear. are they supposed to move to the bottom automatically? I have the same camera listed twice, it says port6 and 37777 and i can't delete the port 6 one.

 

[funkybunch]

welp, when you goto system and check the camera box and click default it will FACTORY RESET YOUR NVR. grrrrrrrrrr

 

[funkybunch]

well it's 330am and i still dont have any cameras. everything is factory defaulted, when i plug my cam into the nvr and click device search it sees it and after a few minutes it pulls it to the bottom row and shows port7, red status light, no web browser. when i click on the pencil to edit the camera i tried the default password, my old password, and the password to log into the nvr which you said it automatically sets it as but nothing is working. i even clicked device search again and the 37777 ports showed up, i double clicked those and now there are duplicate cameras on the bottom row. i tried the different passwords there and nothing. i've rebooted and everything. after i factory defaulted a camera i tried to log into the nvr but it was a blank white screen. i'm assuming the 192.168.1.108 default nvr address was conflicting with the default ip camera address so i changed the nvr to 192.168.1.200 and i was able to log back into the nvr but no cameras, i'm going to bed, if anyone can help let me know. i am having THE worst luck with these cameras. i've read the quick start guide, and the manual and there is NO help in those things. it merely says goto camera > registration and double click the cam and the next section. absolutely no F'ing help right from the owners manual.

 

[bigredfish]

You didnt read what I wrote.

Do NOT mess with the cameras in the top pane, do NOT do a device search, do NOT try to manually check boxes and move them to the bottom.

1- unplug all cameras
2- reboot NVR
3- Add ONE camera and allow it to move to the bottom pane by itself. It should show a port of 1 not 37777
4- STOP after that camera moves to the bottom pane and advise if you have an IE icon to click on.,

As you go about clicking and moving and all that other stuff, each action further makes a mess of things and you will never get them to work.
Report back here when you accomplish #1-4 above and DONT try to do anything else until you can login to that first camera with the IE icon.

 

[funkybunch]

i read what you wrote 4 times, but after nothing happening i decided to search for things. nvr is powered on, i let it sit for 5 minutes, it's connected to the ethernet. i plugged in 1 camera (should be factory reset but not sure at this point). i haven't clicked anything on the web nvr other than management and camera to get to that page, it's been 10 minutes and nothing is showing up. my nvr ip is 192.168.1.200.

 

[funkybunch]

ok so an hour later NOTHING happened. so i clicked device search and the camera appeared on the top line, i sat and waited for about 10 minutes and it magically moved to the bottom row. is this normal?? like watching paint dry, which i did yesterday after building these closet shelves I'll also add that when i clicked on the web browser to get into the camera, the password was NOT the same as the NVR like you indicated, it was my old password i used when i had it plugged directly into my switch (before i owned the NVR).

 

[funkybunch]

camera #2 plugged in,within 10 minutes it appeared at the bottom, both logins use the old password, and when i click live view it just spins on the front page. when i log into the camera gui i can see the image.

 

[tng5737]

DO NOT follow any instructions telling you to use the config tool or switch the IP of your NVR or cameras or initialize anything..!

With NVR's typically with a -P designation (Built-n PoE switch - example: 4208-8P-4KS2) none of that is required and it will make a mess of things.

if you have a Dahua NVR with built-in PoE switch

1- Fire up NVR using a mouse and monitor to do the initial setup, security questions, password, leave default Networking/IP (Verify it is static IP at 192.168.1.108), then disconnect from the NVR and never go back to that machine interface. Dont try and make any other setting changes here. You can change it all later in the Web interface.
2- Plug in your cameras to the NVR. Dont do anything else
3 Open a browser on a PC on your network (assuming a standard home network of 192.168.1.x) and type 192.168.1.108 and hit Enter. You will go to the WebGUI interface of your NVR. This is how you will mange your NVR from now on.
4- Assuming the newer 4.0 dark interface, Choose "Management" at top left then "Camera". This will take you to a page that looks like the thumbnail below. The NVR will have automagically assigned each camera a channel and an IP address in the 10.1.1.x range**. You can NOT access the cameras without going through the NVR interface and using the Blue IE icons. (well you can but its a PIA and not necessary)
View attachment 55904
5- Click on the BLUE IE icon to open the individual cameras Web GUI to make changes to your camera settings, IVS, etc. The login for each camera will default to Admin/your NVR password

Note: Its best to limit changes to image, IVS, etc to one device or the other, I recommend using the camera interface. If you make some changes on the camera and others on the NVR, it will mess up something eventually.

** When you go to the camera registration page, do not try and add cameras manually to move them from the top pane to the bottom. Let the NVR do it automagically, May need to unplug them and reboot once.

**If using a Dahua NVR with the bullt in Poe switch, cameras shown using port 37777 can’t be reached via the interface (IE button) as noted. Usually see this if you try to add them manually from the top pane to the bottom. If you let the NVR assign and pass credentials by itself, they’ll show up as port 1,2,3 etc and you’ll be able to access them via the IE button

Just to be clear - your warnings ONLY apply to cams attached to the NVR switch. Other LAN based cams can be setup with the NVR . Is that correct?

 

[bigredfish]

ok so an hour later NOTHING happened. so i clicked device search and the camera appeared on the top line, i sat and waited for about 10 minutes and it magically moved to the bottom row. is this normal?? like watching paint dry, which i did yesterday after building these closet shelves I'll also add that when i clicked on the web browser to get into the camera, the password was NOT the same as the NVR like you indicated, it was my old password i used when i had it plugged directly into my switch (before i owned the NVR).

Thats OK as long as it did so and assigned a #1 etc port and not 37777. Glad you were able to get into it.

If the camera is truly factory default prior to pluggng it into a built-in PoE port, it should do fine, If it doesnt move by itself in the first few minutes, reboot the NVR with the camera attached.

You've made so many changes its impossible to guess what results you will get. What I wrote is the correct and verified way to do things initially.

The model of camera and NVR makes a difference as does thew FW. Older cameras, non-Dahua branded cameras, and cameras/NVR where FW is old may not give you good results.

 

[bigredfish]

Just to be clear - your warnings ONLY apply to cams attached to the NVR switch. Other LAN based cams can be setup with the NVR . Is that correct?

Correct- attaching cameras to the built-in PoE ports and switch. After you bypass that and connect them to a different switch, you will need more manual intervention.