Options for existing (but unknown) cameras

[Mark Williams]

We inherited a Dahua NVR3208-8P NVR with our house and hoping someone here has some suggestions about an issue we have. We have 8 cameras installed outside our house, all connected to this NVR . We can see the images from the cameras on our TV, but we pretty much can't do anything else. The previous owner (now long gone) didn't leave the password

I have tried a few things to reset to factory settings, but no luck yet.

But I am stepping back a little. I happen to in the middle of building a new PC right now and interested in running Blue Iris on it. So, my understanding is that I can replace the NVR with a POE switch and then run ethernet to my PC for use by Blue Iris.

But here's the thing...I don't know the cameras that are installed. Images are attached, but I can't see any make or model.

In just starting to research (no experience with POE switches) I am wondering if there is any way to infer the cameras (or at least their basic spec) from the NVR, which has 8 ports labeled "POE" into which the cameras are plugged.

Any ideas on how I might figure this out?

Thank you.

 

[alastairstevenson]

I am wondering if there is any way to infer the cameras (or at least their basic spec) from the NVR, which has 8 ports labeled "POE" into which the cameras are plugged.

If the cameras are also Dahua models - the Dahua Config Tool should be able to find and identify them, if you connect the PC to an unused NVR PoE port.
https://dahuawiki.com/ConfigTool
You will have to specify an IP address range for it to search - check the config tool configuration.
I don't know what the default IP address range for that model's PoE ports is, sorry.
Others will probably chip in.

 

[Mark Williams]

If the cameras are also Dahua models - the Dahua Config Tool should be able to find and identify them, if you connect the PC to an unused NVR PoE port.
https://dahuawiki.com/ConfigTool
You will have to specify an IP address range for it to search - check the config tool configuration.
I don't know what the default IP address range for that model's PoE ports is, sorry.
Others will probably chip in.

Thank you for the response, Alastair. I am not at home right now so can't check but is the assumption that I can use this even if I don't have the password to the NVR? If so, that could well be what I need and I thank you for the suggestion.

If that's not possible then I am interested to know if there is any "class" of camera I can figure out, based on the NVR. To my untrained eyes, they seem to be pretty decent cameras and, of course, they are already installed so I am eager to re-use them. I just need to figure out a decent POE switch that I know will work with them.

Thank you again.

 

[mat200]

Welcome @Mark Williams

If you have an opportunity I would readjust the mounting a bit to move the entry of the cable into the camera so that the cable is going up into the camera and that there is a drip loop on the cable allowing any water to drip away from the camera.

 

[Mark Williams]

Welcome @Mark Williams

If you have an opportunity I would readjust the mounting a bit to move the entry of the cable into the camera so that the cable is going up into the camera and that there is a drip loop on the cable allowing any water to drip away from the camera.

Good point Thank you.

 

[TonyR]

Good point Thank you.

And when you dismount that cam to rotate as per @mat200 's suggestion, you may see a label with the camera make/model number on the bottom!

 

[Mark Williams]

Thanks all. I will get up that ladder again That said, back to my generic question.

My goal here is to purchase a POE switch that will happily talk to these cameras. Hopefully I can figure out the model, but even then I will still likely have to learn a little about POE switches, since they are new to me.

Any hints as to the type of features / spec I will need to verify for the switch I will purchase? I'm not sure of the variables I need to consider. For example, I was checking out switches today and was interested in one, but there was a very specific note that the switch didn't support "passive POE devices". I'm not sure what that means (yet) but also would like to understand what other factors I need to check when I purchase.

Thank you again. Learning quickly here...

 

[Will.I.Am]

Advanced IP Scanner - Download Free Network Scanner.

If you connect a laptop or pc into the poe ports on your nvr, Advanced Ip scanner can often identify at least the manufacturer of the devices it finds.

One way or another you'll have to get the make of them because they'll all be password protected, likely with the same password as the nvr.

Have you had any off the wall? There may be a label on the back.
They look like fairly new cameras and decent quality so chances are they're onvif compatible which should mean they'll work on pretty much any decent recording solution you'd like to use them on, provided you get the password reset.

Did you notice any reset buttons when you had them open?

 

[Mark Williams]

Oh interesting - didn't even think that the cameras themselves would also be password protected. I'll be taking one down this evening and having a closer look. Thank you for your excellent pointers.

 

[Will.I.Am]

Depending on the age they may not be, but most newer cameras now make you set a password as soon as you log into them for the first time, and if they're being directly controlled by an nvr it usually auto protects them as soon as they're set up on the system.

A lot of cameras (unlike nvrs) do have a reset button you can use to wipe them though.

 

[TonyR]

Any hints as to the type of features / spec I will need to verify for the switch I will purchase? I'm not sure of the variables I need to consider. For example, I was checking out switches today and was interested in one, but there was a very specific note that the switch didn't support "passive POE devices". I'm not sure what that means (yet) but also would like to understand what other factors I need to check when I purchase.

An excerpt below from IPCT's "Cliff Notes":

"PoE Switch and Injector Recommendations:

One thing to be aware of is the difference between Passive PoE and Active PoE. Here is an edited excerpt from discussion here: The difference between passive and active PoE is the auto negotiation, mitigating the need to think about what you plug in. Active PoE devices do a handshake between the Power Supplying Equipment (PSE) and the Powered Device (PD) before it turns on the power, whereas Passive PoE is always on. 802.3af/at based end devices expect the power sourcing equipment to provide certain protections the "passive" 48V PoE doesn't provide."

 

[alastairstevenson]

If you connect a laptop or pc into the poe ports on your nvr, Advanced Ip scanner can often identify at least the manufacturer of the devices it finds.

There are better ways than that.

Given that it's a Dahua NVR, the chances are they are Dahua cameras.
In which case, as suggested, the Dahua Config Tool will give chapter and verse.
And ONVIF Device Manager, even with no logon credentials will also provide lots of useful info.

Example :

 

[Will.I.Am]

Forgot about onvif device manager, I'm usually scanning networks with multiple security devices on it so never really use it much but yeah, in this case it'll give much more information.

 

[Mark Williams]

Darn you lot - now I can't wait to get home to try all this stuff out Seriously, great suggestion and really appreciate it. My hopes have been raised.