Strange Problem after lightening strike

[Cleve]

Had a bad lightening strike a week or so ago and it tripped out a battery backup/surge protector. The surge protector reset but unfortunately it took out a ethernet switch. I have replaced the POE switch and I can log into the camera (Amcrest) thru the Amcrest UI setup page. The problem is when I try to set the camera up in Blue Iris, it tells me that the camera has "No Signal". when you type in the IP address and hit find and inspect, it pulls the info down with no noted problems, although once it displayed no RTSP, It just will not display video. Has anyone had this problem before? Not sure what to think. If it was damaged by lighten I would not think it work on the Web UI.

 

[TonyR]

Is the cam set up with a static IP in the same subnet as the BI server's LAN?
If so, is that cam configured in BI with that same IP?

If the answer to both of the above is "yes" and still no joy, I'd delete the cam from BI then add again.

If still no joy, consider a hard reset of the cam and start from scratch, configuring it then connecting to BI.

 

[The Automation Guy]

Can you try something like VLC Media Center to try to watch the RTSP output of the camera? You can use the same URL that BI creates to view the camera in VLC. If it doesn't appear in VLC, then it is either a URL syntax error, an incorrect IP address being used, or a problem with the camera IMHO. If it does appear in VLC, then you know it is BI related.

 

[Cleve]

There was a discrepancy in subnet. I fixed that and uninstalled and reinstalled and its working fine now. Lightening does strange things though. Had to uninstall and reinstall the wifi cameras, and three nest smoke alarms. Once again thanks for your help! I could not survive these camera issues without this web site and your help!

 

[Cleve]

I would replace that surge protector. It passed and took out a switch. MOV's inside most surge devices are only good for a very low number of hits. No way to test them either unless you have a Variac which most don't have. MOV's are cheap if you can solder. Open up the UPS and go to town. Again I wouldn't count on it arresting a hit again.

I would be looking at a whole house surge protector you mount in the panel. And one for your outdoor HVAC compressor unit. My 5 ton unit draws on start up 175 amps at 240 volts. You still need to replace/install downstream (from breaker panel) surge protectors as well.

Already got a new APC surge protector on the way. Usually take a hit once a year at the pump house which is a good ways from the house. And it usually get the automatic gate opener. Im thinking in came in thru the buried either net cable.

 

[TonyR]

Im thinking in came in thru the buried either net cable.

VERY possible.

I'm in the same state as you and after way too many bad experiences and damaged equipment from nearby lightning strikes, I no longer string any metallic network cable in attics, crawl spaces or outdoors. I have a 65 ft. piece of fiber in my attic connecting the 2 ends of the house and their cameras.

My only piece of CAT-5e is a 60 ft. piece of STP for a POE camera in a bluebird house. There's a Ubiquiti ETH-SP surge protector on each end and a driven ground to which the shield is connected. UTP comes into the the POE switch in the house and the house end gets physically disconnected when I know of an impending storm. It's been in place over 3 years now.