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Smilingreen

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Sep 17, 2021
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Tennessee USA
OK guys, I'll explain what I have and those that are deeply knowledgable in BI tell me if this is possible.

I have my Win 7Pro machine up and running and have the latest version of BI installed and running on it. 4 cameras for now, are connected and my PC is running @ 13% CPU and 797M RAM usage. All's good so far.

Here is where it gets a bit fuzzy for me. I have a MAC desktop and it is plugged into a semi managed switch, (which I refer to as Switch 1) which is a 192.168.xxx.xxx along with all my other day-to-day devices that run through my normal WIFI router network. Main router is a NETGEAR. Internet and every thing works well on it. No problems.

My WIN 7PRO machine is plugged into a different semi managed switch with POE (Switch #2). All my cameras are plugged into Switch 2, also running on 172.16.xxx.xxx network. I have an older Cradlepoint MBR1400 router I dug out of my toy box that I have assigned to Switch #2. I currently don't have anything routing through the Cradle Point router. No internet on this network. The two switches are totally isolated from each other. I do not have a VLAN setup or either switch, though they are capable of running VLANS.

On my MAC. I have a second NIC connected to it that is connected directly to Switch #2, running 172.16.xxx.xxx. I can connect to either switch with my MAC as well as connect to either router with my MAC by typing in the IP address of the devices. So far, so good.

Here is what I am wanting to do: I am wanting to be able to connect to BI through UI3 on any of my regular computer devices that are connected inside my primary network, running on 192.168.xxx.xxx and be able to look the cameras, which are running on 172.16.xxx.xxx network. Will this feasibly work with the way I have things setup or am I going about this the wrong way? I don't want my cameras on the internet (they never have been), I just want to be able to access them from my local wifi network, somehow.

I attached a network drawing of what I basically have.



Screen Shot 2022-04-01 at 7.17.26 PM.png
 
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what do you consider a semi-managed switch? if the switches have level2 or level3 routing then you can proceed with the configuration you have. otherwise you need to invest in a level2/3 routing device or redesign.

understand the desire not to have the cameras phone-home, but this can be accomplished in much simpler fashions.

1) install a second NIC within the BI system. NIC1 remains on 172.16.x.x network and NIC2 is connected to 192.168.x.x network. UI3 is accessible from all 192.168.x.x systems.

2) change 172.16.x.x back to 192.168.x.x network. disable upnp and block camera ip's from accessing WWW in Netgear router.

3) implement VLANs within and between switches. assign vlan(s) to ports as required.

i personally have implemented #2, though #1 is a very popular solution.
 
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Switch #2 is a TP Link TL-SG1016PE V1
Switch #1 is a Netgear GS108PE
 
You want to access the BI computer, not the individual cameras.

You get to UI3 by typing in the IP address of the BI computer along with :81

Unless you have blocked it, any device on the same IP address range as the BI computer can access UI3
 
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You want to access the BI computer, not the individual cameras.

You get to UI3 by typing in the IP address of the BI computer along with :81

Unless you have blocked it, any device on the same IP address range as the BI computer can access UI3
The BI computer. cameras and switch are all running on 172.16.x.x. The Cradle point router isn't currently doing anything right now. I can turn it off and everything just runs through the switch. I can disconnect the cat 5e cable from the Mac to the switch and it will continue to run. Until a couple of days ago, I had a NVR plugged into the switch for recording as I didn't have the BI computer up and running yet. My WIFI router is on a different network. I am just trying to figure out if I can marry the two networks together so I can access BI via UI3 through my normal network. The only connectivity I had was through my Mac, as it has 2 Nics on it. I had one Nic setup on 192.168.x.x and the other Nic setup as 172.16.x.x/
 
what do you consider a semi-managed switch? if the switches have level2 or level3 routing then you can proceed with the configuration you have. otherwise you need to invest in a level2/3 routing device or redesign.

understand the desire not to have the cameras phone-home, but this can be accomplished in much simpler fashions.

1) install a second NIC within the BI system. NIC1 remains on 172.16.x.x network and NIC2 is connected to 192.168.x.x network. UI3 is accessible from all 192.168.x.x systems.

2) change 172.16.x.x back to 192.168.x.x network. disable upnp and block camera ip's from accessing WWW in Netgear router.

3) implement VLANs within and between switches. assign vlan(s) to ports as required.

i personally have implemented #2, though #1 is a very popular solution.
I believe you are right. I have been over thinking this, something I seem to do on a regular basis. I am going to order a GB NIC and install it in the BI machine, have one NIC going to the isolated Camera Switch and the other NIC connected to my regular network switch. Thanks for letting me bounce that off your head. :wave: I'll let you know how it works.....after I figure out all the damn settings in BI.....
 
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