Trouble seeing cams after replacing NVR fan

[dabomb18359]

My parents have a Lorex kit from Costco w/ four 4K bullet cams and an 8-port NVR, model NR908X-N. Installed everything a few weeks ago and it worked, 4 cameras showed up (ports 1-4) in web app, client, phone app, everything working properly.

Turns out the fan was too loud for them so they replaced it with a quieter one and put everything back together. Apparently the first time connecting after doing so only one of the cameras showed up, so they restarted it and since then none of them appear. They show up on the side of the web app, for example if all are disconnected and one is plugged into port 5, it shows CAM 5 (figure 1). However, the actual video never shows up. I see it in Setup/Camera Setting/Remote Device but haven't figured out how to do anything there. I even tried the "Reconnect IPC" button but it doesn't seem to do anything.

Anyone else experienced this before or know what the problem is? I don't think any changes were made besides power off, replace fan, and power back on, but the PSU may have been disconnected at some point from the rest of the components in the NVR in case that affects something.

 

[wittaj]

Did they unplug the cameras from the NVR and then plug them back in? Many of these Lorex unit assign a camera to a port and if you unplug them and plug them into a different port they all get screwed up. They can try to figure out which one goes to which port, but it may already be messed up.

Unless someone else has another idea, best bet will be to factory reset everything and start again.

 

[jenxo]

I have an older IP POE Lorex NVR from Costco LNR1180 and I connect the 3MP POE cameras and they don't show up, and the lights on the ethernet ports in the back also don't light up.

 

[wittaj]

I have an older IP POE Lorex NVR from Costco LNR1180 and I connect the 3MP POE cameras and they don't show up, and the lights on the ethernet ports in the back also don't light up.

That's a different issue than the original post. Yours sounds like the POE of the NVR went out. You could purchase a new POE switch and connect it to the LAN port or replace the NVR.

 

[jenxo]

That's a different issue than the original post. Yours sounds like the POE of the NVR went out. You could purchase a new POE switch and connect it to the LAN port or replace the NVR.

Thanks Wittaj , I suspected that too.
1) How can I know that it is the POE in the NVR that has died, is there a test ? I'm thinking maybe just my inability to understand the instructions, or some IP presets or such
2) Could you point me to a good POE switch you like ?

-Jenx

 

[wittaj]

Thanks Wittaj , I suspected that too.
1) How can I know that it is the POE in the NVR that has died, is there a test ? I'm thinking maybe just my inability to understand the instructions, or some IP presets or such
2) Could you point me to a good POE switch you like ?

-Jenx

The Port light not coming on tells you that at the very least the ports are not working - either the NVR has died completely or the just the ports.

If you hook the NVR to a monitor or pull it up on the app, does the NVR still show up just no cameras? is there light on the front of the NVR that lets you know it is powered on?

If there is nothing on the monitor, then the NVR probably died.

 

[jenxo]

Thanks.

NVR powers on ( green light is on) and does show up on the TV, via HDMI cable
NVR "seems" fine, password input etc Still no cameras visible
Might try a POE switch and see if that does it.

 

[jenxo]

Thanks.

NVR powers on ( green light is on) and does show up on the TV, via HDMI cable
NVR "seems" fine, password input etc Still no cameras visible
Might try a POE switch and see if that does it.

 

[wittaj]

Yep, that sounds like the POE ports! I have had that happen as well. That one is the easy fix!

 

[jenxo]

Wittaj, you da man!
Outstanding! Now to find a switch.
I plug my 8 cams into the new POE switch and then ONE cable into the WAN of the LOREX NVR ?

If the 8 LAN ports are all dead, and only the WAN port works, then that's all I got, right ? ( or maybe I can plug the new POE switch straight into the router)

All in all fairly disappointed by LOREX NVR quality.

 

[wittaj]

Wittaj, you da man!
Outstanding! Now to find a switch.
I plug my 8 cams into the new POE switch and then ONE cable into the WAN of the LOREX NVR ?

If the 8 LAN ports are all dead, and only the WAN port works, then that's all I got, right ? ( or maybe I can plug the new POE switch straight into the router)

All in all fairly disappointed by LOREX NVR quality.

Yep, it has to go into the WAN port. Do not plug into router or all your cams will be exposed to the internet and your NVR will not find them (or very easily).

Can you log into the NVR GUI - type the IP address of the NVR into a browser - that would let you know the WAN port still works. Usually they both don't go out at the same time.

 

[dabomb18359]

Did they unplug the cameras from the NVR and then plug them back in? Many of these Lorex unit assign a camera to a port and if you unplug them and plug them into a different port they all get screwed up. They can try to figure out which one goes to which port, but it may already be messed up.

Unless someone else has another idea, best bet will be to factory reset everything and start again.

Yes this is what happened. I tried doing a factory reset in the NVR software, but this didn't solve the problem. Should I try to attempt a hard reset of some sort? I read that some cameras have physical reset buttons if you open them to reveal the circuit board, should I try that?

My dad tried re-plugging the cameras in all the original ports (1-4) but they didn't show up that way either, which should have worked once out of the four attempts.

 

[wittaj]

I guess before you do that have him make sure that the POE ports are still providing power. Should be a light that comes on next to the port (green or yellow I forget which it has).

Next confirm they can see the NVR by opening up a web browser and can type in the IP address and it loads on the screen.

I wouldn't think this is the issue, but who knows how the system may be wired up, but could the fan be drawing too much power and the POE ports do not have enough to run now? Maybe disconnect the fan temporarily and confirm that isn't the case.

Provided you have confirmed that the POE power didn't go out and the NVR is working, then yes, I would try a factory reset of the cam and NVR again. Just try one cam first and see if that resolves it.

 

[dabomb18359]

I guess before you do that have him make sure that the POE ports are still providing power. Should be a light that comes on next to the port (green or yellow I forget which it has).

Next confirm they can see the NVR by opening up a web browser and can type in the IP address and it loads on the screen.

I wouldn't think this is the issue, but who knows how the system may be wired up, but could the fan be drawing too much power and the POE ports do not have enough to run now? Maybe disconnect the fan temporarily and confirm that isn't the case.

Provided you have confirmed that the POE power didn't go out and the NVR is working, then yes, I would try a factory reset of the cam and NVR again. Just try one cam first and see if that resolves it.

Looks like that might be it, resetting cameras didn't do it and there doesn't seem to be the light at the POE port. Is there an easy way to troubleshoot this, I guess put back in the old fan and see if it changes? I can't imagine the newer fan (it's a Noctua of the same size) would draw too much power that cams wouldn't work. Maybe something didn't get plugged back in properly? Also wouldn't disconnecting the fan risk causing trouble for the PSU if there's no way for it to vent heat?

 

[wittaj]

Oh no.

Long term without the fan yes, but for testing purposes to unplug it and see if it is the reason would be ok.

You never know how these are set-up. Heck people will buy a 4 port POE switch and it cannot run 4 cameras. It is all about the draw load they set up in the unit.

And these units do have POE go out - it is one of the more common issues. I had the POE go out on an NVR. Sometimes just the simple removing power from it and then turning back on and it poops out. Total coincidence and would happen the next power outage, but these things happen.

Fortunately as long as you can still see the NVR when plugged into a monitor or hitting the IP address on a webbrowser, this is one of the few things you can "fix" without needing to buy a new NVR. Just buy a POE switch that has enough power on each port to power the cameras and plug it into the WAN/LAN port of the NVR (not one of the camera ports) and it will work again.