Trying to get through setup - DNS error message

[Chesssie]

Amcrest NV4108 1080p - going through the set up wizard and it comes to a TCP/IP screen. It all looks right according the the manual, and I hit "NExt" and I get a "DNS Invalid, high bit must be between 1 and 223.

The DNS is 192.168.1.1. Any ideas how to get through this? I don't see anything online for this error.

 

[Silas]

Check you have the dot/period and not a comma

 

[Chesssie]

All the delimiters on that screen are dots/periods. And you can't actually enter them anyway, only the numbers.

 

[Silas]

thought as much, just needed to check ;-)
You don't have a DHCP scope that precludes that range?

Try setting a static ip and dns and see if that helps

 

[alastairstevenson]

"DNS Invalid, high bit must be between 1 and 223.

As a long shot - if it doesn't allow the period as the octet delimiter - try using 192 168 001 001

 

[Chesssie]

thought as much, just needed to check ;-)
You don't have a DHCP scope that precludes that range?

I don't know what that is, how would I tell?

Try setting a static ip and dns and see if that helps

I know what a static ip is...but that's the limit of my knowledge. How would I set that up?

 

[Chesssie]

As a long shot - if it doesn't allow the period as the octet delimiter - try using 192 168 001 001

The delimiter is in there already - I have no option to remove or edit that - it only allows me to edit the individual numbers in each segment.

 

[alastairstevenson]

Did you try putting in the 3 numbers in each field? I've seen some config pages that object of you don't put in all 3 as opposed to 1.

 

[Chesssie]

Okay I finally called customer support. Should have done that first but thought I would be able to find a solution myself.
I had to change the 2 DNS entries to 8 8 8 8 and 8 8 4 4. That worked - yay.
Wish they would put stuff like this in the manual.
Could anyone explain why that would be neccessary? I hate not understanding devices that I own.

 

[Jim Pederson]

Those are Google DNS servers....
In the DNS servers field, enter the Google Public DNS IP addresses, separated by a comma:

• For IPv4: 8.8.8.8 and/or 8.8.4.4.
  
  Your ISP default DNS servers may have problems with either the local IP addy or the port number?

 

[Chesssie]

Hmm. ok. Thanks.

 

[Jim Pederson]

Sure.
I am not totally sure where you are setting up the DNS, buy in most HOME networks, 192.168.1.1 refers to your network's router.
So if an application asks for your Domain Name Server address, you can use 192.168.1.1 and router will fetch the IP address....
IF the router resides on that address, AND there are DNS server entries set up in the router.

The router will assign IP addresses for your devices via DHCP and route internet traffic to them. It will use standard internet traffic port unless you tell it different.
Many people may have Incorrectly configured DNS entries in their router for their ISP's DNS servers,

or the ISP DNS servers are not as robust or updated as Google's PUBLIC DNS servers.
So using Google Public DNS servers 8.8.8.8 or / and 8.8.4.4 can sometimes speed up internet traffic, failures to connect name resolution etc.

I don't explain this as clearly as Google does...
Check this page for a thorough run down
Get Started | Public DNS | Google Developers

 

[Chesssie]

Yes, 192.168.1.1 is the router - that is the correct ip address in my network settings. I've never done anything to change it. Normally I would assume that address would be correct.
I actually have heard of these other settings (vaguely familiar LOL - somewhere in my many google searches - but have never had any need to investigate further so I really knew nothing about the whys and hows of it.
Just seems weird that a DNS setting that my router uses would not work for this NVR. But whatever - at least it is working, now. Thanks for the info.

 

[alastairstevenson]

I had to change the 2 DNS entries to 8 8 8 8 and 8 8 4 4. That worked - yay.

Your router address of 192.168.1.1 should be perfectly acceptable, it's the usual choice. It provides a DNS relay service.

Your ISP default DNS servers may have problems with either the local IP addy or the port number?

The OP was entering the router IP address as the DNS server - not the ISP DNS servers.

So if an application asks for your Domain Name Server address, you can use 192.168.1.1 and router will fetch the IP address....

That's what the OP was doing, perfectly normal. But the NVR objected to the address format.

Many people may have Incorrectly configured DNS entries in their router for their ISP's DNS servers,

Many people just won't touch that setting - it's normally set automatically by the ISP systems during the network negotiation phase.

or the ISP DNS servers are not as robust or updated as Google's PUBLIC DNS servers.

The NVR was complaining about the address format - not the robustness of the service.

Just seems weird that a DNS setting that my router uses would not work for this NVR

Indeed. In my view it's a fault/bug in the NVR firmware, hopefully will be fixed at some point.

But there is absolutely no downside in using Google's DNS servers - it's a very common arrangement.

 

[Silas]

That's why I asked about DHCP and DNS settings, I managed to find info buried on Amcrest that 'issues' often occur with what 'they' define as non standard DNS etc, and using the router as the DNS may be the issue, hence the use of 8.8.8.8 or 9.9.9.9

 

[Chesssie]

Indeed. In my view it's a fault/bug in the NVR firmware, hopefully will be fixed at some point.

I agree. After blowing my weekend trying to get this thing to work as advertised (supposedly easy to set up), I gave up. I packed it up and am returning it and the camera, tomorrow. I find it hard to believe that in 2018, there is a consumer product sold that has such an archaic, cumbersome, user-UNfriendly configuration interface. I am not "technology-challenged" - I'm a systems analyst and work with server upgrades and maintenance all day long. I should have done more research and watched a few of the videos on the interface, before purchasing. I don't mind spending a couple of hours setting up a system, but this thing was beyond belief. Maybe I'll do more research to see if there isn't something out there that won't take up so much of my time. Thanks for the help and information though - it's appreciated.

 

[fenderman]

I agree. After blowing my weekend trying to get this thing to work as advertised (supposedly easy to set up), I gave up. I packed it up and am returning it and the camera, tomorrow. I find it hard to believe that in 2018, there is a consumer product sold that has such an archaic, cumbersome, user-UNfriendly configuration interface. I am not "technology-challenged" - I'm a systems analyst and work with server upgrades and maintenance all day long. I should have done more research and watched a few of the videos on the interface, before purchasing. I don't mind spending a couple of hours setting up a system, but this thing was beyond belief. Now I have a pricey purple drive that I am stuck with. Guess I can sell that on eBay - or maybe I'll hold on to it for a bit and do more research to see if there isn't something out there that won't take up so much of my time. Thanks for the help and information though - it's appreciated.

all the NVR's have interfaces like this...amcerst rebrands dahua...lots of folks here have no problems setting up these systems and dont claim to be system analysts...if you want pretty look at some pc based vms like digital watchdog...I guess you really didnt need cams in the first place..otherwise you would keep the drive and look for another solution..

 

[Chesssie]

all the NVR's have interfaces like this...amcerst rebrands dahua...lots of folks here have no problems setting up these systems and dont claim to be system analysts...if you want pretty look at some pc based vms like digital watchdog...I guess you really didnt need cams in the first place..otherwise you would keep the drive and look for another solution..

I've dealt with the most annoying, hair-pulling upgrades one can imagine - but I expect far more from a consumer-oriented product. The software is really just absurd. I deal with enough crap at work - I don't need that at home.
Actually I was going to keep the drive - but just realized that I paid an absurd amount for it - and that was plain stupid on my part. I'll be more educated next time. And no, I don't NEED the cam. I wanted it. So it can wait until I find the right product. I will certainly find out more about how the setup works before I make another purchase.

 

[jabberjaw]

" DNS Invalid, high bit must be between 1 and 223 " error also can be easily recreated by disabling dhcp and applying settings (from experience it's easy to mis-interpret whether dhcp is actually on or off and assume the opposite - thinking it's on and applying confused both i and it and generated the message that steers towards changing other page settings, but in actuality only needed to toggle dhcp back on - was working normally all the time) - just got confused while in the process of trying to get Easyviewer Lite working on the smart phone - guess everything is smarter then me now days, go figure

 

[fenderman]

I've dealt with the most annoying, hair-pulling upgrades one can imagine - but I expect far more from a consumer-oriented product. The software is really just absurd. I deal with enough crap at work - I don't need that at home.
Actually I was going to keep the drive - but just realized that I paid an absurd amount for it - and that was plain stupid on my part. I'll be more educated next time. And no, I don't NEED the cam. I wanted it. So it can wait until I find the right product. I will certainly find out more about how the setup works before I make another purchase.

They make cameras and nvr's for technically inept folks like you who dont want to spend a few minuets learning. They are called nest/ring/alro cams. Aside from being crap, they charge a perpetual lazy/stupid tax.