Adding 3rd Party Cameras with ONVIF Discovery Issues to a VMAX IP Plus

Adding 3rd Party Cameras with ONVIF Discovery Issues to a VMAX® IP Plus

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Affected Roles: Admin, Owner

Last Edit: August 13, 2024

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Third Party Registration Issues

While the VMAX IP Plus standalone NVR is considered to support most ONVIF-compliant IP cameras, it is not unusual for the recorder to encounter registration issues with cameras manufactured by a third party company. In addition to the typical NVR troubleshooting (power cycle, NVR firmware update, check network equipment and cables, etc.) when encountering network detection or camera management issues, it is worth considering if the issue is being caused by the third party camera itself and its DHCP settings, which may be preventing the camera from linking correctly with the unit.

This article will advise on some simple steps that can be taken to have a camera identify itself with the VMAX IP Plus unit’s PoE switch network.

**NOTE: For assistance with factory defaulting a third party camera, please contact the third party camera’s manufacturer for support. DW Support provides assistance solely for DW products.

Supported/Affected Devices:

VMAX IP Plus (1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd generation)

Resolving Camera DHCP Addressing Issues Before Adding to a VMAX IP Plus

As the VMAX IP Plus features a UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) function, when an IP camera is connected to the built-in PoE switch of the VMAX IP Plus the NVR will automatically attempt to assign an IP address to the camera that matches the unit’s IP address scheme (10.0.0.x). However, if the camera is already assigned to a static IP address that does not match the IP scheme of the NVR’s PoE switch network, if the camera’s firmware is preventing DHCP compatibility with the recorder, etc., the VMAX IP Plus will be unable to automatically detect and add the camera to the NVR’s device registry.

When encountering this obstacle, here are a few things that you can try for adding the camera:

Assign a Static IP Address to the Camera for PoE Connection

Access the camera’s web interface and manually assign a STATIC IP address to the camera. Set the IP address to match the same IP scheme as the NVR’s integrated PoE switch. The default PoE Gateway address for systems running firmware version v1.5.4.3 is 200.0.0.254. For systems running previous firmware versions, the default PoE Gateway address is 10.0.0.254.

To verify the configured PoE Gateway address on your NVR, please access the main menu directly on the unit and select "Network" then "Setup" for PoE settings. This will display the configured PoE Gateway address as well as other PoE information.

To access the camera's web interface, first connect your PC or laptop to the Built-in PoE switch's network. After plugging into the Built-in PoE switch's network, you can use DW IP Finder software to locate DW IP cameras on the network.

If adding multiple cameras, you may want to start the IP addresses for the cameras in the 100’s (ex. 200.0.0.100). Be sure that no two devices/cameras use the same IP address. This would create a networking conflict for those devices and prevent proper detection and communication.

After assigning the camera to a matching IP address, manually add the camera to the VMAX IP Plus.

Use an External PoE Switch and Connect Through LAN

In addition to the UPnP benefits of the integrated PoE switch that is built-in to the VMAX IP Plus, cameras that are connected to the local network (LAN) and stem from a router connection may also be added to the NVR. When using this method, the camera will likely need to be powered and connected through the use of a different PoE switch that is external to the VMAX IP Plus. As long as both the VMAX IP Plus and the external PoE switch are connected over the LAN, use the same IPv4 address scheme (example schemes - 192.168.x.x, 172.16.x.x, etc.), then the devices will be able to communicate.

**NOTE: When using a PoE switch that is external to the NVR, be aware of whether the switch is a “dummy switch” or a “smart switch”. A smart switch will require additional configuration and setup for proper networking practices, while a dummy switch will default to the router’s DHCP settings.

Additional Recommendations

Check with the third party camera’s manufacturer for any firmware updates. Firmware patches and releases typically include security updates, networking updates, bug fixes, compatibility upgrades, etc.
Practice good camera management by documenting camera network information and addresses. If cameras are left on a DHCP setting and not set to a static IP address, the IP address may be likely to automatically change if the router deems it to do so. This can create unnecessary difficulty if the camera has been manually added to the VMAX IP Plus through the LAN connection.
Be familiar with the third party camera’s capabilities and features. DW Support is trained to troubleshoot and work with DW products specifically. Some third party camera manufacturers (ex. HikVision, AXIS, etc.) have subtle security features that automatically disable ONVIF discovery, preventing auto-discovery by DW Spectrum Servers.

For More Information or Technical Support

DW Technical Support: 866.446.3595 (option 4)

https://www.digital-watchdog.com/contact-tech-support/

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DW Sales: 866.446.3595 [email protected] www.digital-watchdog.com