Subscriber Discussion

What Is Wrong When A IP Camera Manufacturer Config Tool Cannot Find A Camera?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Jul 30, 2017

As you all know every IP Camera manufacturer provides a configuration tool that allows you to setup their cameras for your network. 

[IPVM Note: See our directory of 40+ manufacturers configuration / discovery tools.]

This tool works even though the default IP embedded in the camera does not match your network subnet.

Every blue moon I have a situation where I try to configure IP cameras and the manufacturers configuration tool cannot find the camera on the network. So Im unable to change the IP to my current subnet. The way that I have been overcoming this issue is I temporarily change my routers subnet to the the default camera subnet, login to camera by the default IP and then make the changes I need in the cameras web interface.  Sometimes I'm on a job where I am unable to change the routers setting so I have to take the camera back to my shop and do it on my network. I had this happen again today and it was a big pain. I lost over two hours.

My question is why does this happen and how can I correct it in the field. 

Thanks for any input.

Avatar
Josh Hendricks
•Jul 30, 2017
Milestone Systems

You usually don't need to touch the router if you are physically connected to the same network segment. Normally you can just change your NIC to use a static IP address, or add a second IP/mask to your NIC if you already have a static IP set.

You would only need to make router changes if it was not practical to get connected to the same physical network or VLAN.

That said, if a camera finder isn't working, the most common cause is a firewall or otherwise UPNP is blocked. It's also not always possible for UPNP or other broadcast notification mechanisms to span VLANs or cross routers.

You can also try using a UPNP or SSDP discovery tool separate from the manufacturer. Sometimes a generic tool is able to detect when the dedicated tools can't, so it's worth a try in a pinch. You just end up having to filter through all the other detected devices.

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Jul 30, 2017

"Normally you can just change your NIC to use a static IP address"

I don't know why I didn't think of that! That's actually the the recommend setup procedure for some network devices. (Ubiquiti).  The only time I can think of when it wouldn't work is if you dont know the default ip of the device you are trying to configure.

 

Thanks for the input!

Avatar
Josh Hendricks
•Jul 30, 2017
Milestone Systems
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1

No problem! If I'm really stuck and don't know the device IP, I will use Wireshark and filter on the MAC. The capture filter would be "ether host Mac" where Mac is the MAC address in pretty much any common format I think. Sometimes you'll get lucky with that.

Another trick which works with Axis and one other camera I can't remember at the moment is to create a static ARP entry for the MAC and the desired IP address, then start pinging the desired IP with a specific packet size like 408 bytes or something like that. Then you power cycle the camera and it will receive the pings, and assume the IP address specified in the ICMP echo request.

I'm not sure if this one actually still works, I haven't tried it in years.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
•Jul 30, 2017

Bring your shop with you.

Carry a small $20.00 POE inverter, set your laptop as static and plug the camera into it. If there is a default IP address you should find it and may have to change to its addressing scheme to make changes.

A little easier, but more hardware is to invest in a $30.00 or less wifi router. Connect your laptop either wifi or direct into the router as DHCP and put the POE injector between the router and camera.

There are a few devices for sale that do this for you without a PC, but they are more expensive and not manufacturer specific like the discovery tools. IPVM tested some.

When you are on someone's managed switch there are many reasons you won't find a camera.

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JH
Jay Hobdy
•Jul 30, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Unrelated but we had issues with AVG blocking scanning/config tools.

 

I have also had issues with Ubiquiti's tool. One the server, it can find all devices, but on our tech laptop, it only finds half the devices. Same network, same IP range, subnet, etc. Laptop is plugged into same switch as server.

Tried DHCP and static IP and same thing. 

 

Our techs carry small POE switches with them for situations like this, that way they can connect to clients network and work on the camera directly

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
•Jul 30, 2017
In reply to Jay Hobdy

I had a site where half of the switch had been assigned to a separate VLAN.

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