Issue directly accessing camera

[Ianc]

I have been attempting to directly access a ColorVu camera via web browser. It is directly connected to the PoE port on the NVR.

The NVR GUI has the virtual host option, which has been enabled.
The 'connect' column on the camera management page has been populated with the HTML links for each camera connected. The ip addresses are all in the same range as the NVR with the added port numbers... all good but...

This is a HiLook NVR The ColorVu camera was 'out of the box' connected to the NVR and activated via plug and play which worked ok- the camera is online, available in live view, records and plays back ok, even gives basic event alerts via HikConnect!

It was my understanding that if a camera is activated via PnP then the NVR passes-on / shares its own password i.e. the camera's password will be the SAME as the NVR's password. Well I've tried the NVR password and the login page for the camera refuses it saying it is incorrect? In fact I cannot log into ANY of the connected cameras, but I'm not even certain you can log into HiLook cameras as I've never needed to use virtual host until now.

So, having read the sticky thread on passwords I see it refers to using a 'strong' password. I am assuming that the password I have set for the NVR isn't strong enough for the camera, but yet it has activated the new ColorVu camera? I would have thought if the password wasn't strong enough then it would not activate?? Maybe I'm wrong?

If my assumptions are correct my next dilemma is how to correct the problem.
I can change the password for the NVR to a stronger one if that is indeed the issue, but will the NVR resend the new password to the cameras automatically or will they have to be hard reset and reactivated again?

Thanks again.
Ian

 

[JB1970]

So, having read the sticky thread on passwords I see it refers to using a 'strong' password. I am assuming that the password I have set for the NVR isn't strong enough for the camera, but yet it has activated the new ColorVu camera? I would have thought if the password wasn't strong enough then it would not activate?? Maybe I'm wrong?

Correct - it wouldn't let you activate the NVR with anything other than a compliant strong password.

I can change the password for the NVR to a stronger one if that is indeed the issue, but will the NVR resend the new password to the cameras automatically or will they have to be hard reset and reactivated again?

Normally yes - you can update the NVR password and it will also update the cameras passwords. It may fail in your case however if the existing passwords are different between the NVR and camera.

I've never used the HiLook NVR's so not sure how they differ in operation to the other series.

 

[Ianc]

Correct - it wouldn't let you activate the NVR with anything other than a compliant strong password.

This is why its confusing, the camera is online, available in live view, records and plays back ok. I just can't log into it via virtual host.

 

[JB1970]

This is why its confusing, the camera is online, available in live view, records and plays back ok. I just can't log into it via virtual host.

There may be a setting somewhere in the NVR menu where you can set a Default Camera Activation Password or something along those lines. If you can find it it may be blanked out but clicking the eyelid icon allows you to view after entering the NVR admin password. That is the case on the Hikvision DVR's. At activation you enter an admin password twice and then a camera activation password. That becomes the camera admin password when a camera is added from the DVR menu. I usually just make it the same as the DVR password but it could be anything.

 

[Ianc]

There may be a setting somewhere in the NVR menu where you can set a Default Camera Activation Password or something along those lines. If you can find it it may be blanked out but clicking the eyelid icon allows you to view after entering the NVR admin password.

Thank you @JB1970
Just logged in via the NVR rather than the browser and there is an option to show the password of the connected cameras under Camera Management. I very rarely log in this way so had never noticed this before.
The NVR has passed on its password to the cameras but has omitted one digit??? so that's why it kept being rejected when trying to log in

I have now successfully logged into the camera via virtual host.
Happy days!

 

[Ianc]

Just an update to this which raises another query...

I tried a firmware update to a recently added v4 which didn't go to plan. Anyway I lost camera connectivity when I rolled back to the latest v3.
Plug n Play wouldn't work for some reason, even though they had previously been activated by the NVR, so as I knew the camera passwords, I manually added them. The three original cameras reactivated but the new ColorVu wouldn't activate, saying 'weak password'.

I thought I'd ran out of luck with it, so decided to do a hard reset on the camera. After it rebooted it came back online and activated via Plug n Play with the NVR password, relief !!

The problem now is, on the Camera Management screen it states 'weak password' for the old cameras and N/A for the new one, it said N/A for them all before? Everything is working as before but I'd like to sort out the passwords with a strong one to avoid any other mishaps.

So the query... What is the best way to do this? I really don't want to lock myself out of the camera.
I read that if you change the NVRs password, you must ensure you synch the password change with all connected cameras otherwise they will no longer work. I can't see any option to synch on the NVRs 'Configuration>User>User Management>Edit User' page.

Thanks

 

[JB1970]

What you’re experiencing always happens when updating both the NVR and cameras through the firmware versions where the strong password policy was implemented. There a couple of ways to fix it. How you do it depends whether you want them all the same when complete (all manual or all plug and play)

Normally you’d just change the NVR password - it will give you a prompt as to whether to copy it to connected cameras - select yes. Unfortunately it’ll probably not work on the three original cameras as they’re no longer plug and play.

Easiest way is to log into each of the weak password cameras and factory default them (full factory default) Switch each camera channel back to plug and play and the NVR will activate them using plug and play.

If they don’t - just temporarily switch the inputs around at the NVR (1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 1 for example) and that will bring them back on. You can then put them in the correct order again and they’ll work normally. All cameras are now plug and play.

Another method if you don’t mind leaving those three as manual not plug and play.

1 - In camera setup menu on the NVR scroll to the end (far right) of the entry for the first camera and edit the password to match your NVR password. It will reboot the camera.

2 - while it’s rebooting (you need to be quick) on the same entry, open the configuration panel and in manual settings and edit the password there to match (that’s the password the NVR submits to the camera)

 

[Ianc]

Thanks again @JB1970

Did the first method of rebooting cams to default settings, all cams now Plug n Play.
Changed the NVR admin password and this time I had a check box to sync IPC password... it didn't sync them, previous weak cam passwords remained, I figured this was because I did it via the browser.

Changed the NVR password via direct monitor access, got the prompt to sync and now all passwords are 'strong'

Lessons learnt:
it best to make changes via direct monitor access (even though the GUI is terrible to work with)
if it says N/A in the security column then the cams are activated via Plug n Play

 

[JB1970]

Thanks again @JB1970

Did the first method of rebooting cams to default settings, all cams now Plug n Play.
Changed the NVR admin password and this time I had a check box to sync IPC password... it didn't sync them, previous weak cam passwords remained, I figured this was because I did it via the browser.

Changed the NVR password via direct monitor access, got the prompt to sync and now all passwords are 'strong'

Lessons learnt:
it best to make changes via direct monitor access (even though the GUI is terrible to work with)
if it says N/A in the security column then the cams are activated via Plug n Play

Good to hear you sorted it. In the past, updating through that password change version has caused me a few headaches with temporary lost connections. It's worth the hassle though as you now have them all using the same method which will make it easier to manage going forward.