Problem with iVMS-4200

[Bluenose1940]

I am having a problem with adding my setup to iVMS-4200. My NVR is the DS-7604NI-K1/4P and when I try to 'Add the device' it just will not populate the serial number and I assume that because of this it will not work.

Hopefully someone will be able to help. With luck the screenshots that I have attached will be able to be opened so that you can see what I have at the moment.

I wonder if I am trying to add the device incorrectly. If someone could point me in the right direction I will be extremely grateful.

Many thanks in advance of any help that may be forthcoming.

 

[Phil]

Hi,
Is your NVR successfully added to your network?
If you run their SADP utility on your PC, does it show the NVR with the router's IP address correctly set, and an appropriate IP address for the NVR?

The latest version of SADP can be downloaded here:
DOWNLOAD PORTAL

Feel free to upload a screenshot from SADP.
Don't reveal your NVR's full serial number please.

 

[Bluenose1940]

Hello Phil, Thank you so much for coming in on this, its very much appreciated.
The NVR is on the network because I can look at the camera via Hik-Connect on my phone, although I'm only managing this at the moment whilst at home using Wi-Fi, if I move away I can't get it, but that's another issue I think.

I'm reasonable with computers, but not that brill (I'm 78!) I have attached 3 screenshots of my SADP screen because I can't get it all in on one screen and don't know how to. Hopefully what I have attached will be sufficient for you to help. I've left the bit out that shows the serial number as you have suggested.

 

[Phil]

OK, that looks fine.

Interesting that your NVR has shipped with a newer firmware version than is currently available from their portal (you have V3.4.99):
DOWNLOAD PORTAL

FYI - If you tick the box at the left end of the row in SADP that shows its details, then it populates the fly-out at the right with those details and alllows you to view and change settings.

Your NVR's network IP address is 192.168.0.20
If you open Internet Explorer (not Edge) on your PC and type that IP address into the address bar you should be able to login to your NVR to live view and edit configuration etc.

Do you actually need iVMS-4200?

 

[Bluenose1940]

Hello again Phil, can';t comment on the firmware version as I wouldn't know where to look to compare.

I will have a go at ticking the box in a minute to see what happens in SADP. I have typed the IP address into Google Chrome and I get into it all OK but I can't get Live View to work. In GC I get a message to say that I need to download a 'Plug-In' but I have done that a few times and it doesn't help. I have been into settings on GC to make sure that the plug-in is allowed but as I say, it doesn't make it work.

I then thought I would try Internet Explorer and I can get a bit further using that but, when I click on an icon at the bottom of the screen that says 'Start All Live View' I get a message that says "The stream is encrypted. Please go to the Configuration Interface to set the encryption key and restart Live View" At that point I am completely lost I'm afraid. Do you have any thoughts on this please?

With regard to "Do I actually need iVMS-4200" I really don't know. I thought that it was just an easy way to view my camera without going into Hik-Connect.

Thanks again for your help thus far.

 

[Phil]

can';t comment on the firmware version as I wouldn't know where to look to compare.

There was a link in my previous comment that will take you to the correct page for the firmware for your NVR, so that you can check in future:

Interesting that your NVR has shipped with a newer firmware version than is currently available from their portal (you have V3.4.99):
DOWNLOAD PORTAL

You can access the camera via Google Chrome if you use the IEtab plugin:
Hikvision's plugin for Google Chrome is unsupported

Encryption is covered here:
HikVision NVR "Invalid encryption key" error message

You can use iVMS-4200.
It shouldn't be too tricky to setup.
A bit more complex than just vieiwng in Internet Explorer.
Perhaps get comfortable with that and resolve any other setup issues first.

 

[Bluenose1940]

Phil, it's all sorted thank you. The encryption key is actually the verification code, when I entered that it worked a treat.

I have downloaded the add-in to use IE in Chrome but I am still getting the error message there which is telling me to download an add-in. Perhaps it will work when I have rebooted.

Do you have any thoughts as to why I can't use Hik-Connect other than via Wi-Fi, would that be more to do with my phone than anything else?

Thanks a million for your help/guidance.

 

[Phil]

Do you have any thoughts as to why I can't use Hik-Connect other than via Wi-Fi, would that be more to do with my phone than anything else?

It depends on how you setup Hik-Connect, try following through this thread and links:
HikConnect - In a nutshell how does it work.

It could also be that you haven't yet entered all the necessary Network Settings for your NVR in its Configuration area e.g. gateway address and DNS settings. You'll see an example here:
Lost access/live feed to cameras via NVR and browser/VMS

Internet Explorer is still 'the banker' in terms of browser access.
Once you get this working, you'll find that IEtab via Chrome will also work.
Please make sure that you are using Internet Explorer, not Edge.
(Edge is Microsoft's preferred new browser in Windows 10, but if you type "Internet Explorer" in at the bottom left you'll find it's still there)

If the plugin is needed you should be prompted to download and install it.
NB - Make sure that you download the plugin, then close all of your browsers BEFORE installing the plugin.

 

[Bluenose1940]

Are you still around Phil? Although I can now get into Live View via Hik-Connect, it isn't really Live View as the image is frozen at the point that I enter it. Am I still doing something wrong?

Thank you.

 

[Phil]

Did you get Live View working locally via Internet Explorer?

BTW - what camera(s) do you have connected to your 7604?

 

[Bluenose1940]

Good morning Phil, when I type in the IP address of my setup into Internet Explorer and then log in, I get a picture immediately which is showing what the camera can see and, with the correct time (i.e. the time of logging in) at the top left of the screen but, the whole thing then just freezes up at that time and nothing happens. If I log out and then in again, the whole procedure repeats itself at the new log in time.
The camera that I am using is a Hikvision DS-2CD2155FWD-I EXIR Fixed Dome Network Camera H.265+

 

[Phil]

The 2155 also uses the G1 Series firmware:
DOWNLOAD PORTAL

Please make sure it is using the latest firmware.

 

[Bluenose1940]

Thank you or this info Phil. Can you tell me which one of the 12 versions listed is the one that I need please. When I have downloaded the one for my system/camera, will the download be picked up by iVMS-4200 or Hik-Connect and if not, how do I install it to the camera? It will presumably have to find its way onto the NVR hard drive somehow.

Where do I find the firmware version of my camera? I have spotted that for the NVR but not for the camera, or are they one and the same?

Thanks again.

 

[Phil]

Finding the latest firmware for your HikVision camera:
Finding the Latest Hikvision Firmware for your Camera

How to update HikVision firmware:
How to update HikVision Firmware in just nine simple steps

 

[Phil]

The update instructions assume that you can access your camera(s) in a browser e.g. Internet Explorer.

If your cameras are directly connected to your NVR, you will need to switch on the Virtual Host feature, which will allow you to click a link in the Camera Management table and open a new browser window for the selected camera.

You can then follow the How to update guide.

 

[Bluenose1940]

I have tried to update the firmware several times and each time I get the message that the 'upgrade has failed.

I have followed the instructions very carefully but cannot get success. I saw in one of the links that it sometimes fails if you try to update a number of versions in one leap. I then tried a slightly older version first but that didn't work either. I am still getting into Live View very easily but, the image still freezes at the point of log-in.

I'm not really sure about the firmware versions, is there one version for the NVR and another for the camera? I have looked in the camera data but have been unable to spot a firmware version number.

When I am in the menu for the NVR I can see that the firmware version is v3.4.99 with a build number of 171121 and yet when I look at the versions shown in the links it is showing the latest as being v5.5.51 and Build No. 18034 which seems like one enormous leap to me.

 

[Phil]

Yes, you do need different firmware for your cameras and NVR.
Not just that, but there is specific firmware for every model/range.

Let's sort out your NVR first:
In Post #4 in this thread I commented it was odd that your NVR's firmware appeared to be newer than currently available:

Interesting that your NVR has shipped with a newer firmware version than is currently available from their portal (you have V3.4.99):
DOWNLOAD PORTAL

The link in that quote takes you to the HikVision portal download page for your NVR.

There you will see them offering V3.4.98 with the same build date (that build date of 171121 equates to 21st October 2017).
I think it's safe to assume that you have the latest NVR firmware.

Next Post I'll lead you through camera updates.

 

[Phil]

Have you enable Virtual Host?

The update instructions assume that you can access your camera(s) in a browser e.g. Internet Explorer.

If your cameras are directly connected to your NVR, you will need to switch on the Virtual Host feature, which will allow you to click a link in the Camera Management table and open a new browser window for the selected camera.

If so, when you view Camera Management in your NVR, can you now see a column of hyperlinks in the right-hand column?
One alongside each of your cameras.
When you click that link your browser should open a new tab - enabling you to login directly to the camera.
If the camera is directly connected to your NVR, its user name and password will be the same as the NVR's.
Configuration -> System -> System Settings will show you the camera's current firmware version.

Please let me know each camera model and its current firmware version.

 

[Bluenose1940]

You are very patient Phil and I really do appreciate your efforts on my behalf.

Before I proceed with the instructions in your last post, would it help if I tell you that my system is all routed through a Netgear switch box and, I view the images om my PC monitor by way of an HDMI switch. With this in mind, would I be better off connecting the camera via this switch box or wouldn't that work?

I have to go out soon so please forgive me if I don't get back to you until either quite late or even tomorrow morning, if you are around of course.

At last, I have found the firmware details for my camera, the model is DS-2CD2155FWD-I and the firmware version is v5.4.5 - Build 17024

Many thanks.

Edit. When I tried to do an update of the NVR firmware, after a few moments a message popped up saying that I already had the latest version.
When I log into Hikvision via the IP address, I can see the Camera management page it provides an IP Address and the status is 'On-Line'

 

[Phil]

Hi,
Although you could connect your cameras via your Netgear switch, having them direct-connected to your NVR is probably the most straight forward setup.
NB - If you do change the way that you connect to them I would recommend a factory reset of the cameras.
Also, unless your Netgear switch is a POE switch you would need new and separate power to the cameras (or to replace that switch with a POE switch.

It's not a problem that you use your PC monitor via an HDMI switch.

Your 2155 camera is from Hikvision's EasyIP 3.0 family, and uses their G1 Platform firmware.
The latest version of that firmware (V5.5.51) is available here:
DOWNLOAD PORTAL

The newest version is at the bottom of the list.

Your version V5.4.5 is over a year old, we always recommend that you check your firmware and use the latest version.