How to custom settings in IP cams without Windows ?

[DoubleHP]

Before using a new camera in ZoneMinder, I need to change IP, DNS, name, and password. For now, I have to do all that in Windows. Some CameraMonitor aplication to change IP, then, InternetExplorer with loads of pop-ups about unsecure settings to change other details.

How to do all this in Linux directly ?

My Linux browser can only access main page of cameras, and login. Can not get video stream, or access configuration pannel.

[evolotion]

Even XP in a VM baulks for me and some of my camera setup plugins in IE so I have to use an actual wndows laptop, if you find a solution to this please do update the thead,

[DoubleHP]

Having to start my VirtualBox for configuring a camera is not nice for me. The protocol seems to be the same for 99% ONVIF cameras. The software I used for the first cam bought on amazon worked for the following 3 different brands. So, I would be surprised we can't write a Linux app for this, or a webkit.

I was sad ZM does not include it ...

[evolotion]

unrealistic to expect ZM devs to pander to every custom app required to set up every camera that sails out of china. You can however pick up the mantle and roll your own code , given these cams should have purely html interfaces not custom IE widgets its the cam manufacturers fault. Whats more insulting is one cam I particularly struggled with I opened up, found the serial test points and the thing was running linux..

[DoubleHP]

I am not asking for ecery cam.

I am asking for the general case; I have cams from 4 different manufacturers, that do NOT use the same firmware (very similar, but not identical version); all work with the same windows app; so they have compatible basic settings.

There are two steps:
- changing the IP, should be done without any browser, so probably trivial to implement (next time I will run tcpdump to see what's happening)
- setting password and NTP server; this requires IE at the moment, but may be classic HTML (probably not even HTTPS)

Seen worse. An NVR ... that runs two Linux (one Linux, and one Android), on two CPUs; does not provide any console, any ssh, and must be accessed via IE (Firefox won't work at all). It's a HIK clone.

[AnotherBrian]

with hikvision cameras, the camera runs a webserver. All adminstrative functions of the camera are available through the webserver.
So a browser like firefox can be used to access the administrative functions of the camera.

The issue is to get the network set up so that a computer can access the camera. By default, the ip address of the hikvision camera is 192.0.0.64.

Several approaches are possible.

A crossover network cable can be used to connect the computer directly to the camera. A crossover cable will have transmit line of one become the receive line on the other end. This can be accomplished by cutting and soldering. See pin out diagrams on the internet. Alternative two network cables can be used with a null modem in between (which flips the lines for you).

The approach I use is to configure my router (or an old router) so it has LAN IP address 192.0.0.1. Then connect the camera and the computer to the router.

Once the connection is up, configure the camera's ip address to the future address or configure it for DHCP, then reboot the camera via the cameras web interface. At this point the camera becomes inaccessible because it is part of another network (such as 192.168.1 or whatever you configured). Change the routers IP LAN address to 192.168.1.1 (or whatever) and your back in business.

[DoubleHP]

with hikvision cameras, the camera runs a webserver. All adminstrative functions of the camera are available through the webserver.
So a browser like firefox can be used to access the administrative functions of the camera.

All my chinese cameras ship a webserver. They all ask for a login and password, but, authentification is accepted only from InternetExplorer. That's the point of this topic.

The issue is to get the network set up so that a computer can access the camera. By default, the ip address of the hikvision camera is 192.0.0.64.

It may be an issue for some people; it's not the topic of this thread, it's not my problem, it's not what I am talking about.

Several approaches are possible.

A crossover network cable can be used to connect the computer directly to the camera. A crossover cable will have transmit line of one become the receive line on the other end. This can be accomplished by cutting and soldering. See pin out diagrams on the internet. Alternative two network cables can be used with a null modem in between (which flips the lines for you).

How over complicated ... all computers built since 2005 have autosense NICs; use any cable from the camera to the computer, and the computer will handle the X issue.

The approach I use is to configure my router (or an old router) so it has LAN IP address 192.0.0.1. Then connect the camera and the computer to the router.

I said I am using Linux.

Code: Select all

ip a a 192.0.0.2 dev eth0

and you can browse your camera, which, by default, is always at 192.0.0.10. No need to mess with your router. So according to your list, it's a 4th method, available only on Linux (IP aliasing is extremly complicated on windows; but I said in my first post we are talking about Linux). No need to mess router, server, or computer, or system settings.

Once the connection is up, configure the camera's ip address to the future address or configure it for DHCP, then reboot the camera via the cameras web interface. At this point the camera becomes inaccessible because it is part of another network (such as 192.168.1 or whatever you configured). Change the routers IP LAN address to 192.168.1.1 (or whatever) and your back in business.

The problem is not setting up wires, cables, switches, routers, table, or chairs; the problem is accessing the network configuration tool of camera without Internet Explorer on most current cameras. I said it works find unig windows and IE. This implies my cables and network are fine.

[AnotherBrian]

Thanks for the critique!

No windows here.....thats how i configured all my hikvision via linux - right out of the shipping box. I can't speak for all hikvision cameras or any other manufacturer, but why would a company go out of their way to require a special windows program to unlock their generic web interface.

Now that I recall I think i did use direct cable on some cameras apparently exploiting the auto detect you mentioned. Under Network Manager it was edit wired connection IPv4 Settings either link-local or manual with an add to address/netmask/gateway.

I concur that I was not able to get live stream to work and was limited to the administrative functions of the web interface. For seeing video, vlc worked:
rtsp://admin:33333@192.100.5.158:554/Streaming/Channels/1?tcp

[DoubleHP]

I can't speak for [...] other manufacturer, but why would a company go out of their way to require a special windows program to unlock their generic web interface.

All cheap cam manuf do so. Since over 10y. Require 3 to 5 different Windows apps. Cams and DVR (NVR?).

But changing IP is a mandatory step, because, even if those manuf apps can refer to cams as by their MAC (HIK does so: you don't need to change settings of cams; all cams can keep their original factory IP 192.0.0.10, and all of them will be browsable by the DVR/NVR even when they are all using the same IP), ZM is not able to do that, and requires each cam to have a uniq IP.

I concur that I was not able to get live stream to work and was limited to the administrative functions of the web interface. For seeing video, vlc worked:
rtsp://admin:33333@192.100.5.158:554/Streaming/Channels/1?tcp

For viewing stream, I have ZM. And many phone apps are able to detect and view ONVIF cams.

[AnotherBrian]

Interesting. Didn't know a dialog could be initiated without a device having an ip address but makes sense. I wonder if that little windows program is using bootp messaging.