IP cameras are sophisticated pieces of technology that have many features that other security cameras do not have. IP cameras at this point have the capability to surpass modern HD cameras in visual resolution and clarity once you start getting into the higher end models. There are many reasons to choose to go IP, but the improved visual capabilities are one of the most substantial qualities setting IP cameras above the rest.

Videos demonstrating this process can be found at the bottom of the article or by clicking here. If you have a black or dark gray interface that does not match the pictures below then check out the video for that interface by clicking here.

Before connecting your IP cameras to an NVR you will need to perform a few steps before connecting a camera. These steps are necessary before following the videos on how to add IP cameras to an NVR.

Get a PoE Switch

  1. You need to have a PoE switch that is 802.3af/at compliant to power your IP cameras.
  2. Connect the PoE switch to your router to make sure it is on the network.
  3. You need to connect the NVR to one of the ports on the switch. You can also connect the NVR and switch directly to the router if you have a home or small office network. If your PoE switch has multiple uplink ports (non-POE), we suggest connecting the NVR to one of the uplink ports.
  4. If you have lights on your switch, make sure lights for the corresponding ports you just connected are lit. That means those devices are in fact connected and you have good cabling.

Configure NVR to your network

  1. Configure the NVR to an IP address that is compatible with your network. If you don't know how to do that, you can follow our guide on how to connect security cameras to the internet to learn simple networking concepts to properly deploy a NVR or camera on a network.It is important to configure networked devices to proper IP addresses based on your local network (LAN) for them to communicate to each other.
  2. We suggest changing the IP address of the recorder to something other than the default 192.168.1.108 so there is no conflict with any new IP cameras you purchase from us. All devices we carry come with a default factory address of 192.168.1.108.

Configure cameras to your network

  1. Connect your IP cameras to the PoE switch and configure them to an IP address that is compatible with your LAN.
  2. Our guide on how to connect security cameras to the internet also explains how to change the IP address on our IP cameras. We have an IP config tool that you can download on your PC to change IP addresses on cameras quickly. You can also watch a video on how to use the config tool to learn how to find your IP camera on the network.

All newer cameras with firmware from 2018 and onward have security built into the camera that requires initialization before making any configuration changes to the camera including the IP address. In order to set the password and password recovery email address you must login to the web interface of the camera.

Add Cameras to NVR over the network

  1. When you have configured the recorder and the cameras on the same network, you can add IP cameras compatible with the Private protocol to the recorder by following the steps below.If you are trying to connect to a camera using the ONVIF protocol, the information you enter for the camera varies. We have several guides about how to add ONVIF cameras to security camera recorders after you have them on the same network as the recorder.
  2. Make sure your recorder supports the make and model of the IP cameras you intend to use. Depending on the model of the NVR, it could support 2, 8, or more IP cameras. To know the number of network cameras supported by your recorder, be sure to check the specifications of the unit from its product description page.
  3. In addition to confirming the number of IP cameras supported, it is important to check the resolution of the camera and compare with what your NVR can support, as not all recorders can support 4K security cameras or 12MP cameras. If the native resolution of your camera is higher than what is supported by your recorder, you can access the web interface of your IP camera and reduce its resolution.

Step 1) Navigate to Main Menu

First, using the mouse connected to the unit, go to the main screen of your NVR showing live feeds when you power it on. Right click anywhere on the screen and go to the bottom of the list and select Main Menu to view the menu options.

Click Main Menu

Step 2) Select Camera

From the Main Menu select the Camera option on the third row as shown in the image below.

settings, camera selection

Step 3) Select Remote and use IP Search

Select the Remote subcategory to the left to bring up the menu we need.

Click on the IP Search button to see all compatible IP cameras on the network. Our cameras use port 37777 as the native protocol port to communicate with our NVRs. There is no reason to change the port numbers on the cameras.

Clicking ip search

Step 4) Select camera you would like to add

Find the IP address for the camera you wish to add and click on the checkbox at the beginning of the line item.

choose the IP address you want

Step 5) Click Add

Click the Add button to add the camera to the recorder. If you have not set a custom password on the camera, it should connect successfully.

add to NVR

Step 6) Check for Status

Once added, you should see the newly added camera in the section labeled "Added Devices." Make sure the status light next to the camera is green showing it is functional.

status light must be green

Step 7) Selecting OK to save settings

Click Apply and OK to save all settings. The camera should be visible on the live camera grid on your recorder.

click ok to save

You can also watch a video showing how to do the steps below:

If you are looking for how to add IP cameras to the dark gray or black interface then these videos will help guide you on that process.

Troubleshooting

If you are still having a problem, than it's necessary to check the IP addresses of both camera and recorder. If they are the same, then the camera will not appear.

If the live stream cuts out or does not connect to the system correctly, this is an indication that you might be using an IP cam with higher resolution than can be supported on your recorder. Refer to the specifications for both the recorder and IP camera to see where the problem lies. As mentioned before, you can lower the resolution of the camera using its web interface if it is higher resolution than the max supported by the recorder.

Don Stephens is a Technical Support Manager at CCTV Camera World, a leading Security Camera distributor located in Buffalo, NY. His area of expertise is in designing professional security camera systems for medium and large scale businesses, schools, and government projects.

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