Just about had it!

[kam582]

First, some background. We recently purchased 2 of the HD Pro cameras, one upstairs, one down. Got them set up and running with no problems. As long as we were at home everything was good. We were home for 3 or 4 days and then left for a seasonal cabin. After arriving at the cabin I connected to the upstairs camera for a brief while, and then it would not connect, and stayed that way for about 2 weeks. The downstairs camera worked like a champ. Got home, contacted Amcrest, they said you need a static IP address. I let them in my laptop, to make sure it was right, and they assured me that it would be good. Went back to the cabin and guess what? Yup, same thing happened. After a few days went home, let Amcrest back in the laptop, they checked everything and once again made assurances. This time the tech did say that I could reset the camera if needed. Well, we're back at the cabin and once again the upstairs camera is down. The downstairs one has always worked, and worked well. I'm just about ready to return the camera. It's not a WiFi problem as the camera is only about 10 feet from the router, much closer than the one in the basement. I do notice that when looking at the cameras on the phone app, the downstairs one says IPC connection, the upstairs says channel one connection. I told that to the tech who paid no attention to it. Could it be a bad camera, or a setting as I suspect? I should note that this problem is with the phone app. I've never brought the laptop to the cabin.
Thanks.

[Melvin]

Hello kam582 ,

Is the camera added on the app using P2P method or IP/Domain? If its P2P, what we can try is add the camera using IP/Domain method after setting up port forwarding. Its also possible that the camera is defective.

Its also worth trying to update the camera firmware and doing a hard reset.

[kam582]

The camera shows p2p when I look at the device manager. I'm willing to try anything to get it to work. I'm at the cabin now, and don't have access to my laptop. How do I accomplish your suggestion when I return?

[kam582]

Hello? Can I get a reply to my last post?

[Melvin]

Hello kam582 ,

So when you are at the camera location go ahead and update the camera firmware and do a hard reset. Then add the camera again.

Also when you get back home see if the camera is connected to the network. You can check this from a pc connected to the same network. Port forwarding can be set up and the camera can be added to the app with remote ip and port or ddns and port.

So it would be ideal if you could give u a call from the location.

[kam582]

Ok, thanks.

[narrowfoot]

Melvin, do you understand these are surveillance cameras... by definition, they are deployed at remote locations. you really expect users to hard reset following a firmware upgrade? you have to be kidding!

Hello kam582 ,

So when you are at the camera location go ahead and update the camera firmware and do a hard reset. Then add the camera again.

Also when you get back home see if the camera is connected to the network. You can check this from a pc connected to the same network. Port forwarding can be set up and the camera can be added to the app with remote ip and port or ddns and port.

So it would be ideal if you could give u a call from the location.

[Raptor]

I agree. Being expected to physically hard reset these *remote* cameras every time there's a firmware update applied or there's some unexplained issue is not the way to do business. I've also had an issue with an NVR that needed to be hard reset but there was no simple, clean way to do this (and I was unable to reset it). Some NVRs have buttons on the circuit board specifically to reset the board. Adding a jumper, at least, to initialize the board would work.

My primary comment here is that Amcrest or the OEM could cost effectively design and build these devices to make them easier to maintain. Another thing I've noticed is that Amcrest NVRs have very cheap and very noisy case fans. For a few bucks more you could put decent fans in. I see where many people replace the fans post-purchase, driving up TCO. One more point, I purchased the very expensive NV4432E NVR. It does not come with any disks installed. For the high cost of the unit they should at least provide one HD. Amcrest, my comments are meant as constructive criticism and I hope you will make an effort to improve your equipment.

[cps]

Easy fix. You said you have 2 cameras. One works fine and the other does not. Take the one that works and copy each configuration setting and sub setting and change the camera that does not work to the good settings. Had the same issue and it worked. Its a lot of trial and error in the beginning with these devices. You should not have to reset or set up a IP domain to view outside your network if you are installed P2P.