In scenarios where you already have a cable installed between the network and, say, your garage, where installing more cables is difficult, having to run a second cable is not ideal. However, we’ve discovered the Vigitron Netmux Vi00103 POE Multiplexer, a great gadget that combines two POE ports on your network side into one cable, and then splits them again at the camera-end, to solve this problem.

Below is some more important information on the specification and capabilities of the Vi00103, as well as our 6-step instructions for using it correctly.
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Connecting multiple IP Cameras together v1.

Instructions:​

Step 1:
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Connect the two RJ45 cables from the Vi00103RX combiner, labelled “Port 1” and “Port 2”, to two available POE ports on your POE switch or NVR.​

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NOTE – The cameras do not need to be activated with a password. If you are connecting them directly to an NVR, then the Plug & Play feature will still work and activate the cameras; If you are connecting them to a separate POE switch, you will be able to access them and activate them on your network later. Plug & Play setups will also work when cameras have already been activated, as long that these are set with the same password as the NVR and have DHCP enabled. ​

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Step 2:
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Connect your single Cat5/6 cable to the port on the Vi00103RX combiner, which is labelled as “Port 1 + Port 2”.​

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Step 3:
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Now, plug in the other end of the long single cable to the Vi00103TX splitter’s “Port 1 + Port 2” RJ45 port.​

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NOTE – this cable cannot be longer than 100m / 320 feet​

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Step 4:
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Connect your IEEE802.3af/at IP cameras or POE devices to each of the ports, labelled “Port 1” and “Port 2”, using another Cat5/6 cable for each.​

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NOTE – the length of these cables, and the long single cable between the Vi00103RX and Vi00103TX cannot exceed 100m / 320 feet in total, as this is the maximum standard range of POE. ​

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Step 5:
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Green lights should appear on the Vi00103TX to confirm that each of the ports is delivering POE to your devices. If they do not, check the power supply to your POE source and all of your Cat5/6 cables are secure.​

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Step 6:
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If you are connecting the cameras directly to an NVR as “Plug & Play”, then they will connect and appear automatically after a minute or two. Alternatively, if you are connecting them to a separate POE switch, then they should be discoverable on the network and allow you to adjust any network settings so you can add them to your CCTV system.​

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Key benefits:​

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Limitations & key points to consider:​

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Network topology diagram & dimensions:​

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Can I connect more than one camera via a POE switch to a single POE port on my Hikvision NVR?

In some scenarios, it can be useful to have several cameras connected to a POE switch but to keep that switch directly connected to your NVR rather than the local network.

If you are able to connect each camera to its own POE port on your NVR, then this is generally advisable, as using a Plug & Play setup is much simpler and avoids the need for extra hardware or power supplies.

However, if your NVR is closer to your POE switch than it is an available access point to your LAN, then it can make connecting the cameras simpler whilst avoiding the need to have an ethernet cable running from each camera back to the NVR.

One other benefit of keeping the cameras connected directly to your NVR this way, rather than connecting them across your LAN, is that the connection does not rely on your router being operational. Provided the NVR and POE switch are working, the cameras will remain connected and recording regardless of any problems that might occur with your local network.

These seven steps below explain how to connect multiple cameras on a POE switch to a single port on your NVR.
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Important things to note:​

How do I use a Hikvision NVR’s “Virtual Host” feature?

One of the most successful selling points of a Hikvision NVR to many small-setup customers is the “Plug and Play” functionality that simplifies the setup process of their surveillance system. However, plugging a camera directly into a port on the NVR, unfortunately, does not allow you to access the camera via its own internal LAN IP using a browser due to it being on the NVRs internal network, and this can significantly reduce the number of configuration options you have access to.

The NVR does allow you to configure many options for each connected camera, but some essential features are only accessible via connecting to the camera itself (such as audio codec options). This was of course a big problem previously.

With the advent of newer firmware and models of NVR, Hikvision has introduced a feature called Virtual Host. Activating this feature turns your NVR into a “host” for the cameras allowing you to connect to them via a browser. Essentially, the NVR forwards all traffic received from your browser to the appropriate camera you’re trying to connect to, eliminating the biggest problem of plug and play functionality.
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Step 1:​

First of all, access your NVR via a web browser. If you do not know the LAN IP of your NVR, download Hikvision’s tool SADP tool, which scans your network for any Hikvision devices that are connected and allow you to see and change their network settings, including the IP address.​

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Download SADP for Windows ​

Download SADP for MacOS​

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Step 2:​

Once you’ve logged in, navigate to: ​

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Configuration → System → Camera Management​

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This screen displays all the connected cameras on your NVR. Notice that the final column labelled “Connect” is currently empty. We’ll be coming back here in a moment.​

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Step 3: ​

Now, navigate to:​

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Network → Advanced Settings → Other ​

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Turn on the Enable Virtual Host option.​

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Note – Your NVR will reboot when you click “Save”.​

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Step 4:​

Now, navigate back to the Camera Management window from earlier. You’ll notice that the previously empty connect tab now features links for each camera currently connected to your NVR.​

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Step 5:​

Click on any of these links to access the respective camera via your web browser:​

That’s it, you’re done!

This should be useful when you want to access options on your camera that your NVR doesn’t feature. If you have any further questions feel free to ask, we’re happy to help.

This user manual is designed to help you understand how to integrate your cameras and digital video servers with GSurf_Prov2 software.

Note

This document is subject to change without notice. The latest electronic version of this user manual is available for download here:

http://www.grandstream.com/support

Reproduction or transmittal of the entire or any part, in any form or by any means, electronic or print, for any purpose without the express written permission of Grandstream Networks, Inc. is not permitted.

PRODUCT OVERVIEW

Feature Highlights

Figure 1: GSurf_Prov2 Overview

GSurf Pro Setup and User Guide

Read More : XMEYE VMS PC CLIENT Setup Guide

INSTALLATION GUIDE

Minimum Computer System Requirement

Note

UPS is required for SERVER to prevent database or video record file corruption caused by power outage.

Install Gsurf_Prov2

Click to run the GSurf_Prov2 installation .exe file. Follow the instructions in the prompted windows to start installation. Once done, the following screen will show.

Figure 2: GSurf_Prov2 Installation

Uninstall Gsurf_Prov2

To uninstall GSurf_Prov2, in your windows PC Start Menu->Programs->GSurf_Prov2, click on Uninstall GSurf_Prov2 to start uninstall process. Or you could uninstall the program from your windows PC’s Control Panel.

Login Gsurf_Prov2

Click to run GSurf_Prov2. The login page will prompt for your User ID and Password. The administrator User ID and Password are both set to admin at the factory default settings.

For security purpose, please change the password after the first time you log in to GSurf_Prov2.

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Figure 3: GSurf_Prov2 Login

Gsurf_Prov2 Main Window

The GSurf_Prov2 user interface is designed for ease-of-use to offer quick access to cameras and recording in the system. Please refer to the following figure and table for main window descriptions.

Figure 4: GSurf_Prov2 Main Window

Table 1: Gsurf_Prov2 Main Window Items

Gsurf_Prov2 Toolbar

Table 2: GSurf_Prov2 Toolbar Icons

Gsurf_Prov2 Video Play Bar

In the video display window, each video channel has a play bar on the bottom.

Figure 5: GSurf_Prov2 Video Display Window – Play Bar

Table 3: GSURF_Prov2 Video Play Bar Icons

CONFIGURATION GUIDE

After installing GSurf_Prov2, it must be configured for your network cameras or digital video servers. This section describes how to configure GSurf_Prov2, as well as how to set up auto recording, motion detection, alarms and etc.

Add/Delete Device

Add Device

1. In the top Menu bar, click System Config(C)->Device Config(D).

2. In the Device Configuration window, click Add button to open the Add Device dialog.

3. Enter the device information.

4. Click Ok to save.

After successfully adding the device, users could view the video by double-clicking on the device name in the Device browser panel on the left.

Figure 6: Add Device

Figure 7: Video Display After Adding Device

Delete Device

1. In the top Menu bar, click System Config(C)->Device Config(D).

2. In the Device Configuration window, Select the device to be deleted.

3. Click Delete button.

4. Or, users could click on Delete all to remove all the added devices.

Figure 8: Delete Device

Search Device

The built-in Search tool in GSurf_Prov2 allows user to search all the DVS and IP Camera devices within the same LAN. Additionally, users could modify the IP address for the devices listed in the searching result.

Search Device

1. In the GSurf_Prov2 toolbar, click  button.

2. In the Search tool, click Search button. A list of surveillance devices will display in the list.

Figure 9: GSurf_Prov2 Search Tool – Search Devices

Configure Time Schedule

The GSurf_Prov2 time schedule is used to configure automatic recording. Up to 10 schedules can be configured.

1. In the top Menu bar, click System Config(C)->Time Schedule(T).

2. The Time Schedule window will pop up.

3. Select a schedule on the left panel to be configured.

4. Select the time frame for each day. The scheduled interval will be marked in blue (See Figure 10: Gsurf_Prov2 Time Schedule).

5. Click Save button.

Figure 10: Gsurf_Prov2 Time Schedule

6. To assign this schedule to a device, open System Config->Device Config.

7. Select the device from which you would like to record the videos.

8. In Auto Record option, select schedule from the drop down list.

9. Click Save button.

This channel will then start automatically recording as specified in the designated time schedule.

Additionally, users could select Batch Configuration to assign the same time schedule to multiple devices.

Figure 11: GSurf_Prov2 Auto Record Time Schedule

Configure Alarm Triggers and Rules

Grandstream’s network cameras and digital video servers support motion detection and alarm events. They can report motion detection or alarm events to GSurf_Prov2. On the GSurf_Prov2 side, it can be configured to take actions, i.e., to notify such events to users. Up to 10 rules can be set up with different alarm actions. The instructions below will assist you with this setup.

1. In the top Menu bar, click System Config->Alarm Config.

2. In the Alarm action rule window, select the Alarm index and configure the action.

3. Click Save button to save the settings.

Figure 12: GSurf_Prov2 Alarm Action Rule

4. To assign this alarm action rule to a device, open System Config->Device Config.

5. In the Device Configuration window, select the device.

6. Select an Alarm action rule for Motion Detection to monitor motion detection events. Or to Other Alarm for other types of conditions such as abnormal reboot.

7. Click Save button to save the settings.

Figure 13: Assign Alarm Action Rule To Device

Additionally, users could select Batch Configuration to assign the same alarm action to multiple devices.

Local Configuration

Click on System Config->Local Config to configure software and local recording features for GSurf_Prov2.

Software Configuration

Configure log reserved days, video window layout and startup options.

Record Config

Figure 14: GSurf_Prov2 Local Configure – Record Configure

Device Configuration

Click System Config->Device Config, the device configuration window will prompt for users to add, delete and edit devices. Once a device is selected, users could configure the device properties, alarm action rule and record option.

Language Display

In the GSurf_Prov2 interface, users could switch language at any time. Go to System Config->Language and select the language to be displayed.

Figure 15: Language Display

Record Configuration

Manual Record

In the video display window, click on the Record button  to start recording.

Figure 16: Manual Record

Automatic Record

The automatic record will be running in the background. The recording time is specified in Auto Record option after selecting device under System Config->Device Config.

Figure 17: Automatic Record

Note

It is recommended to use continuous recording only and not combine it with recording by motion detection.

Replay

Both the GSurf_Prov2 Replay v2 (GXV36xx Models) and Replay v3 (For GSC36xx Models) tools provide the ability to replay recorded videos. These tools also provide a search function which allows you to perform a search based on start time, end time, IP address, channel and etc. To replay the recorded video, in the top Menu bar, go to Manage Tool->Replay Tool to open the Replayer. Select time, device, channel, file type and disk to search the video. Then click on the video file to play.

Figure 18: Replayer v3

In the Replayer, users could also open up the Time selection tab to specify the recorded files by filtering the start time. All the configured start time will be marked in green in the time chart.

Electronic Map

E-map is an important feature in video surveillance system to provide users a visual overview of the cameras in your installation. A map is an image file on which you place cameras and views. GSurf_Prov2 supports an electronic map for users to identify the locations of your cameras and the status of their alarms.

To configure E-map on GSurf_Prov2, open the map browser by clicking  in the toolbar.

Add Map

1. In the Electronic map browser, right click and Add map option will show up.

2. Choose a map image from your local PC to upload. Then it will be displayed in the electronic map field.

Figure 19: Add Map

Note

The supported image files are bmp, jpg or gif. GSurf_Prov2 will display the electronic map in full resolution. And the users can use the scroll bars to view the whole image.

Add Device to Map

1. Open your map in the main window.

2. In the left side panel, click on Device browser so your devices will show in the list.

3. Click on the device/channel, drag and drop it to the preferred destination on the map.

4. An icon with the device name and the channel number will now be shown on the map. Right click on the icon to change the icon settings.

Figure 20: Add Map Alarm

Set Alarm on Map

1. After adding the device to the map, go to System Config->Alarm Config to configure alarm action rule. Make sure the option Warning on the E-map is checked.

2. Go to System Config->Device Config. Select your device and configure the alarm action rule set up in step 1.

3. When GSurf_Prov2 receives an alarm report, the corresponding icon on the map will flash in red .

Lock/Unlock Map

To avoid changing the positions of cameras on the map accidently, the users can lock the map after adding all devices.

Right click on the map, lock/unlock option will be available in the pop-up menu, When the map is unlocked, users could drag devices to the map. When the map is locked, double-clicking on the camera will open up a new window for real time video from this camera.

Remove Device from Map

On the map, right click on the icon and click Delete Icon to remove the device from the map.

Remote Configuration

The IP Camera devices can be remotely accessed via web browser. Select a device on the left side panel and click on Remote config tab to access the camera’s web GUI.

Figure 21: Remote Configuration

PTZ Control

In the toolbar, click  to open PTZ control panel. If the connected devices are PTZ cameras or have a PTZ device connected, users can use the console to adjust the focus, brightness, contrast, rotating speed, IRIS, and also pan/tilt the devices.

Note

Before using PTZ control, PTZ device needs to be set up in RS-485 port and properly configured.

Video Monitor

Individual View

Drag the device from the device browser to video display window to watch the video immediately.

Group View/Patrol Mode

1. In the tool bar, click on  to open the Group view panel.

2. Drag the device in Device browser panel to the group in Group view panel.

Figure 22: Add Device To Group

3. Right click on the group to configure the group attributes. Check the Allow Patrol option and configure Pause time which is the patrol interval for the group.

Figure 23: Configure Group Attributes For Patrol Mode

4. Click Ok to save the settings.

5. In the top Menu bar, click on Play Mode->Patrolling View to start playing videos from different groups in a loop.

Synchronize Device Time

In the top Menu bar, click on Manage tool->Synchronize device time. Then users could sync up the device time with local PC time.

Figure 24: Device Time Configuration

Convert Video Format

The recorded video is saved in H264 format, which might not be supported by certain video players. An AVI converter tool is provided in GSurf_Prov2. Click on Manage tool->AVI Conversion Tool to open the converter. Add video to be converted and the output file will be saved in the configured directory in AVI format.

Figure 25: Media Convert Tool

User Management

The GSurf_Prov2 administrator can add, modify and delete users as well as issue users different privilege levels.

1. Click on Manage tool->User Manage.

2. In the User Manage window, users could add, edit and delete users. A list of configuration authorities is provided so each user could be assigned with different privileges.

Figure 26: User Management

Import/Export Configuration

The GSurf_Prov2 configuration can be imported or exported for backup and restore purpose. Click on System Config->Export/Import Config to open the import/export window. Users could also select the configurations for the backup file.

Figure 27: Configuration Import and Export

GSURF_PROV2 TRANSFER SERVER

The GSurf_Prov2 embedded transfer server can cooperate with client side to effectively reduce the workload on the front-end cameras. The surveillance system utilizes the transfer server as the medium to monitor the devices in a distributed manner.

Server Side

1. Open the Transfer server from Manage Tool->Tran Server. A login window will pop up.

Figure 30: Transfer Server Login

2. After login, click on Config->System Config to open the following server configuration window. The listening IP address is the PC’s IP address. For the port number, it is recommended to use default value or big value.

Figure 28: Transfer Server Configuration

3. Click on  to open the search tool.

4. In the search tool, press Search button to get a list of devices in the same LAN.

5. Select the devices in the result list and click Add.

Figure 29: Add Devices to Transfer List

6. Those devices will then be displayed in the transfer list.

The main display window will show the traffic status when the traffic starts.

Client Side

The client side is the GSurf_Prov2 RTSP server.

1. In the Device browser, right click on RTSP server.

2. Click Server Config to add devices to the local list.

Figure 30: RTSP Server

GSURF_PROV2 FILE SERVER

Server Side

The file server can provide the record files in local disk to other hosts within the network for search, download and replay. To configure the GSurf_Prov2 as the file server, go to Manage Tool->File Server. Click on the Configuration button to set up listening IP and port. Then start the server.

Figure 31: GSurf_Prov2 File Server

Client Side

The client side is the replay tool in the GSurf_Prov2. Go to Manage Tool->Replay Tool to open the Replayer. Once searching is done, the record files can be downloaded and played locally.

Figure 32: Replayer Remote Search

HTTP SERVER

GSUpgrade Tool

This HTTP server allows user to configure a local HTTP server on the same machine running GSurf Pro which can be used to execute firmware update from this tool on IP Cameras either one by one or via batch upgrade by selecting them all. Go to Manage Tool->HttpServer. Click on the Configuration button to set up listening IP and port. Then start the server.

Figure 33: GSurf_Prov2 HTTP Server

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: How many cameras does GSurf_Prov2 support?

A: The GSurf_Prov2 can support up to 10 groups or 72 channels cameras at the same time. However, when using HD camera (720P and up), the maximum number might be limited by the PC processor. When displaying multiple videos, the GSurf_Prov2 will adjust the display to secondary stream to increase system resource efficiency. If users click on one of the video, the display will be automatically converted to primary stream for better quality.

Q: Does GSurf_Prov2 have any requirement on the PC where it’s installed?

A: Yes. Please refer to section [Minimum Computer System Requirement] for details. Before installing GSurf_Prov2, it is recommended to evaluate the system requirement (network traffic, disk space, file directory and etc.).

Q: Is there any requirement on the transfer server?

A: In most of the cases, the transfer server will have large amount of network flow going through. Therefore, it is recommended to use the machine with Gigabyte network interface card.

Q: What are the factors that might affect the disk space?

A: The disk space is mainly affected by the primary stream bit rate. Normally HD video will take more space than standard definition video.

Q: I have configured the alarm action on GSurf_Prov2 already but I still didn’t get alarm. Why?

A: Besides configuring alarm action on GSurf_Prov2 side, the alarm has to be activated on the camera side and configured to report to the alarm center. Users could configure this by directly accessing camera’s web GUI or via GSurf_Prov2’s remote configure interface.

EXPERIENCING THE GRANDSTREAM GSURF_PRO

Please visit our website: http://www.grandstream.com to receive the most up- to-date updates on firmware releases, additional features, FAQs, documentation and news on new products.

We encourage you to browse our product related documentation, FAQs and User and Developer Forum for answers to your general questions. If you have purchased our products through a Grandstream Certified Partner or Reseller, please contact them directly for immediate support.

Our technical support staff is trained and ready to answer all of your questions. Contact a technical support member or submit a trouble ticket online to receive in-depth support.

Thank you again for using Grandstream GSurf_Prov2 Network Video Surveillance System.

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Please Note: This tutorial will cover the below topics and how to fix them from the Web GUI. Please make sure you have a computer on the same local network (or remote access) to troubleshoot.

However, the “No Mouse on Screen” issue can only be fixed from the recorder itself, so this cannot be fixed from the web.

1. Scrolling Lines in Image
2. Laggy Cameras/Over Encoding
3. No Mouse on Screen
4. Resolution Incompatibility
5. Blank Grey Screen on Main Stream
6. EZView Not Opening Cameras (Protocol Issue) (Streaming 95%)

Scrolling Lines

Dark scrolling lines typically appear on cameras that are in the same room as fluorescent lights. In many places, lights flicker at 50Hz. However, in America, typically lights flicker at 60Hz.

Navigate to your NVR’s web GUI and sign in. At the top of the screen, click “Setup”.

In the Setup menu, click “Camera” on the left-hand side.

Click “Image” in the Camera submenu.

On the top of the Image screen, choose the camera that’s being affected in the “Select Camera” row.

To the right of the camera’s image, you will see an option for “Exposure” with a downward facing arrow. Click the word “Exposure” to open the Exposure menu.

Change the Exposure Mode to “Indoor 60Hz”. You do not have to click Save or Apply, the change will take place automatically and you should see the scrolling lines disappear on the camera’s image.

Laggy Cameras/Over Encoding

If your cameras lag on the web, EZStation or EZView, this typically means their encoding settings are set too high. This is dependent upon the network that the camera system is connected to. Typically, with high download and upload speeds, cameras can have a higher encoding rate set, while lower tier networks need to have lower encoding. To fix this:

Navigate to your NVR’s web GUI and sign in. At the top of the screen, click “Setup”.

In the Setup menu, click “Camera” on the left-hand side.

In the Camera menu, click “Encoding” to open the Encoding menu.

Troubleshooting your UNV NVR

Read More :

• UNV Viewing Playback and Clipping
• UNV Mobile App EZView Guide
• Uniview Guide EZStation

In the Encoding menu, you will see many options to customize the encoding settings of your cameras. Typically, only three options need to be adjusted in order to fix camera lag. Below is the ‘Ideal’ setting as well as a brief explanation of the setting

1. Video Compression
   1. Video Compression controls how the video is compressed into the HDD and over the network. H.265 is far more efficient at video compression.
   2. Ideal:
      1. H.265 FOR ALL STREAM TYPES
2. Bit Rate (Kbps) (MOST IMPORTANT)
   1. Bit rate determines the size of each “packet” of data sent from the camera to the NVR and from the NVR to the network. The higher the bit rate, the larger the packet size. This means a high bit rate pushes more data than a lower bit rate, which could cause network lag.
   2. Ideal:
      1. 2048 FOR MAIN STREAM
      2. 512 FOR SUB STREAM
      3. 128 FOR THIRD STREAM
3. U-Code
   1. U-Code is UNV’s proprietary video codec. Turning U-Code on adjusts the way your camera processes video, allowing for up to 70% more HDD space when turned to Advanced mode. It is highly recommended this be turned on at initialization.
   2. Ideal
      1. U-CODE ADVANCED MODE FOR ALL STREAMS

Once you are satisfied with the changes you have made click the “Copy” option under the encoding options. This will show Copy Parameters as well as your camera list. To copy your new settings to all cameras (highly recommended), select “All” under the Parameter tab and “All” under the Camera tab. Once you have done so, click “Save.”

No Mouse on Screen

If you have no mouse on the screen hooked directly into the NVR, simply click and hold the right mouse button for 30 seconds and then release. This will trigger your NVR to ‘jump’ to the screen you are currently on, allowing mouse control on your monitor

Resolution Incompatibility (NVR)

If the monitor plugged directly into your NVR is a lower resolution that the NVR is currently set to, there are two options you can try to fix this.

1. First, click and hold the middle mouse button on the mouse hooked directly into your NVR. This will reset the resolution and may fix the issue quickly.
2. If the middle mouse button trick does not work, navigate to your NVR’s web GUI. Select the “Setup” Menu.
   1. In the Setup menu, select the System menu on the left-hand side.
   2. Select the “Preview” option in the System submenu.
   3. Navigate to the “Resolution” row in the Preview Menu. Set this to match the resolution of your monitor. If you are unsure of the resolution of your monitor, google search your monitor’s model number and you will find the resolution. Typically, most monitors are 1920x1080p, so that is typically a safe option to try.

Keep in mind that changing the resolution will cause the NVR to reboot. This is normal.

Grey Screen on Camera Image

If your camera image is a grey screen, this typically means the resolution of the camera is too high for the max resolution of the NVR, or you have too many high-resolution cameras in Main Stream at the same time. To fix this:

1. (TRY THIS FIRST) Sub Stream First Preview (NVR Direct Only):
   1. On the monitor hooked directly into your NVR, open the main menu
   2. On the left-hand side, click “System”.
   3. In the System menu, click “Preview”.
   4. At the top of the Preview screen, click the “Advanced” tab.
   5. You will see an option for “Sub Stream First”. Make sure that this is turned ON. To do so, click the checkbox next to “Sub Stream First” and click “Apply” on the bottom left of the screen

1. Camera Resolution:
   1. Navigate to the Setup Menu of the NVR and click the “Camera” menu on the left-hand side.
   2. Click the “Encoding” sub menu.
   3. At the top of the Encoding menu, you will see an option for “Capture Mode”.
   4. Lower the capture rate incrementally until all your cameras appear on your screen.

Cameras Not Streaming on EZView

Typically, scanning and adding your cameras to EZView is very straightforward. However, from time to time the Streaming Media Protocol is not suited to certain networks and may cause the cameras to load to 95% and then fail, or not load at all. To fix this:

1. Open the EZView App
2. On the top left side, click on the three horizontal lines to open the app’s main menu
3. Click on “Devices” in the menu.
4. Click the NVR’s name to open the NVR menu.
5. Click “Edit”.
6. You will see an option that says, “Streaming Media Protocol”. Typically, this will be set to “Default (Protocol 3)”. Tap this option and choose “Protocol 2”.
   1. If the NVR is already set to Protocol 2, tap the option and choose “Protocol 3”.
7. Click the Save icon on the top right of your screen.
8. Open Live View for the cameras to verify the fix worked.

Firstly, your device will need to be running recent / the latest available firmware.

We have only yesterday seen the first reference to this feature in the brief notes to the latest firmware for the -I Series NVRs:
Latest HikVision Firmware for -I NVRs – new V4.1.65 (76XX, 77XX, 96XX NI-I)
e.g. it should work with -I Series NVRs running firmware V4.1.65 or newer

However, we noted that in the videos below they demonstrate it working with older firmware, showing the previous GUI 3 on a connected monitor, and also shown with a 7108 DVR running firmware V3.4.89 (released 16th September 2018).

And, PLEASE NOTE you need to make preparations in advance for the day you forget your password.
e.g. set a ‘Reserved email address’ to which a reset code can be sent when needed.
Cometh the day you don’t know your password, you will not then be able to login and set a reserved email address.

Our advice, don’t forget your password – in fact, do what we do and use a service such as LastPass to manage ALL your passwords!
[that link earns us 1 month free if you sign-up – about $2; all the team at use-IP have used LastPass for years!]

And finally, because this thread will get loads of traffic from people who have forgotten their password and are stuck, we at use-IP Ltd can only assist you in resetting your password IF YOU PURCHASED YOUR HIKVISION EQUIPMENT FROM US.

Quick Guide

1. Finding the Latest Hikvision Firmware
2. Safire Control Center Setup Guide
3. SmartPSS Installation and User guide

Hikvision Password Reset

I can’t help but think that a slicker / easier solution could have been implemented – please don’t shoot the messenger.

I can say that lost/forgotten passwords for Hikvision devices is a huge problem; requests to us from strangers worldwide is a new form of spam – at least ten per day!!

If you take nothing else away from watching the below videos please just realise what a PITA it is when you do lose/forget your password and please use a service such as LastPass mentioned above to remember all your passwords AND use the tools therein to improve your security everywhere you login.

How to Do A Self-Service Password Reset on a Hikvision DVR or NVR via GUI 4.0
e.g. using a direct-connected monitor

How to Do A Self-Service Password Reset on Hikvision Device Web GUI
e.g. using a browser

How to Reset Hikvision Device Password via Hik Connect App
e.g. using your mobile phone or tablet – you’ll also need a monitor connected to your NVR, as you’ll be asked by the App to scan a QR code on it
I just realised that in this video they are not using GUI 4.0 – which implies it may work with older / other firmware?

How to Reset the Password of your Hikvision Camera/NVR in 5 steps using the SADP Tool

(IMPORTANT – We will only perform password resets for customers who bought the device they are resetting from us – use-IP Ltd – If you didn’t buy from us you will have to send your reset file to the company you did buy from)

Cybersecurity is a big issue for IP manufacturers at the moment and a key element of cybersecurity is the password and the resetting process, so in this guide we are going to take you through Hikvision’s secure process for resetting the password of your camera/NVR using the SADP Tool.

The process only takes 5 steps but will take quite a bit of time as emails have to be sent and received to complete the process, but we will talk more about this later in the guide, for now, lets start with:

Step 1: Open SADP and select the camera/NVR you want to reset by ticking the box next to the device on the left side of the list and then click the Forgot Password link at the bottom of the pop-out tab on the right of the SADP window.

Step 2: Click the Export button on the pop-up to export the reset file and then select a folder to save the file to that is easy to find

(IMPORTANT: Once you have exported the reset file the camera/NVR you are resetting must remain powered ON until the reset is complete)​

Step 3: Open your emails and attach the reset file to a new email, send this file along with the information listed below to info@use-ip.co.uk — (We will only perform password resets for customers who bought the device they are resetting from us – use-IP Ltd – If you didn’t buy from us you will have to send your reset file to the company you did buy from)

After sending the file to us we will confirm you have bought from us and then pass the file on to Hikvision tech support who will then send a reset file to change the password, which we will then email back to you. This series of communications with Hikvision can take up to 24 hours, but often Hikvision support respond much quicker than that

Step 4: Download & save the new reset file from the email you received from us to an easy-to-find folder (we would recommend the same folder as the original exported file)

Step 5: Open SADP and return to the export pop-up from before, this time you will want to go to step 2 and tick the Import File box, then click the folder icon and find the reset file we just sent you, open it so file route appears in the box like below, finally enter the new password twice and then click Confirm

After clicking confirm a box should appear with a green tick and the words Reset Password Succeeded

With the password reset you can now open an Internet Explorer browser, search the IP address of the device and log in using the new password, once in you can then proceed to do what you like with the device (we would recommend checking your Firmware is up to date before you do anything else)

If you need more help with this process then watch our How To… video below:

Hikvision’s SADP utility for 32-bit Mac users

Updated 4th April 2019 to clarify that there are 32/64-bit versions of this SADP utility for Macs.

Hikvision have just launched a new Apple Mac version (V3.0.0.3) of their SADP software, you can download it from their portal here:
HIKVISION UK PORTAL

It looks and functions just the same as the Windows version.
Great to see this, as it will be very helpful for Mac owners to have access to a Mac version of this basic Hikvision utility.

Mac-users you may now wish to read our post on everything you need to know about SADP.
And, how to reset the password of your Hikvision camera or NVR using SADP.

The user manual for SADP is attached.

Please note this version of the tool is for Mac users with 32-bit machines.
There is an alternative version for 64-bit machines – please see this post:
Hikvision’s SADP utility for 64-bit Mac users (V3.0.0.3)