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Any hope of getting Wansview W4 to work with Security Spy?

edited December 2020 in Cameras
I picked up one of these.... just banging my head on the wall trying to get it working with Security Spy. None of the settings I've tried get it connected. Wansview support is telling me it's a "cloud camera" so there's no way to log into the firmware or set the IP. They gave me instructions for how to find the RTSP port in their app (554) and said that's the only way I'll be able to use it... but I haven't found any settings that get it working with Sec. Spy yet. https://www.amazon.com/Security-Waterproof-Surveillance-Detection-Compatible/dp/B083T83YJQ/ref=pd_lpo_421_t_1/139-4354613-4685769?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B083T83YJQ&pd_rd_r=516506a5-3b5c-4366-ab74-17999b1e989e&pd_rd_w=jfXwz&pd_rd_wg=1AcF4&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=TY041RSFEAZ7J46S0P8W&psc=1&refRID=TY041RSFEAZ7J46S0P8W

Comments

  • Cloud cameras typically are locked in to their own systems, and don't support standard streaming protocols that can be used with third-party software such as SecuritySpy, unfortunately.

    However, if they are correct that the camera supports RTSP, then it should be possible to get it working. What I would suggest is this:

    - Use our Network Device Finder to locate the camera's IP address on your network.

    - Add a new camera in SecuritySpy, enter this IP address, leave the Port boxes blank, enter the camera's username and password.

    - Click the "Auto-Detect Profiles" button and wait a few minutes for this to complete.

    Does this return any workable profiles?

    One other thing to try is to reply to Wansview support and ask them what the RTSP URL is for this camera. Please let me know if you manage to find out this information.
  • Thank you!
    So, they have told me in no uncertain terms that there is no option to log into the firmware because it is a "cloud camera" (I banged my head against the wall for quite a while trying to find the default admin/pw.) But they did tell me how to get the RTSP URL (using their phone app,) and I tried entering it wherever it would fit in the Video Device Settings pane, but nothing worked. What do I do with that URL once I have it? How would I keep the camera from landing on random IPs if I can't get into its firmware? Thanks!
  • The RTSP URL should be in the form rtsp://address:port/request. To set this up in SecuritySpy manually:

    - Add a new network device.
    - Enter the camera's IP address as obtained from our Network Device Finder utility.
    - Enter the port in the "RTSP port" field (only required if the port is not 554).
    - Enter the request in the "Request" field.
    - Set the Format to RTSP.

    Does that work?

    You are correct that there is an additional problem here of the camera's IP address changing due it being automatically assigned by your router via DHCP. The normal solutions to this would be zero-config addressing (Bonjour, ONVIF) or setting the camera to use a static IP address, but it sounds like these options are not available in this case. Therefore the solution for you would be a "DHCP reservation" in your router, whereby your router is set to recognise this device and give it the same IP address each time. Log on to your router and locate this feature. It should show a list of devices, one of which should be this camera. There should be an option to assign it to a static IP address.
  • A thousand times thank you for this Mr. Soft. Unfortunately I can't get into the router-- dunno if I changed the password or something else happened....so no point in proceeding until I can do so. I deal with these things like once every year and a half and my brain seems to be erased in between, so if you would be so kind--- if I reset the router back to factory defaults, then set up the network with the same SSID and password as before--- will my cameras all come back online without any futzing? I have 4 cameras recognized and recording in Sec. Spy right now. If I recall correctly the only thing I really had customized in the router was port forwarding for two of the cameras but I let the DMS service expire years ago.
  • Resetting the router could change something important that you may have set and forgotten about (PPPoE password, IP subnet, DHCP reservations etc.). However if you are confident that you didn't change any of the router's default settings apart from the WiFi details, then a router reset should be relatively painless. If you have truly lost the router's password then this would be the only way to gain access to its settings again.

    One thing to check before you do this: often, the router's default password is printed on its label. Perhaps you didn't change the password from this default?

    In any case, I would recommend you attempt to get the camera set up and working in SecuritySpy first, using its current IP address. This will tell you whether this is possible, and therefore whether you actually need to access your router to set a DHCP reservation for the camera.
  • Ben, the URLs I got out of the phone app as instructed by Wansview support (captured when the cameras were on 192.168.1.9) look like this:
    rtsp://yNbDBy7H:ec2fBLznYp6c8iaa@192.168.1.9:554/live/ch0
    rtsp://yNbDBy7H:ec2fBLznYp6c8iaa@192.168.1.9:554/live/ch1
    I have tried these, and tried the URL scheme you mentioned above, and can't get anything to work. Additionally I don't know which RTSP option to select (TCP, UDP, HTTP)- when I try to save anything there there is nothing but /request in the field the next time.
    I've tried to be methodical about trying every option but probably failed.
    Wish I could post screen shots here.
  • According to that info, here's how to set this up:

    Address: 192.168.1.9
    Ports: (leave blank)
    Username: yNbDBy7H
    Password: ec2fBLznYp6c8iaa
    Profile: Manual configuration
    Format: RTSP
    Request: live/ch0

    Does that do it?
  • I was so happy to have this I was willing to be late to work.... almost ready to give up but tried a different address (the camera is now located at 1.21, 1.22, 1.22 and 1.23-- twice for ethernet and twice for 802.x I guess?) and 1.23 worked. What's the difference between TCP and UDP option? Tousend Dank!
  • Great to hear it works!

    TCP and UDP are two different ways of sending data over a network. TCP is streamed data with guaranteed delivery (if some data gets lost it is resent), whereas UDP is packetised data with no guaranteed delivery (the receiver is expected to deal with some packets not arriving). TCP is better when you want data integrity (e.g. transferring files), whereas UDP is better for low latency where data integrity is less important (e.g. VOIP). For streaming video from IP cameras over a fast local network, TCP is preferred to avoid video corruption due to lost packets.

    I do worry about those strange username/password values. Are these something that you set yourself? If not, might the camera change them on a whim? This could be a good question for Wansview.
  • Thanks, wondered that too. I unplugged the camera for a minute and plugged it back in and it's recognized again, if that means anything.
  • In my old Asus router the command to assign IP was under DHCP Server/ "Manually Assigned IP around the DHCP List." Seems to be working on the IP I set it at! Thanks!
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