Adding a LAN camera to an NVR: must use the console

[Ben L_363180304232580]

I have an NVR RLN8-410 with some cameras connected directly to the NVR and a new RLC-510A camera connected to a switch on the same LAN as the NVR.

When the RLC-510A camera is new, or reset, the NVR detects it and I'm able to add it to the NVR's camera list using both the Windows desktop client and the Android app. However the camera continues to show up in the Android app as "uninitialised device". If I use the app to set up the camera, or connect to the camera's web interface on the LAN, it prompts me to set up the camera with a password/etc, if I do so it then becomes disconnected from the NVR. There appears to be no way to re-add the camera - i.e. with a password - via the Windows client, NVR web UI or Android app.

This is a problem as if you just add the camera via the NVR's desktop client, web UI or Android app, this will leave the camera open without a password. Anyone on the LAN can lock out the camera by setting a password for it. Fortunately it's easy to reset it via the hardware button but that's annoying.

It seems the only way to resolve this is to:
1) log in to the new camera via it's web interface and set a password, and then
2) use the HDMI console to add the camera: the console allows you to enter the camera's password (unlike the Windows desktop client, the NVR web UI or Reolink Android app which do not support adding a camera with a password )


Aside: my NVR has 'Auto-Add' enabled, which allegedly will add cameras with the default username (admin) and password. However that didn't work for me. I don't see anywhere in the console to set this "default password" (unless they mean the factory default password, which is blank...!).

[Reolink Fiona]

@ben-l_363180304232580
If you connect the camera directly to the NVR, the camera doesn't need to be initialized. And you can't connect the camera to the APP as a standalone camera in this situation.

If you connect the camera as a standalone camera to the APP, it needs to be initialized and set up with a new password.

If you want to connect it to the NVR and make it a standalone camera in the APP, there are two methods.
(1) Scan the UID of the NVR and connect the NVR to the APP. Then you will see the cameras under the NVR in the APP.
How to find the UID: https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us/articles/900005185523-How-to-Find-the-UID-of-Your-Device

(2) Connect the camera to a PoE switch, which is under the same router of the NVR. Then you can connect the camera to the NVR and make it a standalone camera in the APP.

[Ben L_363180304232580]

@reolink-fiona - I've found that yes, I can add the freshly-reset camera to the NVR using both the methods you've noted; the camera will be connected to the NVR however will not have a password set. Anyone on the LAN can connect to the camera and take it over; moreover the Android app continues to prompt me to set up the camera (directly), which is a bit annoying.

Reolink support (ticket #789430) have confirmed the problem and advised that "I will feedback to our engineers", and to use the console in the meantime. Hopefully it'll be fixed for the web and Android apps "soon".

[Reolink Fiona]

@ben-l_363180304232580 Thank you for your update. If you still have a problem, you can continue to talk with our technical staff to have further help.