Issues that REOLINK has not resolved

VirtualPic

Myself and many others have reported issues with Reolink cameras that just don't seem to be getting resolved. This is severly impacting the use of these cameras. Since Reolink seems to be ignoring these issues, I'm going to consolidate them here. Please feel free to comment below and I will update this post as things change.

The need to "factory reset" your device every time you update your firmware. If you have a large number of cameras, this quickly becomes unmanageable. There should be no need to factory reset your cameras every time you update.

The number of Dynamic DNS providers is inadequate

Release notes that just say "fixed bugs" is unacceptable. What bugs have you fixed?

The auto focus is touch and gets confused when snow/rain gets close to the camera. There needs to be a way to disable auto focus and lock in the existing focus.

There are a number of issues with Blue Iris, including smearing of the image, poor quality images, and reports that the cameras are ignoring the FPS setting and still sending 30FPS even after setting it to a lower value

Reolink has still failed to release an API, which would allow many of us to work around some of the above issues.

No way to disable the IR lights. Reolink has reported this is a hardware limitation.

There is no way to weather proof the existing connections. Reolink does include a poor quality RJ45 shield, but you still have the reset button and AC power adapter cable to deal with. Obviously these issues would require manufacturing changes.

sjl1986

I just wanted to provide an update of the Android app issue I have. I have emailed this to Reolink support as well, so hopefully they'll come up with a fix. I'm waiting to hear back.

Please see the following list of screenshots and I will explain each one.
I have deleted all of my devices, so the app is empty.

Now the software automatically sees my NVR on the local network and adds it. But login failed. (It did not ask for a username/password yet, so I'll try that. It should ask for one automatically).

I open the device configuration page and put in the username & password. You can see that the UID and the IP both show up. However, I have UID disabled in the NVR so it should not be broadcasting at all.

Now that I have put the password in, I try to log into my NVR. But login still fails because it is trying to use the UID instead of the local IP.

So I delete the device again, and then I click "Add New Device" before it automatically adds again. I put in the details making sure to choose IP instead of UID/P2P.

I will continue in the next post since I can't add any more attachments.
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-55-32.png
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-55-41.png
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-55-49.png
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-56-24.png
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-57-11.png
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-55-32-Resized.jpg
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-55-41-Resized.jpg
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-55-49-Resized.jpg
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-56-24-Resized.jpg
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-57-11-Resized.jpg

sjl1986

I click done and it takes me back to the device list. Again, I cannot login because I have not entered the username/password. (Please these details back to the new device page. I should not have to add the device and then edit the device to put in the credentials).

I enter the username and password and save it.

Device login is finally successful when I go back to the device list.

I test the cameras and they work. So I close the Reolink application, then I re-open the application immediately. It tries to log back into the same device, but it fails.

This happens over and over again. There was a similar issue on the previous version of the app, but the screens were slightly different.
So in summary, we need a fix for the following items.

Username/password fields to the "add new device" screen. The "add new device" screen should like the same as the "edit device" screen.

Add a prompt for username/password whenever a device is automatically added to the device list.

Find out why the application is trying to use the UID instead of IP on both the local network and a remote network (over the internet using DDNS and port forwarding)

Change the settings for the Android application so the physical "back" button on the phone will function the same as the button at the top left corner of the screen. When I try to use the physical "back" button on the phone, the application tries to shut down instead.

As I said before, the iOS app has similar issues.
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-57-31-Resized.jpg
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-57-46-Resized.jpg
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-57-52-Resized.jpg
Screenshot_2017-01-20-13-59-16-Resized.jpg

I finally got around to trying an external mic I bought to use with this camera. Here is the mic. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01GPESTF2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

At first there was absolutely no audio from the camera using either the Windows Client or via its web interface. The camera running the latest firmware.

However if you use the Android app to access the camera settings, under Device Settings, Encode there is an extra tick box to enable the audio input.
Once this was enabled audio could heard via the browser, Windows program and Android App. The audio itself was a bit muffled and dstorted until I adjusted the output level of the mic to match the input of the camera but once set was good quality.

The Android app also gives you proper access the the "Balanced" profile stream which is not available via the Windows Client or browser.

Bob

Thanks Dominic for sharing this post.

VirtualPic

1) I just upgraded to the lastest firmware w/o resetting and many of my settings, especially pertaining to email where wiped out.

2) I have configured a camera with NO-IP but my no-ip host is not getting updated. There is no "test" button like there is with the email configuration. So I have no idea how often the cameras push an update to no-ip. Is it on a regular interval? Only when a change occurs? There is no way to test or debug this feature.

3) I will look at this.

4) I am having the same Blue Iris issues that everyone else has reported on this forum. There was a good thread on the issue, but search is not finding it now.

5) The attached CGI is in-adequate. It only shows how to grab a snap shot. Reolink needs to document how to do everything possible. We've been waiting more than year for this support. Meanwhile you keep releasing new products. How about making the stuff you have released and are currently selling work first?

VirtualPic

Where is the disable auto focus feature? I looked everywhere and do not see it.

VirtualPic

I configured an RLC-422 for NOIP.COM and it's not updating the IP of the hostname. I have quadruple checked everything.

Why isn't NOIP updating working? I am using the latest firmware downloaded yesterday.

I neither can find the "disable autofocus" setting on my RLC-423.

Are the focus settings now saved with the PTZ-Presets?

Where do I find the feature?

reol, you need to have your camera firmware and Reolink Client software version updated. And this is only for Web client or desktop Windows client, not for mac client yet.

Focus are not saved with presets.

Thanks Ronlinbo, I'm running Firmware Version v2.0.0.675_17032708_v1.0.0.30 and can't find the setting in the web interface.

Well, it can't be. See:

enabledisable-auto-focus-on-reboot.jpg

I read their FAQ on this and made mine a success: https://reolink.com/faq/how-to-remotely-access-reolink-products-if-uid-does-not-work/

Has anybody got the noip DDNS client to work on a RLC423 camera? My camera has the latest firmware. I used a hub and Wireshark to try and see why this just isn't working for me. It was a bit of a learning process! Yesterday I emailed noip support with my Wireshark captures. They seem to think that my camera is not passing any username/password to noip.

The following noip page gives the update protocol. https://www.noip.com/integrate/request
They also make it clear that the client shold include a User Agent, basically a software program name, version number, contact email address. noip reserve the right to block the client if this is not included in the update request!

Below is is the text of the wireshark capture during the first noip update attempt after boot.
If you compare the Reolink packet 4 data with the noip sample update it appears that the username/password and user agent are missing. I'm very willing to be told otherwise by a tcp/ip guru!
Dominic

No. Time Source Destination Protocol Length Info
1 22:14:32.2 192.168.0.13 dynupdate.no-ip.com TCP 74 46520 → http(80) [SYN] Seq=0 Win=14600 Len=0 MSS=1460 SACK_PERM=1 TSval=4294940080 TSecr=0 WS=4

Frame 1: 74 bytes on wire (592 bits), 74 bytes captured (592 bits) on interface 0
Ethernet II, Src: Shenzhen_78:3c:f4 (ec:71:db:78:3c:f4), Dst: Netgear_05:81:43 (2c:b0:5d:05:81:43)
Internet Protocol Version 4, Src: 192.168.0.13 (192.168.0.13), Dst: dynupdate.no-ip.com (8.23.224.120)
Transmission Control Protocol, Src Port: 46520 (46520), Dst Port: http (80), Seq: 0, Len: 0

0000 2c b0 5d 05 81 43 ec 71 db 78 3c f4 08 00 45 00 ,.]..C.q.x<...E.
0010 00 3c 05 dc 40 00 40 06 8b 9b c0 a8 00 0d 08 17 .<..@.@.........
0020 e0 78 b5 b8 00 50 d3 07 90 6c 00 00 00 00 a0 02 .x...P...l......
0030 39 08 b6 8a 00 00 02 04 05 b4 04 02 08 0a ff ff 9...............
0040 95 b0 00 00 00 00 01 03 03 02 ..........

No. Time Source Destination Protocol Length Info
2 22:14:32.4 dynupdate.no-ip.com 192.168.0.13 TCP 74 http(80) → 46520 [SYN, ACK] Seq=0 Ack=1 Win=28960 Len=0 MSS=1460 SACK_PERM=1 TSval=2015311351 TSecr=4294940080 WS=128

Frame 2: 74 bytes on wire (592 bits), 74 bytes captured (592 bits) on interface 0
Ethernet II, Src: Netgear_05:81:43 (2c:b0:5d:05:81:43), Dst: Shenzhen_78:3c:f4 (ec:71:db:78:3c:f4)
Internet Protocol Version 4, Src: dynupdate.no-ip.com (8.23.224.120), Dst: 192.168.0.13 (192.168.0.13)
Transmission Control Protocol, Src Port: http (80), Dst Port: 46520 (46520), Seq: 0, Ack: 1, Len: 0

0000 ec 71 db 78 3c f4 2c b0 5d 05 81 43 08 00 45 00 .q.x<.,.]..C..E.
0010 00 3c 00 00 40 00 32 06 9f 77 08 17 e0 78 c0 a8 .<..@.2..w...x..
0020 00 0d 00 50 b5 b8 92 f9 df 8b d3 07 90 6d a0 12 ...P.........m..
0030 71 20 5d c0 00 00 02 04 05 b4 04 02 08 0a 78 1f q ]...........x.
0040 35 f7 ff ff 95 b0 01 03 03 07 5.........

No. Time Source Destination Protocol Length Info
3 22:14:32.4 192.168.0.13 dynupdate.no-ip.com TCP 66 46520 → http(80) [ACK] Seq=1 Ack=1 Win=14600 Len=0 TSval=4294940096 TSecr=2015311351

Frame 3: 66 bytes on wire (528 bits), 66 bytes captured (528 bits) on interface 0
Ethernet II, Src: Shenzhen_78:3c:f4 (ec:71:db:78:3c:f4), Dst: Netgear_05:81:43 (2c:b0:5d:05:81:43)
Internet Protocol Version 4, Src: 192.168.0.13 (192.168.0.13), Dst: dynupdate.no-ip.com (8.23.224.120)
Transmission Control Protocol, Src Port: 46520 (46520), Dst Port: http (80), Seq: 1, Ack: 1, Len: 0

0000 2c b0 5d 05 81 43 ec 71 db 78 3c f4 08 00 45 00 ,.]..C.q.x<...E.
0010 00 34 05 dd 40 00 40 06 8b a2 c0 a8 00 0d 08 17 .4..@.@.........
0020 e0 78 b5 b8 00 50 d3 07 90 6d 92 f9 df 8c 80 10 .x...P...m......
0030 0e 42 ef 5a 00 00 01 01 08 0a ff ff 95 c0 78 1f .B.Z..........x.
0040 35 f7 5.

No. Time Source Destination Protocol Length Info
4 22:14:32.4 192.168.0.13 dynupdate.no-ip.com HTTP 234 GET /nic/update? HTTP/1.1

Frame 4: 234 bytes on wire (1872 bits), 234 bytes captured (1872 bits) on interface 0
Ethernet II, Src: Shenzhen_78:3c:f4 (ec:71:db:78:3c:f4), Dst: Netgear_05:81:43 (2c:b0:5d:05:81:43)
Internet Protocol Version 4, Src: 192.168.0.13 (192.168.0.13), Dst: dynupdate.no-ip.com (8.23.224.120)
Transmission Control Protocol, Src Port: 46520 (46520), Dst Port: http (80), Seq: 1, Ack: 1, Len: 168
Hypertext Transfer Protocol

0000 2c b0 5d 05 81 43 ec 71 db 78 3c f4 08 00 45 00 ,.]..C.q.x<...E.
0010 00 dc 05 de 40 00 40 06 8a f9 c0 a8 00 0d 08 17 ....@.@.........
0020 e0 78 b5 b8 00 50 d3 07 90 6d 92 f9 df 8c 80 18 .x...P...m......
0030 0e 42 0e 59 00 00 01 01 08 0a ff ff 95 c0 78 1f .B.Y..........x.
0040 35 f7 47 45 54 20 2f 6e 69 63 2f 75 70 64 61 74 5.GET /nic/updat
0050 65 3f 20 48 54 54 50 2f 31 2e 31 0d 0a 48 6f 73 e? HTTP/1.1..Hos
0060 74 3a 20 64 79 6e 75 70 64 61 74 65 2e 6e 6f 2d t: dynupdate.no-
0070 69 70 2e 63 6f 6d 0d 0a 55 73 65 72 2d 41 67 65 ip.com..User-Age
0080 6e 74 3a 20 57 67 65 74 0d 0a 43 6f 6e 6e 65 63 nt: Wget..Connec
0090 74 69 6f 6e 3a 20 63 6c 6f 73 65 0d 0a 41 75 74 tion: close..Aut
00a0 68 6f 72 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e 3a 20 42 61 73 69 horization: Basi
00b0 63 20 5a 47 39 74 61 57 35 70 59 79 35 76 63 32 c ZG9taW5pYy5vc2
00c0 74 70 63 30 42 6e 62 57 46 70 62 43 35 6a 62 32 tpc0BnbWFpbC5jb2
00d0 30 36 63 6d 46 75 5a 47 39 74 63 47 46 7a 63 7a 06cmFuZG9tcGFzcz
00e0 45 77 4e 6a 59 3d 0d 0a 0d 0a EwNjY=....

No. Time Source Destination Protocol Length Info
5 22:14:32.6 dynupdate.no-ip.com 192.168.0.13 HTTP 266 HTTP/1.1 200 OK (text/plain)

Frame 5: 266 bytes on wire (2128 bits), 266 bytes captured (2128 bits) on interface 0
Ethernet II, Src: Netgear_05:81:43 (2c:b0:5d:05:81:43), Dst: Shenzhen_78:3c:f4 (ec:71:db:78:3c:f4)
Internet Protocol Version 4, Src: dynupdate.no-ip.com (8.23.224.120), Dst: 192.168.0.13 (192.168.0.13)
Transmission Control Protocol, Src Port: http (80), Dst Port: 46520 (46520), Seq: 1, Ack: 169, Len: 200
Hypertext Transfer Protocol
Line-based text data: text/plain

Frame (266 bytes):
0000 ec 71 db 78 3c f4 2c b0 5d 05 81 43 08 00 45 00 .q.x<.,.]..C..E.
0010 00 fc e9 ac 40 00 32 06 b5 0a 08 17 e0 78 c0 a8 ....@.2......x..
0020 00 0d 00 50 b5 b8 92 f9 df 8c d3 07 91 15 80 11 ...P............
0030 00 eb d7 30 00 00 01 01 08 0a 78 1f 36 23 ff ff ...0......x.6#..
0040 95 c0 48 54 54 50 2f 31 2e 31 20 32 30 30 20 4f ..HTTP/1.1 200 O
0050 4b 0d 0a 43 6f 6e 74 65 6e 74 2d 54 79 70 65 3a K..Content-Type:
0060 20 74 65 78 74 2f 70 6c 61 69 6e 3b 20 63 68 61 text/plain; cha
0070 72 73 65 74 3d 55 54 46 2d 38 0d 0a 54 72 61 6e rset=UTF-8..Tran
0080 73 66 65 72 2d 45 6e 63 6f 64 69 6e 67 3a 20 63 sfer-Encoding: c
0090 68 75 6e 6b 65 64 0d 0a 43 6f 6e 6e 65 63 74 69 hunked..Connecti
00a0 6f 6e 3a 20 63 6c 6f 73 65 0d 0a 43 61 63 68 65 on: close..Cache
00b0 2d 43 6f 6e 74 72 6f 6c 3a 20 6e 6f 2d 63 61 63 -Control: no-cac
00c0 68 65 0d 0a 44 61 74 65 3a 20 54 75 65 2c 20 31 he..Date: Tue, 1
00d0 39 20 53 65 70 20 32 30 31 37 20 32 31 3a 31 34 9 Sep 2017 21:14
00e0 3a 33 33 20 47 4d 54 0d 0a 0d 0a 31 34 0d 0a 6e :33 GMT....14..n
00f0 6f 63 68 67 20 38 32 2e 34 37 2e 39 35 2e 31 35 ochg 82.47.95.15
0100 30 0d 0a 0d 0a 30 0d 0a 0d 0a 0....0....
De-chunked entity body (20 bytes):
0000 6e 6f 63 68 67 20 38 32 2e 34 37 2e 39 35 2e 31 nochg 82.47.95.1
0010 35 30 0d 0a 50..

No. Time Source Destination Protocol Length Info
6 22:14:32.6 192.168.0.13 dynupdate.no-ip.com TCP 66 46520 → http(80) [FIN, ACK] Seq=169 Ack=202 Win=14600 Len=0 TSval=4294940114 TSecr=2015311395

Frame 6: 66 bytes on wire (528 bits), 66 bytes captured (528 bits) on interface 0
Ethernet II, Src: Shenzhen_78:3c:f4 (ec:71:db:78:3c:f4), Dst: Netgear_05:81:43 (2c:b0:5d:05:81:43)
Internet Protocol Version 4, Src: 192.168.0.13 (192.168.0.13), Dst: dynupdate.no-ip.com (8.23.224.120)
Transmission Control Protocol, Src Port: 46520 (46520), Dst Port: http (80), Seq: 169, Ack: 202, Len: 0

0000 2c b0 5d 05 81 43 ec 71 db 78 3c f4 08 00 45 00 ,.]..C.q.x<...E.
0010 00 34 05 df 40 00 40 06 8b a0 c0 a8 00 0d 08 17 .4..@.@.........
0020 e0 78 b5 b8 00 50 d3 07 91 15 92 f9 e0 55 80 11 .x...P.......U..
0030 0e 42 ed aa 00 00 01 01 08 0a ff ff 95 d2 78 1f .B............x.
0040 36 23 6#

No. Time Source Destination Protocol Length Info
7 22:14:32.8 dynupdate.no-ip.com 192.168.0.13 TCP 66 http(80) → 46520 [ACK] Seq=202 Ack=170 Win=30080 Len=0 TSval=2015311437 TSecr=4294940114

Frame 7: 66 bytes on wire (528 bits), 66 bytes captured (528 bits) on interface 0
Ethernet II, Src: Netgear_05:81:43 (2c:b0:5d:05:81:43), Dst: Shenzhen_78:3c:f4 (ec:71:db:78:3c:f4)
Internet Protocol Version 4, Src: dynupdate.no-ip.com (8.23.224.120), Dst: 192.168.0.13 (192.168.0.13)
Transmission Control Protocol, Src Port: http (80), Dst Port: 46520 (46520), Seq: 202, Ack: 170, Len: 0

0000 ec 71 db 78 3c f4 2c b0 5d 05 81 43 08 00 45 00 .q.x<.,.]..C..E.
0010 00 34 e9 ad 40 00 32 06 b5 d1 08 17 e0 78 c0 a8 .4..@.2......x..
0020 00 0d 00 50 b5 b8 92 f9 e0 55 d3 07 91 16 80 10 ...P.....U......
0030 00 eb fa d7 00 00 01 01 08 0a 78 1f 36 4d ff ff ..........x.6M..
0040 95 d2 ..

[quote quote=27688]4, We saw the request calling for an option for auto-focus, and this request has been forwarded to our R&D engineer last December to see if it is possible in future upgrade.
That means it is still not available to lock/turn off auto focus so far, but some tips regrading auto-focus you may want to know:
a, camera will only auto-focus again when it goes through a power cycle.
b, camera will fail to auto focus when there’s moving objects in front of it and it is dark light.
c, focus of cameras is in the center of it, it is normal that camera fail to focus when objects are too close to camera.[/quote]

This is not a huge task.. why has it not been implemented ? The auto focus on the PTZ is horrible. It makes the camera virtually useless at night because the thing cant focus and it overrides your manual focus attempts. I have 25 days left in my return window. I will wait 24 days to see what happens. From reading in this forum I should likely return it now because this company seems lack in listening to the people that own their product.

Oliver

I do not understand why there is no option to disable autofocus at all. The stored camera position should also store the actual focus setting besides lens position and zoom level. Then the focus would't be a problem.

With the actual (shitty) autofocus the cam is simply not usable as a surveillance cam.

Just my 2 cents.

Oliver

Bob

Hi Oliver,
We received your feedback and understand how bad you need this feature. It is under processing.

Bob

Dear Oliver,
Yes, we have been updated on this feature request that it is hard to archieve due to various limitations. But we are still trying as we know this is important to you.

Well done Reolink. Noip ddns is now working after latest update so that's another one off the list!

Oliver

Any news to the RLC423 autofocus issue?