Posts made by Crimp On_62210811129

I agree that this is a very strange situation.

• The Reolink Client must be able to communicate with the doorbell camera because it is able to open the Network Settings, navigate to Advanced, NTP, and change the NTP server to time1(dot)google(dot)com. Then the user can navigate to Maintenance, Date & Time, and select Synchronize. (I do not have a Reolink doorbell, so I am assuming that the settings menu is approximately similar to the RLC cameras.)
• When the user attempts to synchronize, the response is Failure. We have both verified that Reolink cameras are able to use the Google time server.
• Thus, how can it not work? One explanation might be that the Reolink Doorbell simply does not perform NTP lookup. That seems absurd because customers would be going crazy complaining about their doorbell cameras not displaying the correct time. The only explanation I can see is that the NTP packets (UDP, port 123) are either (a) not going from the camera to the time server or (b) the responses are not coming back. UDP is a connectionless protocol.
• If I were to investigate this situation, I would connect the Reolink Doorbell to a managed switch so that I could mirror the port and capture every packet that goes to and from the Doorbell with Wireshark. (That is why Ethernet devices are so much easier to work with than WiFi devices.)
• Once it can be documented how the NTP packets are failing, then the investigation can move toward what is blocking them.

My thought is that "if everything is set up correctly", then the Reolink Doorbell should perform NTP just like every other device. (The forum is not flooded with posts complaining that, "my doorbell doesn't know what time it is!") The question about network architecture is simply because most consumer networking products do not provide VLAN capability. My "guess" is that there are managed switches involved and that the Reolink doorbell is connected to one of them and that switch port is defined to be in a specific VLAN. There is a gateway somewhere that connects that VLAN to the internet.

Would it be possible, for example, to temporarily place the Reolink doorbell in the default VLAN that has internet access? (like most other devices).

In a way, it is fortunate that the Reolink doorbell is a PoE model, which makes it much easier to capture the port 123 traffic to/from the doorbell. (I have found that capturing communications with WiFi devices a lot more difficult than 'wired' devices.

Very strange. When I set the NTP server on a Reolink camera to time1(dot)google(dot)com, it synchronizes correctly.
(When I set the NTP server to garbage(dot)com, it fails - as it should because that is not an NTP server.)
I agree that capturing the actual packets is the best way forward. Either the doorbell sends the request using port 123 or it doesn't.

Mention of VLAN in the problem description "raises a flag" for me. Reolink cameras are like most consumer devices. They have no concept of VLAN tagging. What sort of network are these cameras part of?

My understanding is that cameras connected directly to the NVR do DHCP against the NVR. The NVR can function with no network connection at all. (not practical for most of us, but....)

The entire purpose of Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) is to have one physical network, but create virtual networks within that network which are entirely separate.
To have communication between devices on one VLAN and devices on a different VLAN, there must be a router that is connected to both VLANs and has static routes defined to allow the desired communication. Most consumer routers do not support VLAN technology. More business oriented routers often include VLAN capability, as it appears this installation does.

I would start with the user manual for the router that has defined the VLANs to understand how to create static routes linking two of the VLANs and perhaps restricting which devices can use the static routes.

Please provide more detail, such as:

• How will this camera be powered? (plugged into an electrical outlet or batteries?)
• How will it be connected? (Ethernet cable? WiFi?)
• Is this to be a stand-alone camera, or part of a group of cameras?
• Where in the hallway? (at one end? in the middle?)
• What is to be recorded? (continuous? motion events? people? pets?)
• How do you plan to view the camera? (computer? smart phone?)
• Is it important to view recordings remotely?

It is really unusual for someone to purchase just one stand-alone Reolink camera.

The enormous difference between line powered and battery powered cameras is the use of a Passive InfRed Sensor (PIR) module. (search Wikipedia for "passive infrared sensor")
Whereas the line powered camera can consume power to compare every pixel of the camera view from one frame to the next and count the number of pixels that have changed, battery powered cameras are in a "semi-idle" state waiting for the PIR sensor to detect enough change in the infrared picture to signal "movement". That is the only way to make the battery last any length of time at all.

When the camera is in Live View (or when playing a recorded motion video) it can use the "feature" to draw a box around objects (cars, people, pets). I tested this just now on an Argus 3 Pro which did not have the feature enabled. It had recorded very few videos so far today (the sensitivity was set at 80). As is typical of PIR cameras, moving cars were often almost "out of view" before the camera began recording. (Remember, line powered RLC cameras typically begin the recording 5 seconds before the object even appears. That is because they are constantly recording a 'loop' and can 'back up' to start recording before motion was detected.) Once I enabled the motion detection feature on the Argus 3 Pro and played back the same recordings, NOW those goofy boxes appear around things.

My disappointment with Reolink's motion boxes is that they appear around objects that are not moving at all. i.e. every automobile in the picture has a box around it, even though all but one are parked and not moving.

My sense is:

• PIR determines "motion" and starts recording
• The "motion boxes" are part of the viewing process, either Live or Playback.

My first step would be to contact Reolink support via email. (support <at sign> reolink.com) and request a Return Material Authorization (RMA). Would love to hear how they respond.

My understanding is that Reolink provides a two-year warranty on new products. Click on Support at the bottom of the page and then click on Warranty and Support.

The web site product description says that both Live View and recorded clips can be seen with the Reolink smartphone app.
That is certainly possible with other Reolink cameras.

Does the app not work for you?

Some things to consider:

Only RLC cameras include the FTP feature. Battery power cameras do not.
Only RLC cameras have an option for PoE. Battery powered cameras are compatible with solar panels.
This would seem to eliminate battery cameras from consideration.

As far as sirens go, "I guess, maybe." In a dense neighborhood, sirens would seriously annoy the neighbors if they are set off by wandering wildlife, people walking down the sidewalk, etc.
In an isolated neighborhood, a "smash and grab" thief may ignore sirens.
The spotlight feature may help reinforce the fact that "there are cameras here" and help deter random attempts at entry.

In addition to cameras, I installed a traditional security system which is monitored. If the smoke detectors go off, they call the fire department. If the entry sensors go off, they call the police department. (and yes, that actually works in my town). This is not cheap. About $300/year plus the annual city "alarm fee".

@user_764137391112368_764137391112368 This is not my experience using the Reolink Android app. Streams my RLC and Battery powered cameras just fine over cellular data.
My cameras are not attached to an NVR system. I use the Reolink Windows app to access them directly.

It is a bit tedious to contact Reolink support (have never tried the "Phone Us" method). Perhaps there is something about your setup that they could suggest.

The Reolink Windows client has a menu item for "Battery" that shows the approximate percent remaining.
The Reolink smart phone client also reports battery level.

Both of my battery camera have a 20 minute "Warning Threshold". My guess is that the camera will make some sort of notice appear when the battery level drops under that?????
(Can't be specific because my battery cameras are connected to USB power supplies because I got fed up with messing with batteries a couple of years ago and simply cannot remember that far back.)

I agree that it would be convenient if the device would send an alert when the battery level drops below a value specified by the owner.

Have you let a camera drain the battery and observed what happens when the battery gets low?

With most wired cameras, Reolink ships a waterproof covering for the RJ45 connection. However, they do not provide any means to waterproof the power connection and the reset switch.
The consensus on the forum is that all three connections should be made waterproof. One solution is to run all three of them inside the wall before the connection points. Another is to install a weather proof junction box and place the connections inside it. Another is to wrap the connections in tape and place a liberal application of "liquid electrical tape" on top of that.

@user_780488697958579_780488697958579 I, also, find it strange that the installation instructions mention using the waterproof enclosure on the Ethernet cable but say absolutely nothing about protecting the reset switch or the power cable. I have seen too many products proudly proclaim "waterproof" only to become damaged from rain. (Not just Reolink.) All of my cameras are mounted under eaves and all of the cables are run inside the wall. (True, a lot of customers do not have this option.)

@crimp-on_62210811129 Thanks for confirming. I sort of wonder how much memory is in the camera. The FTP feature allows for a "postpone" of up to 30 minutes. I had assumed that the camera would run out of space before being able to begin sending the file. I'm still happy to have the SD cards for backup.

Thanks for sharing how to zoom Playback when it is essentially stopped. This allows the user to inch forward or back to exactly the correct screen, pan and zoom, and then take a snapshot.

Most people let the router handle IP assignments:

• Device (camera) is set to use DHCP
• Router is set to assign a specific IP to the device by hardware MAC address

Trying to "do both" is a receipt for disaster (eventually you will create a conflict without meaning to and debugging it will be frustrating)

I have never attempted to run a Reolink camera without an SD card. Please post if you are able to FTP motion captures without an SD card.
(My guess is "no".)
I have had occasions when my FTP server failed. Without the SD card, those motion events would be totally lost.

The Reolink store sells 4.5m power extension cables, it is clear that some voltage drop can be tolerated. (I actually use one on an RLC-510WA.) All of my other powered cameras are PoE. I would hook it up and "see what happens" before mounting it in someplace awkward to reach.

On my RLC-1212A camera, video resolution has separate settings for Live View and for Streaming.

Live view (right click when the cursor is in the picture) allows three settings:

• Clear
• Balanced
• Fluent

Streaming has two settings:

• High (Clear) which selects from: 4512x2512, 3480x2512, 2560x1440, and 2204x1296
• Low (Fluent) which has one selection: 896x512

Reolink has an article that attempts to explain this. Since we cannot post URLs on this forum, search for "Reolink camera balanced rsolution"