Upgrading HIKVision NVR

[chrisski]

I would like to swap my old HIKVision NVR for a newer HIKVision model, and am wondering if the upgrade is as simple as unplugging the cameras from the old NVR and plugging them in the new NVR and the old POE cameras automatically appear.

NVR Model: DS-7716NI-SP/16 (Purchased 2015)
Camera: DS-2CD211F, Vandal Camera, (Purchased 2015)
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More specifically this NVR has been offline for years and I can see the cameras in the IVMS 4500 in my house, but the online connection is not working. The NVR has Firmware 3.4.3 and the oldest firmware I can find to load is the 3.4.92, and when I try to load this newer version, I get a message about the firmware is incompatible. I tried loading a couple of versions of 4. firmware, but I get the same message.

I'm also hoping over the last two years that the newer DVRs have more features like hookups of wifi cameras.

 

[JB1970]

I would like to swap my old HIKVision NVR for a newer HIKVision model, and am wondering if the upgrade is as simple as unplugging the cameras from the old NVR and plugging them in the new NVR and the old POE cameras automatically appear.

Unless the firmware has been updated it is likely/possible that the 'admin' username for your cameras is still '12345'. In order to connect them to a newer NVR it would be advisable to update the firmware on them to the newest version available. This is done in stages (depending on their current version). Once updated to the latest version they can be factory reset; connection to the new NVR will activate them and add them using plug and play.

If they already have a secure password as required (min 8 characters including 3 character types as specified by Hikvision), the above can be ignored. The easiest way to reconnect the cameras in this case is to set the new NVR password to the same one as the cameras before connecting the cameras. The matching password will allow the NVR to connect the existing cameras as is.

More specifically this NVR has been offline for years and I can see the cameras in the IVMS 4500 in my house, but the online connection is not working.

iVMS-4500 was retired a number of years ago. The previous method of connecting the NVR to the cloud (HiDDNS) was retired a couple of years before that. Your existing NVR probably only supports the non functional HiDDNS along with some other DDNS services that require port forwarding for access (not advised) such as No-IP, DynDNS and PeanutHull. The new NVR will support Hik-Connect P2P and once you've created an account and added your new NVR you'll have local and remote connection along with a number of benefits such as real time push notifications of events, snapshots and video clips of the events, teh ability to arm and disarm notifications.

I'm also hoping over the last two years that the newer DVRs have more features like hookups of wifi cameras.

I wouldn't advise WiFi cameras as unless the coverage outside your home is good they're going to be hit and miss. There's not a particularly extensive range available. If cabling for new positions is problematic, you can always use a standard wired camera but connect it to something like the TP-Link Travel Router set up as a WiFi Client just inside the home behind the camera .

 

[chrisski]

Unless the firmware has been updated it is likely/possible that the 'admin' username for your cameras is still '12345'. In order to connect them to a newer NVR it would be advisable to update the firmware on them to the newest version available. This is done in stages (depending on their current version). Once updated to the latest version they can be factory reset; connection to the new NVR will activate them and add them using plug and play.

Thanks for the response. I will try 12345 and the firmware updates.

TP-Link Travel Router set up as a WiFi Client just inside the home behind the camera .

does this TP Link router do POE?

I’d been looking at something like that, but the TP links I looked at (AC1000) did not do POE so thought I needed to add a POE injector or 12 VDC power supply to power the camera.

 

[JB1970]

I’d been looking at something like that, but the TP links I looked at (AC1000) did not do POE so thought I needed to add a POE injector or 12 VDC power supply to power the camera.

No. I've not come across a suitable device that can act as both a bridge and PoE injector. Your other alternative is to use a Powerline adaptor in an outlet close to the camera, though they can sometimes play up down the line depending on what's on the mains circuit.

 

[chrisski]

The camera password was 12345, I only put it on one camera, but when I did, the camera disconnected itself from viewing and can’t get it connected back up to view. On ivms4200 now shows data transmission error. No cameras are showing on SADP tools, so I can’t update this password.

I’m convinced now the next step is to get a new NVR that has POE for my 8 cameras, with room for expansion. Probably the ds-7616NI-Q2

 

[johnfitzy]

Q2

M2

Alphabet backwards

 

[JB1970]

The camera password was 12345, I only put it on one camera, but when I did, the camera disconnected itself from viewing and can’t get it connected back up to view. On ivms4200 now shows data transmission error. No cameras are showing on SADP tools, so I can’t update this password.

This is expected and not a permanent issue. The NVR is still trying to connect to the updated camera with '12345' (even if the new password matches the NVR) as it was originally connected using plug and play.

You need to edit the channel of the NVR from 'Plug and Play' to 'Manual' enter the updated cameras IP address and the admin password that you saved on it during the update. Cameras connected directly to the NVR will not show on SADP as they're on a 192.168.254.xxx network. As I advised another user, connect a laptop to a spare PoE port on the NVR (or temporarily unplug one camera to make room), set the IP address of the laptop to 192.168.254.100 and run SADP and you will be able to see the cameras (plus the NVRs second interface on 192.168.254.1).

Usually if I were doing what you are, I would disconnect each camera one at a time from the NVR, update it using a PoE switch or supply and leave it disconnected until all cameras are complete. I'd then modify the NVR channels to manual entering the details for each camera and reconnect them.

As for a new NVR I'd probably plump for an NXI (not NI) model. That will give you some AcuSense functionality on your existing cameras that don't have it.

 

[chrisski]

I ordered a 7616nxi-i2 along with along with a 4tb ssd drive.

I’ll get the setup started over the weekend.

Thanks for your help. I’ve spent days worth of troubleshooting prior to posting questions here and wised I’d posted much sooner.

I’ve got a couple other general questions I’ll search the forum for and then post a question if I can’t find it.

 

[JB1970]

I’ve got a couple other general questions I’ll search the forum for and then post a question if I can’t find it.

You could well be the first user to ever try that!

I ordered a 7616nxi-i2 along with along with a 4tb ssd drive.

I would check that the specific SSD is on the Hikvision compatible list (and cancel it if not)...

It's a known issue that some disks are incompatible as they cannot write VCA data from the camera. That can stop Smart search from working. I don't really see the benefit of SSD over standard surveillance drives.

 

[chrisski]

I would check that the specific SSD is on the Hikvision compatible list (and cancel it if not)...

Thanks. I had bought a Samsung SDD and Samsung is not on the list, so cancelled it is.

I found a WD Enterprise 6 TB HDD (PN: WD4002FYYZ) that I will be replacing it with. That is larger and less expensive than the other drive I chose. I searched on Amazon for a few drives, but exact part numbers are hard to come buy.

 

[JB1970]

Thanks. I had bought a Samsung SDD and Samsung is not on the list, so cancelled it is.

I found a WD Enterprise 6 TB HDD (PN: WD4002FYYZ) that I will be replacing it with. That is larger and less expensive than the other drive I chose. I searched on Amazon for a few drives, but exact part numbers are hard to come buy.

Generally Seagate Surveillance/Skyhawk are fine, Western Digital Purple are fine, Toshiba S300 Surveillance are fine. I say 'generally' because there are some exceptions:

- Toshiba S300 Surveillance - I found that these failed when using two in one machine. I was back and forth to a job and ended up replacing with Seagate. I did find reference to some issue on a Hikvision document somewhere.

- WD Purple/Seagate Surveillance - I've always used these as its what my supplier installs when supplying pre populates DVRs and NVRs. However I saw the following on the compatibility list and later found that I had unknowingly installed one of the affected Seagate Surveillance models affected:

So the above will work but not save the VCA data that the camera can send alongside the video stream. It's this data that's saved by the NVR and used when performing a search for line crossing or motion detection in a user defined area of the image.

The following is an excerpt of the HDD compatibility list for the model you've ordered. That's not to say that your intended model won't work, that's very unlikely but the list is what Hikvision have tested and deem to be compatible:

 

[chrisski]

Thanks again for the reply. For some reason I typed the wrong PN in post #10.

I did order the 6TB ENterprise drive listed in your second chart, PN: HUS726T6TALE6L4.

 

[chrisski]

I am making progress on moving the cameras to a new NVR. I have one camera working online, and have a good plan to finish up.

To swap the cameras, I has to:

1) Reset the camera.

I don't have passwords for any of the cameras, so I do a hard rest on the cameras themselves by pressing the button for 30 seconds, with the button still depressed unplug the cat 5 to remove power to the camera by for 30 seconds, and then with the button still depressed for 30 seconds, plug the CAT5 cable in and release the button after the 30 seconds.

2) Load SADP up and enter the new password and HIK Connect codes, and the camera will choose the correct IP Adress of the port the camera is plugged into.

3) The camera then connects itself and is available for local display in a couple minutes, getting sent to the internet for remote viewing can take longer.
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-I tried doing the password reset through HIK, but for three different requests for three different devices, I got one reset link back and that link did not tell what it which camera it was for.
-Resetting the camera manually is complicated by these cameras being 20' in the air, so up the ladder I go.
-I need to replace six domes for the cameras that have been up 10 years, and I got the correct ones for my cameras. The domes did not come with the seal/Oring, but I was able to reuse the old seal for the new domes. Surprisingly even in the AZ dessert heat, the two seals I changed were as good as new. If I'm climbing a 20' ladder, I'd like to replace the seal. I think its a 80mm ID 84 mm OD seal, and Amazon has an O-ring and I'll see if that works when it shows up.
-I have found a couple cables are bad and I am trying to figure out if I can put a new connector on one end or if I need to change the whole cable. If the cable needs to be changed, I am not looking forward to going up in the attic.
-Awaiting the enterprise hard drive to show up so I can start recording.