18 hikvision cams recording - hik connect shows 1 random offline

[Minime46]

Hi Guys,

I have 18 IP cameras - 4mp hikvision turrets.

Some of these are passing through upto 4 TP link cpe220's (and 3 x 100mbps switches, 1 switch at the 4 cameras, 1 x mid point, 1 x reception/receiver) then into the NVR.

Cameras had lag on install, so I lowered quality and that fixed the issue... but I randomly have 1 of 4 cameras go offline on the app. It jumps between any of these 4 cameras (These cameras are the futherest away, travelling through 4 ap's) I close the app and open again and then I see a different camera (one of the 4) is offline.

I check the play back and the cameras are actually still recording, it's just showing offline on the app.

I'm unsure if this could be fixed by using better access points like ubiquiti nanostation M5's? Or having 2 receiving ap's/clients at the reception instead of all 18 cameras coming down the 1 receiver to the NVR?

Just unsure why all cameras are online on the nvr but 1 always shows as offline or cannot be loaded on the app.

Really hope someone can offer some suggestions?

Cheers in advance

 

[David]

Hi Guys,

I have 18 IP cameras - 4mp hikvision turrets.

Some of these are passing through upto 4 TP link cpe220's (and 3 x 100mbps switches, 1 switch at the 4 cameras, 1 x mid point, 1 x reception/receiver) then into the NVR.

Cameras had lag on install, so I lowered quality and that fixed the issue... but I randomly have 1 of 4 cameras go offline on the app. It jumps between any of these 4 cameras (These cameras are the futherest away, travelling through 4 ap's) I close the app and open again and then I see a different camera (one of the 4) is offline.

I check the play back and the cameras are actually still recording, it's just showing offline on the app.

I'm unsure if this could be fixed by using better access points like ubiquiti nanostation M5's? Or having 2 receiving ap's/clients at the reception instead of all 18 cameras coming down the 1 receiver to the NVR?

Just unsure why all cameras are online on the nvr but 1 always shows as offline or cannot be loaded on the app.

Really hope someone can offer some suggestions?

Cheers in advance

Hi minime46,

It sounds as though you still have high latency across your Wi-Fi links.

On a laptop or desktop….

Disable Wi-Fi

Connect laptop direct to your router using an Ethernet cable.

For each of the four cameras do a 100 ping test and copy / paste the results here.

How are the cpe220 setup? If you are using 802.11 and don’t need it, disable it.

a basic network diagram would help.

David

 

[Minime46]

Hi David,

Please see a basic diagram.

I actually added ubiquiti nanostation 5's on to shed 1 and the middle shed and on reception to split the load going through the TP link AP.... this did not fix the issue.

I tested all cables in shed 1, all fine, replaced the poe switch in shed 1 and in the middle shed which is receiving shed 1 cameras signal as well as adding its own cameras to the network.. and then sending them back across to reception. I used a gigabit switch in the middle shed and this got rid of the lag, so quality is up and no issues.

Other than all will be fine and then 6 hours later 1 camera will show on the app as offline but is still viewable on the monitor and playback is still being recorded. ‍ I'm all out of ideas. (It isn't always the same camera... its 1 of the 4 in the first shed or sometimes 2 cameras show offline but usually just 1).

I will do the ping test when I'm next there. Any ideas what it may be?

 

[Minime46]

 

[Phil]

That's a fairly complex network structure.
Are you managing the network and IP addressing from a router?
The NVR has an IP address on your LAN?
Each camera also has a LAN IP address?
And you have configured the NVR so that those cameras have been manually added via their IP addresses?
i.e. I'm just checking that your complex arrangement of APs and switches is NOT connected into a camera port on the NVR?

 

[Minime46]

That's a fairly complex network structure.
Are you managing the network and IP addressing from a router?
The NVR has an IP address on your LAN?
Each camera also has a LAN IP address?
And you have configured the NVR so that those cameras have been manually added via their IP addresses?
i.e. I'm just checking that your complex arrangement of APs and switches is NOT connected into a camera port on the NVR?

Both APs at reception are plugged into one of the main network switche and then connected from the network switch to NVR lan port.

Yes, I am using a router which has the whole network on 192.168.99.***

Ap's IP's are on .99. And all cameras are on .99. And gateways.

I checked to make sure there were no other devices using the bottom cameras IP addresses... and even changed their IP address but the problem continues.

Annoyingly... all cameras can be online for hours... and then for 20 minutes 1 goes offline. I have just noticed. All 4 cameras at the shed 1 have breaks in the recording... all at different times.... during last night. Then the past 2 hours all fine....

(Also there seems to be a correlation, at 7:14am... all cameras began to play up... but not at the same time.)

It's very weird... frustrating

 

[Phil]

It feels like a network stability issue, probably with the wireless APs.
You could prove that if you are able to chuck-in a temporary network cable for a test and take the APs etc. out of the setup for a few days.

There are lots of potential issues.
Too many to guess.
Most AP brands offer a portal for setup.
These show a varying amount of config possibilities and performance monitoring.

You can get problems if you don't have line of sight between APs.
But also if they are too close to one another!
Best if you can check how they are actually performing.

I'd expect your APs should be in 'bridge' mode.
2.4GHz is better for distance.
5GHz will carry more data / faster.
You can usually set the frequency in use (within the 2.4/5 range selected), and I guess it'd be best as you have two brands in play to ensure their frequencies are well apart from one another.

As a ballpark figure, each of your cameras is probably using a bit less than 10Mbps bandwidth.
I've lost the plot on how many are connecting via any one wireless path.

 

[Minime46]

It feels like a network stability issue, probably with the wireless APs.
You could prove that if you are able to chuck-in a temporary network cable for a test and take the APs etc. out of the setup for a few days.

There are lots of potential issues.
Too many to guess.
Most AP brands offer a portal for setup.
These show a varying amount of config possibilities and performance monitoring.

You can get problems if you don't have line of sight between APs.
But also if they are too close to one another!
Best if you can check how they are actually performing.

I'd expect your APs should be in 'bridge' mode.
2.4GHz is better for distance.
5GHz will carry more data / faster.
You can usually set the frequency in use (within the 2.4/5 range selected), and I guess it'd be best as you have two brands in play to ensure their frequencies are well apart from one another.

As a ballpark figure, each of your cameras is probably using a bit less than 10Mbps bandwidth.
I've lost the plot on how many are connecting via any one wireless path.

4 are connected at shed 1...



Then another 6 are added at the middle shed and beamed back to the office.



The weird thing is, ALL cameras were all going back to the 1 reception ap. I thought it might be overloading so I added another on reception and split half cameras on 1 and half on the other. Still the problem persists.



Connections were all strong. Could a wiring or failing connector on the AP cause for 1 camera to drop and come back online... then a different one do the same? My thought would be they would all go off if there is an AP issue?

 

[Phil]

It could be a cable or a connection issue.
You can only find the fault by replacing items really.
e.g. inserting shop-bought / factory-made patch leads to see if/when the problem is eradicated.

 

[Minime46]

I have a cable tester so think I will get back to that... and work my way through.

I have replaced all switches in the mix... all power supplies. All patch leads.

I have not tested the AP cables/connectors yet.

 

[Phil]

Typically, the type of cable tester that most of us can afford is no help at all with an issue such as this
They only check continuity / correct pin-out.

 

[Minime46]

I just checked again and I now have all 4 shed 1 cameras offline.... but when I go on playback, they are still recording....

This is crazy?

 

[Minime46]

Ok, apologies for spamming..... but its the app some how.

I have logged into Hik-ProConnect and can live view all cameras. They are all live. But on hik connect all 4 of the shed 1 are offline and have been for 5 minutes now....

I really don't know what to do...

 

[David]

Ok, apologies for spamming..... but its the app some how.

I have logged into Hik-ProConnect and can live view all cameras. They are all live. But on hik connect all 4 of the shed 1 are offline and have been for 5 minutes now....

I really don't know what to do...

Hi Minime46
On the network diagram are all the yellow dots AP's and how accurate is the direction the AP's are pointing? I can see lots of potential for co and adjacent channel interference. As @Phil said some of your AP receivers could be swamped by RF from other AP's, the AP receiver front end is not very selective. On the shorter AP links try to use the 5GHz band and keep the channels in use as far apart as possible. on the longer links use 2.4GHz.
If the AP transmit power is adjustable set each link for an rssi of -70dBm, each link will have to be tweaked.

It may be possible to rotate a links antennas by 90 degrees, that would add extra isolation from potential external interference. Obviously doing this could allow water into the antenna and connectors, check for drain holes as well.

Do ALL your tests and checks from the monitor attached to the NVR, using other wifi apps and devices to test and monitor will give you conflicting results.

 

[David]

@Minime46

looking at the cpe220 specs are you using tdma and point to multi-point?