NVR will not recognize 2CD2455FWD-IW cube camera

[fullboogie]

I've got a 7608-I series that I have successfully setup with five outdoor cams. All equipment is on the latest firmware. Tonight I tried to add a new 2CD2455FWD-IW cube camera to my system for indoor monitoring via plug and play. The prior five cams added without any problems, but this one is being stubborn. When connected to my NVR, the status light on the camera below the lens lights up and blinks blue, which indicates it is communicating with the NVR. On the back of the NVR the yellow and green lights are fairly steady, blinking once in a while, but not rapidly like the other five cams. I even switched ports from #6 to # 7 and then #8, but nothing has worked. On the camera live page, it just says "detecting camera" forever. On the config camera management page, it says "offline detecting" forever. I even tried a hard reset by holding down the button under the SD card slot for ten seconds while rebooting, but that didn't help.

Any ideas why this camera is giving me trouble? I really hoped to have it installed and running this weekend.

 

[Phil]

You've tried all the sensible things.
Maybe try connecting the camera to your general network (not directly to the NVR).
You can use a POE injector/switch or a 12V DC PSU.
Check whether SADP can find it.
Perform a pushbutton reset on the camera.
Check (with SADP) that it has actually reset (to its 'inactive' state).
With the camera in that reset/inactive state, then connect it to an NVR port and see whether you have better luck.

BTW - you could perform other checks whilst it is connected to your LAN e.g. update the camera to the latest available firmware version.

 

[fullboogie]

Phil, I removed the cam from the NVR, hooked it up to my 4 port switch and powered it up with the included 12V cord. SADP said it was activated, which I expected because it had initially been hooked up to the POE port on my NVR. I did a pushbutton reset, and SADP said it was inactive. Software version was only one increment down (5.5.82) from my other 5 cams (5.5.83) so I left it alone. When I reconnected to the NVR it goes through the same thing, "Detecting camera" endlessly.

Is is possible that some of the changes I've made to my NVR in the last few months is causing the problem? For example, is DHCP and UPNP required to be "on" in order for this to work? I've also changed the internal server port from 8000 to something else for security. Could that be causing the problem? I'm stumped as to why the new cam will not get up and running.

 

[Dan]

This sounds very similar to this problem that another customer had - Security Update for Hikvision Systems - Strong Passwords

But the difference is that you have added other 3.0/2.0+ cameras directly to the NVR and they have been activated by the same password so I wouldn't think this is the problem, unless maybe you added those original cameras much earlier and then updated the NVR to a firmware version with this new security feature and now it won't let you activate any future directly connected cameras unless the NVRs password (which is used to activate the direct cameras) is stronger.

 

[fullboogie]

Dan, I just installed the system in February. The NVR has had a firmware upgrade or two, but it's always had a strong password as defined by Hikvision - i.e. numbers, letters, capital letter, and a symbol. Per the second part of my message just above, would having UPNP or DHCP inactive cause this problem? Or having changed the internal server port?

 

[Phil]

I doubt that it is the specifics that you mention, by all means test reverting each.
But it is likely to be some sort of NVR glitch I'm afraid.
Meaning that you'll probably have to kick it into reconsidering.

• Power cycle the NVR.
• Try updating the NVR firmware if you are not yet on the latest available.
• The final straw - reset to factory defaults and re-configure

 

[Dan]

I would agree with @Phil because I have just tested this myself with a 2455 (firmware v5.6.0) and an I-series NVR (firmware v4.21.005) and the camera was activated and streaming within minutes of connecting.

 

[fullboogie]

I know I am one update behind on the NVR due to some issues others have had, so I held off. And I am at least one update behind on the new 2445 cam. I will update both when I can and see if that helps. I have power cycled the NVR three times so far after making changes in the hopes it would cure the problem.

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys. I'll update this thread if there is any news.

 

[fullboogie]

• The final straw - reset to factory defaults and re-configure

No way, man. I feel like I have 500 hours into configuring that darn NVR. I can't imagine starting from scratch again!

 

[fullboogie]

This sounds very similar to this problem that another customer had - Security Update for Hikvision Systems - Strong Passwords

But the difference is that you have added other 3.0/2.0+ cameras directly to the NVR and they have been activated by the same password so I wouldn't think this is the problem, unless maybe you added those original cameras much earlier and then updated the NVR to a firmware version with this new security feature and now it won't let you activate any future directly connected cameras unless the NVRs password (which is used to activate the direct cameras) is stronger.

Dan, I just had a thought prompted by your post. I have a proper NVR password as mentioned. But in the NVR interface, there is a page in camera setup that asked for a "default encryption key" or something like that for the cameras. That encryption key is NOT a strong password, but it has been there since I set up the system. I don't even know what that encryption key is for, since I thought the cams took the NVR's password. But could that be the problem?

 

[Phil]

The encryption Key / verification code is just a code that you create/use to verify that you are you when accessing from another PC, Mac, software, etc.

I don't think it'll be causing your problem.

HikVision NVR "Invalid encryption key" error message

 

[fullboogie]

Got it fixed, and it was easier than I thought. No idea why I had to go through this but here's what I did:

1. Hooked the cam to my 4 port switch, powered it on with the reset button pushed.
2. Through SADP, confirmed it was labeled as "inactive" and noted the cam's IP address.
3. Logged directly into the cam with IE and upgraded the firmware to the newest available.
4. Pulled the cam off the switch and plugged into POE port #6 and Voila! It's up and running, accessible from a web browser, the NVR, and the Hik Connect app.

Not sure what did the trick, perhaps upgrading the firmware as Phil and Dan suggested. Anyway, happy to have this little bugger working. Looking forward to running the Cat6 cable this weekend from the server closet to my entertainment center. Thanks for the help guys!