Speed up Hikvision App? New NVR or Move to Blue Iris?

[Ultra4]

Is there anyway I can speed up the connectivity with the app?

I've got a 8 port nvr with 4x4k and the amount of times my app says network unstable message or just takes ages on the loading percentage.

Shall I upgrade to BlueIris and get a powerful PC to make it snappier? My only unknown is... on BlueIris can you still get it to flash when motion is detected on Intrusion for example?

It is pretty much unusable IF someone triggers 1 camera, and then camera 2 is about to be triggered... its like it can ONLY deal with 'monitoring the triggers' and then we can't go onto the app to see the live view. This happens way too many times, and when we NEED to look (i.e. its active) the whole app just freezes or takes AGES to load by which point 10-15 seconds have passed and the event missed.

If I did move to BlueIris I just want to know if anyone here has done so with HikVision cameras, and if you can still get the strobe flashing?

Thanks

 

[Ultra4]

In addition to what I posted, does anyone have a hikvision NVR with HikConnect that is fast, snappy and doesn't have any lag (like 1-3 seconds max?)

I would prefer to stay with the NVR, as it makes things easier. Last time i checked I am at half of the mbps that the nvr can apparently provide.

 

[JB1970]

In addition to what I posted, does anyone have a hikvision NVR with HikConnect that is fast, snappy and doesn't have any lag (like 1-3 seconds max?)

I would prefer to stay with the NVR, as it makes things easier. Last time i checked I am at half of the mbps that the nvr can apparently provide.

Yes me! lol

I was just typing a response to your original message...watch this space...

 

[JB1970]

Is there anyway I can speed up the connectivity with the app?

In the Hik-Connect app when you use the Hik-Connect service it uses P2P. The NVR is logged into and initiates a connection to the server, your app is logged into the server and the service maintains the connection between the two.

When using the Hik-Connect service, the app also allows you to use Hikvision DDNS instead of P2P. To do that requires that you forward the ports manually in the router to the NVRs local IP address. In the app settings for your device you can then specify the server port, the http port and your admin password for the NVR. That will likely make the connection more stable than P2P as the connection is made directly to the port you have forwarded.

Alternatively you can omit the Hik-Connect service - use the port forwarding, your own DDNS (if you don't have a static IP [or you're not on VM broadband]). You would then connect directly using the IP/Domain. Unfortunately you will not receive push notifications if you do that. What you can do is a combination of the two. Connect your system using the Hik-Connect service AND make a second direct connection. The service will provide the notifications but when you want to manually view/playback your cameras the direct connection can be used. I tend to set the NVR up with Hik-Connect. In the app I use that cloud connection but also setup a second direct connection using the LAN IP of the NVR. That one is only available if I'm at home.

Ultimately it's a networking issue and/or connectivity issue that causes the lag and network unstable messages rather than the NVR hardware capabilities. When you view your cameras you can alleviate the lag/instability by selecting a single camera rather than bringing them all up simultaneously. Performance wise nothing will beat port forwarding and adding the system via IP/Domain directly for performance.

 

[Ultra4]

In the Hik-Connect app when you use the Hik-Connect service it uses P2P. The NVR is logged into and initiates a connection to the server, your app is logged into the server and the service maintains the connection between the two.

When using the Hik-Connect service, the app also allows you to use Hikvision DDNS instead of P2P. To do that requires that you forward the ports manually in the router to the NVRs local IP address. In the app settings for your device you can then specify the server port, the http port and your admin password for the NVR. That will likely make the connection more stable than P2P as the connection is made directly to the port you have forwarded.

Alternatively you can omit the Hik-Connect service - use the port forwarding, your own DDNS (if you don't have a static IP [or you're not on VM broadband]). You would then connect directly using the IP/Domain. Unfortunately you will not receive push notifications if you do that. What you can do is a combination of the two. Connect your system using the Hik-Connect service AND make a second direct connection. The service will provide the notifications but when you want to manually view/playback your cameras the direct connection can be used. I tend to set the NVR up with Hik-Connect. In the app I use that cloud connection but also setup a second direct connection using the LAN IP of the NVR. That one is only available if I'm at home.

Ultimately it's a networking issue and/or connectivity issue that causes the lag and network unstable messages rather than the NVR hardware capabilities. When you view your cameras you can alleviate the lag/instability by selecting a single camera rather than bringing them all up simultaneously. Performance wise nothing will beat port forwarding and adding the system via IP/Domain directly for performance.

Thank you for your reply. Are there any security issues that might arise by doing the DDNS?

What does DDNS do, make the local IP accessible from outside my house reducing barriers to logging on? I know a bit of tech but not that much so just trying to clear it up.

So P2P is User>NVR>Server>Phone
DDNS would be User>NVR>Phone?

I do need the notifications.

I am also talking about this issue being at home by the way, I am aware that if outside that I can have issues connecting depending on my phone signal. All cabling is Cat 6 and running 1gb up 1gb down internet.

 

[JB1970]

Thank you for your reply. Are there any security issues that might arise by doing the DDNS?

What does DDNS do, make the local IP accessible from outside my house reducing barriers to logging on? I know a bit of tech but not that much so just trying to clear it up.

So P2P is User>NVR>Server>Phone
DDNS would be User>NVR>Phone?

I do need the notifications.

I am also talking about this issue being at home by the way, I am aware that if outside that I can have issues connecting depending on my phone signal. All cabling is Cat 6 and running 1gb up 1gb down internet.

Opening any port on a network is considered a potential security risk. That said you need to balance security against convenience. The only secure way to access your system remotely would be to use a VPN. You would then connect to that VPN and access your system directly using its internal address while away from home. You would however not get notifications (as connection to the Hik-Connect server is a requirement for that) Also, using a VPN adds network overhead, as the data to and from your NVR/device needs to be encrypted/decrypted.

Think of it this way:

Connection by IP/Domain using port forwarding. Phone to internet (only when outside your own network) to NVR. I describe that (incorrectly) as direct. (It’s not as your connection bounces through multiple routers) You’re reliant on nothing other than mobile data and a working internet connection at home. However…..no push notifications. If you’ve got a connection at each end, it just works)

P2P. NVR to Hik-Connect (the NVR establishes a connection to the server using random ports and the Hik-Connect server now has a known IP and ports to where your NVR is) Your phone app is logged in to the server and so the server can manage the connection between the two.

Hik DDNS. Somewhere in between. You’re still connecting the app to Hik-Connect and your NVR to Hik- Connect. However you’ve port forwarding in place, the app knows which IP and ports to use and can access the NVR using the admin user and password. Once th initial connection is made, the app is connecting directly through those ports. That eliminates the 5 minute live view timeout that Hik-Connect enforces.

Edit: I just noticed this

I am also talking about this issue being at home by the way

So even though your home, using Hik-Connect P2P or DDNS your connection is going outside of your home network. Just add your system via its local IP as well, then when you want to view playback the cameras at home, you can use that connection (though you would manually select the camera for viewing rather than clicking on the notification's live view or playback links.

Ensure that you're using a static local IP address on your NVR rather than DHCP. Also be sure that you manually configure the NVR DNS servers to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. If left to auto, DNS will go first to your router and then use your ISPs nominated servers which is known to be a potential cause of Hik-Connect issues.

 

[Ultra4]

@JB1970 still haven't got round to trying this, need to though. If this fails to speed it up, would you suggest moving to blue iris/faster nvr?

 

[JB1970]

@JB1970 still haven't got round to trying this, need to though. If this fails to speed it up, would you suggest moving to blue iris/faster nvr?

To be honest, although I've made that suggestion it really shouldn't be necessary. What is your setup?

• NVR model and firmware version
• Camera models and firmware versions
• Are the cameras connected directly to PoE on the NVR or elsewhere on the network
• How is the NVR connected to your network - direct cable to router, Powerline, WiFi
• Network setup - single router provided by your internet provider or your own. If the latter, how is it connected to the ISPs router
• What have you used for the DNS settings in the NVR

Something must be amiss in the setup to see these problems. My M series NVR has 10 cameras on, 6 of which are 4K and I don't see any delay in using Hik-Connect. I just have mine set up as standard with no DDNS configured in the app. I do see some lag on a family members K series on a couple of very old model cameras - they seem to take a lot longer to load.