Add cameras

In Configure > Devices, select Add device and the Network camera type: Connect, Identify, Configure, Finish. Have its address and camera account ready.

Find cameras on the network

First, Scan network sends ONVIF WS-Discovery probes through the Site Node’s local interfaces. Responding devices show their reported names or ONVIF device. Use copies an address into the form.

Missing camera? In Scan one interface, enter the IPv4 address of the Site Node interface on its network. Multicast discovery normally cannot cross routers; add other-subnet cameras by address.

Connect

1. Camera address: IP address or host name. HTTPS is tried first; prefix https:// or http:// to require it. Specify only nondefault ports.
2. Connection method: defaults to ONVIF. Alternatively, choose Axis camera (VAPIX), Hikvision HTTP (ISAPI) or Dahua HTTP for those brands. No fallback to another method.
3. Check RTSP port (default 554) and ONVIF’s ONVIF device service path (default /onvif/device_service).
4. User name and Password: camera credentials; use its ONVIF account for ONVIF.
5. Site Node: choose the recording node, if multiple. This cannot change after addition.
6. Select Connect.

Discover and configure

Discovery reads reported video channels and qualities, audio, alarm inputs and relay outputs without changing the camera.

Under Check what was found:

• Enter Camera name; defaults to model name.
• In Configure video, select channels; NVRs and encoders support adding up to 64 channels.
• Choose each channel’s Default live quality and Recording quality. Live view adapts between available qualities; recording uses your selection.

Select Add camera: Finishing setup becomes Configured after Site Node confirmation.

Manage cameras

Select a camera to open its tabs: Overview, Video, Audio, PTZ, Image, Time, Network, Recording, Inputs & events, Analytics. Unsupported Audio, Image, Time, Network tabs hide; PTZ requires a confirmed PTZ channel, Recording requires permission. Header actions:

• Rename: change camera name.
• Update connection: change address or credentials; the old connection remains until confirmation.
• More > Replace camera: replace hardware at its saved address, mapping existing channels to new ones. Recordings, history and relationships remain; PTZ, analytics and input and output settings do not.
• More > Turn off: stop until reenabled.
• More > Remove camera: stop live video and future recording; retain video history and audits.

Show removed cameras reveals removed cameras.

Change video channels

Video > Change channels rereads all reported channels using saved credentials. Changes require Site Node confirmation; no need to re-add the camera.

• New channels initially do not record; enable in Recording.
• Removal first lists affected rules, maps, views and relationships. Live video and new recording stop; existing recordings follow normal retention unless you choose deletion.
• Removed channels lists removals and deletion status on this tab.

HTTPS cameras

For HTTPS cameras, Overview > Technical details shows transport trust mode and presented certificate’s SHA-256 fingerprint.

Camera analytics

Analytics configures detection running on cameras: VMS writes and reads rules through camera interfaces, without camera web sign-in. Available detectors depend on connection:

• Axis camera (VAPIX): AXIS Video Motion Detection, AXIS Object Analytics line crossing and intrusion zone, camera tampering, and video loss.
• Hikvision HTTP (ISAPI) and Dahua HTTP: motion, line crossing, zone intrusion, tampering, and video loss.
• ONVIF: on HeroSpeed cameras only, motion and video tampering.

Hikvision or Dahua SDK connections have no analytics.

VMS never imports a rule it did not create. AXIS Object Analytics scenarios and Dahua IVS rules coexist with camera rules, prefixed "Kalytera-". Single built-in detectors are overwritten: Hikvision motion, line crossing, zone intrusion, tamper and video loss; Dahua motion, tamper and video loss. Previous settings remain for Roll back.

Add rule > Create draft changes nothing on the camera. Apply to camera writes; Read back checks stored settings; Roll back undoes the applied revision. No delete button: clear Rule enabled, Save draft, then apply again. Only removing the channel removes rules.

Camera triggers, including tamper and video loss, show Pending hardware qualification and cannot be selected until qualified. For an unconfirmed condition (covered lens or video loss after reconnection), VMS reports that condition as unknown until reported again, never stale state as current.

Other devices

Reported alarm inputs and relay outputs accompany cameras. Add device also offers Shelly device (relays, dimmers and sensors), Network switch, and Speaker or siren (Axis speakers, strobe speakers and sirens).