How to connect IP camera to network?

To connect the IP camera to your network, you need to plug one end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet socket of the IP camera, and the other end into a free port on your router. If you are using a PoE (Power over Ethernet) IP camera, you can use a single cable to provide both power and data to the camera.

Why is my IP camera not showing up on my network?

There could be several reasons why your IP camera isn't connecting to WiFi. Common issues include incorrect WiFi router placement and WiFi settings, signal interference, outdated firmware, compatibility problems , etc.

How do I access my IP camera from another network?

On a different PC (one that's not connected to the same network as your camera), you can view your camera by opening the web browser, typing http://(IP address):(Camera port number) and pressing Enter . For this example, the address would be http://183.38.7.205:3333.

What is the default IP address for an IP camera?

The IP address of a network camera is a private IP. The most common range is 192.168. 0.0 - 192.168. 255.255 , followed by 10.0.

Can I connect IP camera directly to router?

Connect Wireless IP Camera to PC via Router Plug the camera into the power adapter to charge it. Connect the Wi-Fi camera to the router using a network cable for setup. Once the correct Wi-Fi settings are configured, disconnect the cable from the camera and the router.

How to check if an IP camera is working or not?

Check the lights on the PoE-switch and IP-camera . If PoE-light goes on at the connected port at the PoE-switch, the PSU-chip at the IP-camera is working at some level. If you cannot see any lights at the IP-camera or on the PoE-switch, try a new patch-cable.

Should IP cameras be on a separate network?

Consider putting your cameras on a separate network from other devices, like your computer or printer . That way, if someone hacks into your computer or gets onto your main network, they wouldn't also have easy access to your cameras.

Do IP cameras have their own IP address?

Unlike an ordinary webcam it is a standalone unit with its own IP address that requires nothing more than a network connection in order to transfer images.

Can I use any IP camera with any NVR?

You need the right PTZ IP camera for it to work with NVR . Most modern cameras will work with NVR, and the main thing to look for is if the NVR supports Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). Many experts recommend purchasing an NVR and IP camera from the same manufacturer for ease of support.

Do IP cameras need internet to work?

Though IP is an abbreviation for Internet Protocol, an IP camera system will work perfectly fine without an internet connection . You can view the cameras, record to a hard drive, and search through recorded footage using just a monitor and a mouse plugged directly into the NVR.

Do IP cameras need an IP address?

An IP camera is a type of digital video camera that sends and receives data through the Internet. And each camera needs a unique IP camera address , so that you can find it, view it, and manage it on the Internet. And generally, there are two ways for the CCTV cameras to get their IP addresses on the local network.

Can IP cameras work without internet?

Put simply, yes, IP security cameras can provide functionality at a base level and offer limited features without any internet .

How to configure an IP camera on the network (2024)

As easy as a plug and play PoE IP security camera system can be there are other ways to set up a security camera system on a network. However, someone might want to set up only one camera on their network, or have a stubborn camera that is causing issues. This article aims to assist those who are having issues with setting up a system, or want to learn more about configuring a single IP camera on a network.

We've broken down the process in to easy to follow steps:

Who is this article for?
Requirements to follow this article
If you don't like to read, you can watch the video here
Determining the network scheme
Configure the camera for the network
Further Reading

Who is this article for?

As we mentioned in the introduction this article is really for two types of people who are trying to do either of the following:

People who bought an IP camera for viewing in a web browser, for standalone recording, or for streaming to the web
People who bought an IP camera system and need to troubleshoot or configure IP cameras to their network scheme

Requirements to follow this article

IP Camera from CCTV Camera World - Our IP cameras are shipped with a preconfigured IP address, username and password. This information is found on a label that is attached to the top or side of the IP camera’s box. Do not throw away the box or remove the label.
Provide power to the camera - A camera can be powered using any one of three ways:

PoE Injector - Use two cables - One to provide power and data, the other to connect to a network
PoE Switch - Connect and power multiple cameras - Use the uplink port and Ethernet cables to connect cameras to a network router
12VDC Power Adapter - Connect the adapter to the wall and connect the power connector to the camera - Use an Ethernet cable to connect to a network router

An Ethernet cable - CAT5e or CAT6 are what we recommend - the cable is used to connect the IP camera to a network.
A Windows Computer to follow our guide and view the camera from a web browser

If you don't like reading watch the video below.

Determining the scheme and configuration of the network

The default IP address set on our cameras from the factory is 192.168.1.109. If the network a person is trying to connect a camera to is not 192.168.1.xxx compatible then the camera cannot communicate on that network. This article does not intend to teach someone about what an IP address is, or how to do advanced networking; it is a step by step guide to setting a camera up on a network.

Use a Command Prompt with the Ipconfig command

The easiest way to find out the IP address scheme of a network is by using the Command Prompt program. Command Prompt is included in all Windows PCs. There are many different ways to access the Command Prompt program and find out the IP address scheme but the easiest method for novice users is listed below.

Click the Windows icon or windows button on the keyboard
Type “Command Prompt” or “cmd” into the search bar
Click the program on the list
Clicking the program should open a console with a blinking cursor
Type “ipconfig” and press enter into the software
The network scheme will be printed out inside of the console
Write down or note the IP address scheme - if it is 192.168.1.xxx then a user can easily access the IP camera using the 192.168.1.109 address already and should move onto our other guides

Here is an example output of the ipconfig command from a computer in our office network.

Login to the camera and configure it for the network

This is the most difficult section for anyone who is not an IT person or has very good computer skills. Below is a step-wise overview of what to do but to get a better idea check out the video in the article that covers the process from the beginning to end.

1. Change the network settings on the PC to a 192.168.1.xxx scheme

The first step to the process is to change the PC network settings to a 192.168.1.xxx network address temporarily. This step allows a user to access the IP camera to change it’s IP address to a compatible IP address for their main network. The main network is the network scheme that was found by using the Command Prompt.

1a) Right click the network connection icon for your Windows 10 PC

2. Login to the camera and configure it for the main network scheme

Now that the computer is set up to communicate with the camera on the 192.168.1.1 network the user must access the camera using Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer will be the easiest way to access a camera without running into plugin errors or other compatibility issues with newer browsers. Some newer cameras do support live viewing from Chrome, Firefox, and Edge but Internet Explorer should be used for configuration purposes.

2a. Open Internet Explorer by using the Windows 10 PC Start menu. Type IE or Internet Explorer into the Windows search bar if you can’t find it.

2b. Type the IP address of the camera into the address bar of Internet Explorer. The IP address should be 192.168.1.109 if it is the factory default.

2c. Press enter to direct the browser to the cameras web interface

2d. Login to the camera using the default username and password. This information is also found on the label for the camera’s box.

2e. Navigate to the IP/TCP Network settings by clicking the “Setting” tab on the top and using the navigation bar on the left hand side. Click Network, and then TCP/IP if you’re unsure how to use the interface.

2d. Set the camera to an IP address that is open on the main network. This means that if the main network is 192.168.2.xxx then the address will need to match that scheme. For example you can set the camera to 192.168.2.109. For Comcast customers this may often be a 10.0.0.xxx address or an example 10.0.0.109.

2e. Set the Subnet mask to 255.255.255.0

2f. Set the Gateway to the main network routers IP address. This is usually the .1 IP address. For example 192.168.2.1 or 10.1.1.1. However it can be different depending on the manufacturer of the router.

2f. Click “Save”. The camera should say if the changes were saved successfully, or if there is any error with the settings.

3. Change the computer network settings back to default

Repeat the same process to get back to the internet settings on the computer. If you’re unsure feel free to scroll back to section one and repeat the steps. Only this time change the IP address settings back to “Automatically Obtain an IP Address”.

Confirm that the computer now has internet or network access on the main network. Try to access the camera using Internet Explorer and the address that was just set on the camera.

If the computer can now access the IP camera on the main network then you can move onto using the camera for its intended purpose. Review the links in the section below to check out our great articles

To add the camera to an NVR over the network use the Camera Registration screen on the NVR. Search the network for the camera and click the “Add” button. Or add a manual entry using the username, password and IP address that was set on the camera.

Note: If the computer is a part of a corporate network you may want to consult with your IT department to what IP address your computer should be set back to if it was not noted before changing the setting.