DVR Remote Access

[91lsman 0]

Ok, we have a Clover COM22168 at work (small bussiness). We are trying to access it remotly using the DVRMaster Software that came with it.

 

We are on Qwest DSL with the Actiontec PK5000 Modem/Router.

 

I spent 1-2 hours with Clover's tech support and they could not figure out why it was not working. He said it's acting like it going to work and then doesn't. He had me do things to the router and DVR and nothing worked.

 

At one point he said it could be the CAT5 cable. Another cable has been tested with the same result.

 

I've never done this before and it's pretty frustrating.

 

I know you'll want to know what I've done and basically messed with the IP on the DVR, per the tech instruction and tried to change options on the router. Again, he said it was acting like it was going to work. He said bandwidth could be an issue. What's the slowest internet speed you can have and still have this work?

 

(And yes, I've seen other threads about this)

[Zedrick 0]

What port(s) is it on, and are you sure that port is open/mapped to the unit in your router?

[91lsman 0]

The port is 5800.

 

This is what the tech had me do:

 

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y175/91LSMAN/?action=view&current=Port.jpg

 

 

Any assistance provided would be greatly appreciated

[91lsman 0]

Update:

 

The DVR was defective. We got another one and I can access the DVR from a computer that is on the same network. (At work).

 

But using DVR Master, the IP, and Port number, I can't access it from home.

 

Please advise ASAP

[rory 0]

Make sure you are not being given a shared IP by the ISP, as some DSL ISPs do.

Once you know it is not a shared IP, then test it here:

http://www.websitepulse.com/help/gadgets.server-test.html

[91lsman 0]

I am not sure about the IP.

 

The OLD DVR would not pickup anything when the DVR network settings were set to dynamic, so they kept having me set it on static.

 

The NEW DVR picked up the settings in Dynamic, so I left it there, typed in the IP and Port on the DVR Master software and it worked at work, but again, not at home. It's probably something simple, but after dealing with this as much as I have in the past few days, I think I'm just confused.

[rory 0]

See if you can open the router up for remote access, then try to access that.

Then will at least know if the IP is working.

Also the IP will change if you dont have a static IP from the ISP, so might want to try and create a DDNS name at something like DynDns.com.

[91lsman 0]

Would it work if I changed the DVR to static and used the numbers the tech. gave me when he was trying to make the defective one work?

 

If I have the IP address can I do the DynDns.com thing from home?

 

Please be specific and act like you are talking to a child. LOL

[rory 0]

First please have a look at this thread if you havent already:

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=3287

 

Your IP range from the screenshot is 192.168.0.0 - 192.168.0.255

So make the DVR a static IP with something like:

 

IP = 192.168.0.200

Subnet = 255.255.255.0

Gateway = 192.168.0.1 (IP of the router)

 

You should not need any DNS but if you do:

DNS1 = 192.168.0.1

 

NOTE: The local DHCP range is different and should be 192.168.0.100-192.168.0.150 .. but that can differe from one to the next, however 50 DHCP users seems to be the most common. Although I have not come across any yet, some routers dont let you port forward to an IP outside of the DHCP range, so you may have to make the DVR 192.168.0.150 for example, or anything from .100-150, but your other local computers may already have a .100, or .101 etc and then there would be a conflict, so just stay above the number of computers you may ever have connected there.

 

Try to connect to that on the local network.

Once connection is successful locally then Port Forward to that IP and the port.

 

I would go ahead and also setup the router for remote access, change the password if it is set to default, it should ask you to anyway.

 

Next, get your public IP assigned to you by the ISP.

 

Goto this link and test it to see if one can connect to that IP and Port from outside the local network:

http://www.websitepulse.com/help/gadgets.server-test.html

Enter the IP from the ISP, and the Port of the DVR, it will say OK in the results if it connected okay.

If it does not connect okay, then try the router instead, same link above, refresh, and enter the Ip and the router's port, sometimes it is 8080 but it would say where you setup it's remote access. Testing the router is just to verify it is not a port forwarding issue.

 

Sometimes the ISP blocks certain ports, 8080 could be one of them so if you cant connect to the router setup a different port in the router for remote access and try that instead. Its unlikely they are blocking port 5800 but change that in the DVR as well if you can, then port forward to the new port and try that again.

 

If you still cant connect from outside then you should not even bother going any further below. At that point you should contact your ISP and find out what is up. While you are talking to them, ask them if you can get a Static IP - if you dont have a static IP your ISP assigned IP (DHCP) will change frequently. A Static IP would be better than the DDNS anyway, as ive encountered a few recent downtimes from the free DDNS servers, one which lasted as long as a couple days. When they go down you may not be able to access the DVR, as the DDNS redirects you to the updated IP assigned by your ISP to your account, and if the ISP assigned IP has changed during the downtime then you wont connect.

 

Once you know you can connect from outside the local network, then unless you have a static IP from the ISP, which it seems you do not, sign up for a free account at DynDns.com. Create a new webservice and choose a name and when it asks what type of service or device it is, select DVR (dont know if this part really matters as its fairly new on their site).

 

Write down your DynDns.com User and Login, and also the name of the DDNS. You will need to then go into the router and look for the DDNS section, enter the user and login for the DynDns option and enter your DDNS name which you created on DynDns.com's website. Click save or apply and then it should say if it updated it or not. If it did then you should be able to use that from now on regardless of the ISP assigning you a new IP.

 

Good luck.

Rory

[91lsman 0]

Thank you for all the information. It gives me some stuff to try when I am at work on Monday. You have been a HUGE help.

[91lsman 0]

Well, I did this:

 

IP = 192.168.0.200

Subnet = 255.255.255.0

Gateway = 192.168.0.1 (IP of the router)

 

And I still cannot connect from home.

[rory 0]

can you connect at the location?

[91lsman 0]

Yes, after I changed the IP address, I changed it on the computer that is on the same network and connected in seconds.

 

Sorry if my posts seem rude. I always post when frustrated. I didn't have time to try anything with the DNS yet.

 

All I did when I was at work was change the IP mode on the DVR to Static, set the IP to what you recomended. (Then I remembered the port forwarding, so I did it again with the IP you suggested.) Then when I got home I tried it with the new IP and it didn't work.

 

Now that I can connect from a computer on the same network, I might try their tech support again to see what they say. I've got the extension of the person I talked to.

 

Thanks again for all the tips.

 

** Is there a reason that when the tech was troubleshooting the original DVR he chose the IP 192.168.0.150?

[rory 0]

It could be anything as long as from 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.255

192.168.0.150 is safe incase the router doesnt allow forwarding outside the router's DHCP range which is typically from 100-150

192.168.0.1 is ofcourse the router's IP. And dont use IPs already assigned to another computer.

I generally just use .200 and above.

[91lsman 0]

I just got off the phone with their technical support. He used remote access and was able to control my DVR and showed me how to use "MNS." He was able to access the camera system and told me what was happening on our job site. Hopefully the same method works for me from home.

 

The fact that he was able to access it shows progress. LOL

 

Should the MNS or "Get Server" work when on the same network? So I have to use one method when on the same network and another when at home? (Or when the Boss is in Arizona. LOL)

[rory 0]

I dont know what MNS is, nor the other. I use telnet myself. But to test to see if you can connect from outside the local network, you need to do the tests from outside the network, or use a service online to do that for you, such as the websitepulse link I posted above, which checks from their location to see if the IP and port is open.

[91lsman 0]

IT WORKS!!

 

I got home and did what the tech said and it worked perfectly. My boss was outside talking to someone and I called his cell and told him I was watching him. LOL

 

The MNS has to do with the fact that we don't have a static IP and it goes through their (Clover's) server first. That way if the IP changes, it doesn't matter.

 

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP!!

[rory 0]

Thats normally the DDNS

 

Glad it works