Halfway through my ACTi system build and need setup info

[kindofsudden 0]

One camera came in (D42) and another is backordered (E42). All lines are run. Have it hooked up like this:

 

camera -> PoE switch -> router

 

Also have PoE switch -> laptop (NVR)

 

Can see the camera view on the laptop, no problem. Using the ACTi software, how do I set everything up so that I can see via Android device, and have notifications sent? I'm seeing the need for IP addresses, DNS numbers, etc. The included manual with the ACTi camera is NOT informative. I am computer savvy but not network savvy.

 

Thanks ahead of time, I am almost there!

[buellwinkle 0]

Are you using ACTi NVR3 software? If so, ACTi has a free Android app to view the cameras. First try it in your own network using WiFi on your Android device. When that works, you can advance to a WAN connection.

[kindofsudden 0]

I am NOT using that.

 

Do I install the Server software on my laptop and then the Workstation software on any remote computers I want to use? Is that how that works?

[buellwinkle 0]

You are not using it because you don't want to, or just didn't know?

 

Anyway, I'll assume the latter, correct me if I'm wrong. You download the software from their website, acti.com, click Products on top menu bar, click "Video Management System" on the left and on the right, select NVR 3.0. You install it on a PC you want to be the server, pretty low CPU requirements, may have used 2-3% on my first gen i3.

 

Then you have it find your cameras, set them up as you wish. This is all browser based. If you run the official client, it's the same as the browser version, so I would not install the workstation anywhere, just use Internet Explorer from anywhere. I was using it when traveling in other countries. The only downside is it has to be IE so on my MacBook I travel with I had to run Windows.

 

By default, it's set to record 24/7, so you may want to change that to record only on motion detect.

 

To access the NVR software outside your home, you need to do some port forwarding on your router. You need to port forward port 80 and video port 6002 and possibly the control port 6001, don't remember. Then you can use a web browser or the smartphone apps.

 

You can port forward individual cameras, but it's way easier to see all your cameras on one display through the web browser on your Android device and tap one to see it full screen.

[kindofsudden 0]

Sorry for the delayed response. Pneumonia nearly killed me. Now that I'm back up, I need to get this done!

 

Before the plague besieged me, I downloaded NVR 3 which gave me Workstation and also Administrator Tool. I'm having problems with Server IP and Server Port settings. Not sure what goes where.

 

I got the ACTi app and I CAN see both cameras at this point when on the WiFi. Just seem stuck trying to get beyond that point. I feel like I need to get the NVR software going locally before I venture out onto the WAN. Let me know if I'm thinking about all this correctly.