Understanding POE ports on a Dahua 3208P

[tdenson 0]

I have read the Dahua user manual but don't understand how the POE ports on my Dahua work. I have plugged the 48V PSU in appropriately, and connected a POE camera to one of the ports. It works but it appears twice in my camera list and I get duplicate preview windows. One of the entries I can't delete, and if I delete the other entry both disappear.

However, in the remote devices section of the firmware it lists my camera with a port number of "Port 1" rather than a numerical value. Also it has an ip address of 10.1.1.128 when my main network is 192.168.1.x. If I try and change it through network setting/switch I get an error "switch and device shall not be in the same network segment".

Can someone please explain to me what is going on here ?

[buellwinkle 0]

I personally would refuse to buy an NVR with PoE built-in. The problem with the Dahua and Hikvision NVR's with this feature is that they have sort of a router built in. It assigns IP addresses in it's own subnet that's not accessible outside the NVR. The Ethernet connection on the NVR that goes to your home network is separate and the two can't communicate.

 

If you want to communicate with the camera temporarily, you have to unplug it from the NVR, plug it into your home network with a PoE device, change the IP back to your home subnet using their management software, do what you want. Then change it back to the exact NVR IP address (same one or it will think it's a new camera like you experienced).

 

Some people have connected one of the PoE ports to their home network to link the two up, but then you lose a port and it becomes more work than it may be worth.

 

My advice is if you want to access the cameras individually through other software or browser, then you not use the camera ports on the NVR and buy a PoE switch and configure them as you like and add them to the NVR manually.

[tdenson 0]

I personally would refuse to buy an NVR with PoE built-in. The problem with the Dahua and Hikvision NVR's with this feature is that they have sort of a router built in. It assigns IP addresses in it's own subnet that's not accessible outside the NVR. The Ethernet connection on the NVR that goes to your home network is separate and the two can't communicate.

 

If you want to communicate with the camera temporarily, you have to unplug it from the NVR, plug it into your home network with a PoE device, change the IP back to your home subnet using their management software, do what you want. Then change it back to the exact NVR IP address (same one or it will think it's a new camera like you experienced).

 

Some people have connected one of the PoE ports to their home network to link the two up, but then you lose a port and it becomes more work than it may be worth.

 

My advice is if you want to access the cameras individually through other software or browser, then you not use the camera ports on the NVR and buy a PoE switch and configure them as you like and add them to the NVR manually.

 

Thanks. Yes, I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that where I want a POE camera, I will either use a POE injector, or just use passive converters where the cable run is not too long.

[shockwave199 0]

If you bought a poe nvr it should at least work. Before I would just consider the extra cost for it a loss and switch to a poe switch, I'd at least try to get the built in poe to work. If you haven't gotten too far in customizing the nvr, I'd default it back to factory settings, or at least default the network section of the nvr and try again. You should not be getting duplicates. If you can't get it, work through it with customer service where you bought it. If it's a problem that can't be fixed, send it back for a refund, exchange, or whatever. You paid more money for an nvr with built in poe- you should have a working nvr that provides that. And while I agree that for some a poe switch is the way to go, for others the built in poe makes things easier to get up and running. And you can hit the cameras web interface with built in poe, but it is a bit convoluted to do it. But one thing I wouldn't do in your situation is just accept a problem with the nvr poe. You paid for that. You could have spent less on an nvr without poe and put that extra money towards a poe switch in the first place. So, solve the issue first and then see what the next step is. At least, that's what I would do. Good luck.

[tdenson 0]

If you bought a poe nvr it should at least work. Before I would just consider the extra cost for it a loss and switch to a poe switch, I'd at least try to get the built in poe to work. If you haven't gotten too far in customizing the nvr, I'd default it back to factory settings, or at least default the network section of the nvr and try again. You should not be getting duplicates. If you can't get it, work through it with customer service where you bought it. If it's a problem that can't be fixed, send it back for a refund, exchange, or whatever. You paid more money for an nvr with built in poe- you should have a working nvr that provides that. And while I agree that for some a poe switch is the way to go, for others the built in poe makes things easier to get up and running. And you can hit the cameras web interface with built in poe, but it is a bit convoluted to do it. But one thing I wouldn't do in your situation is just accept a problem with the nvr poe. You paid for that. You could have spent less on an nvr without poe and put that extra money towards a poe switch in the first place. So, solve the issue first and then see what the next step is. At least, that's what I would do. Good luck.

 

I didn't specifically pay extra because I wanted POE, it just happened that the one I chose to buy had POE (from the models available in the UK). The more I think about it the more I think that ad hoc POE switches are more convenient in that I don't have to run the wiring all the way back to the NVR.

At the end of the day life is too short and it would be too much hassle to take it up with my supplier.