Nubie needs help setting up zoneminder

[hobson42]

Help! I am trying to set up Zoneminder and need some help.

The setup:
Ubuntu 22.04 server, running as a VM under Proxmox. 2GB RAM and 2 cores.
Zoneminder v1.36.33
I have a POE switch (https://th.aliexpress.com/item/10050061 ... pt=glo2tha) with a "LAN" port cat5 cabeled to a port on my router/wifi access point.

I have 4 cameras.

2 are POE cameras, the 4MP version of this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000611 ... 1802jApYiB These are connected by cat6 cable to the POE switch, and get warm (so power is being delivered). The lan lights flash slowly.

My router reports under Local Networks, Status, WLAN Client Status, that something is on IP 192.168.50.225 and 192.168.50.224, but these are unreachable! I don't know why or how these IP were issued, but they survive a reboot.

I have set up fixed IP addresses in DHCP, using the MAC addresses of both POE cameras, but these are being ignored.

If I connect my lap top to the POE switch, I can reach it from my desk top, and v.v. but the laptop is within 192.168.1.0/24 range.

First issue, is how to assign IPs from the 192.168.1.0/24 range to the two POE cameras.

One WIFI camera is one of these: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004 ... 1802jApYiB This is WIFI-1 on 192.168.1.130, and gives the following errors when connected.

Unable to open input 192.168.1.130 due to: No such file or directory
Failed to prime capture of initial monitor

The 4th is another 4mp wifi camera: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006 ... 1802jApYiB This has been give the IP 192.168.1.131, and the name WIFI-2.
This is Not Capturing, but is also failing to produce any error messages in the log.

So my second issue is how can I connect these four cameras/monitors to zone manager so video is recorded.

All helpful ideas gratefully received.

Ian

[dougmccrary]

First issue, is how to assign IPs from the 192.168.1.0/24 range to the two POE cameras.

Hook them up directly to a machine and set it to the camera's range. There should be a setup page where you can set it to 192.168.1.xxx
Alsoto set either get dhcp or fixed address of your choice.

[hobson42]

Got back to the job! Now the iCSee software on my phone sees three cameras (there are 4) but when I add the one with an IP in my range, I get a time out and an error message - your password is too simple. It must be 8-64 characters long and contain letters and numbers. I used a password with 1 capital letter, 9 lower case letters and 2 digits. I thought this would be OK bur it isn't. I get the message again.

Attempting to add either of the other two cameras results in the error popup "Error content Network exception".

So how can I make progress?

Ian

[dougmccrary]

OK. iCsee -
If you're following the wired add camera, you should see them all. if not, try a hard reset on any that aren't found.
Unfortunately, to get into the camera settings, you need to use an old browser or you can use Edge in IE mode.
But using the app after a reset will (normally) have put the camera in dhcp and give an IP you can use.
On the bright side, you get the MAC address in their scanner so you assign an address in your router, if you want.

[hobson42]

Still fighting to get any camera to work.
I have all 4 camera's IP addresses, and have added them to Zoneminder, However, none is recording.
Worse, when I edit the cameras fields in Zoneminder I always get the error "Failed to construct 'URL': Invalid URL"

So how can I proceed?

What I have checked. The router reports the IP addresses, so they are correct and reachable.
I chose 640*480 , and "record" action.

[mikb]

I always get the error "Failed to construct 'URL': Invalid URL"

Post a screenshot of exactly what you have in the various boxes for the camera's setup. If you need to redact a password or something, try not to take out TOO much info

It's possible that ZM is trying to assemble the information you're providing (in good faith) and ending up with a nonsense URL, e.g.

Protocol: http
Camera IP: 192.168.0.1
Source path: https://192.168.0.1/something/video.cgi

Which then is assembled into a nonsense like http://192.168.0.1/https://192.168.0.1/ ... .video.cgi ... because of over-filling-in the boxes.

[hobson42]

Hi mikb,

Here are images from the first 3 screens. Hope they are small enough to post. The other screens are all default values.

Regards
Ian

[mikb]

Source path seems to only contain an IP address. That may be the problem.

Question for anyone reading this ... does that "source path" need more flesh on the bones, something more like

Code: Select all

http://192.168.1.180/main.html?first=0

If you look at examples for source path for e.g. Hikivision cameras, they all have more to them, to guide ZM to the actual URL where video is available. Not just the camera's home page/default.

https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Hikvision

More tips here.

https://wiki.zoneminder.com/Finding_Camera_Stream_Paths

[dougmccrary]

Caveat: this applies to iCsee WiFi/wired cameras that I have. At the least the username/password is required for mine, but maybe not on poe.

rtsp://192.168.1.219/user=admin_password=[password]_channel=0_stream=1.sdp?real_stream

Mine work with method TCP or UDP. The username is not changeable, although you can ADD users, you can't delete admin.
They are non-ptz, so nothing for you on that, although I don't think the ONVIF_URL is rstp. Probably ought to leave that blank until you have a sream from the camera.

HTH