TABLE OF CONTENTS
ADDRESS CHECKLIST 3
INTRODUCTION 4
WHAT IS PORT FORWARDING? 4
PROCEDURE OVERVIEW 5
PHYSICAL CONNECTION 6
FIND YOUR ROUTER’S LOCAL NETWORK IP ADDRESS 7
6.1 – Windows XP
6.2 – Windows Vista / Windows 7
7 8
FIND YOUR ROUTER’S INTERNET IP ADDRESS 9
DEVICE SETUP 10
8.1 – Static Address Configuration 8.2 – IP Address Syntax
10 11
PORTS 12
9.1 – HTTP / Web Port 9.2 – Mobile Port
12 12
PERFORM A PING TEST 13
10.1 – Windows XP
10.2 – Windows Vista / Windows 7
13 14
CONNECT TO YOUR DEVICE VIA INTERNET EXPLORER 15
LOG IN TO YOUR ROUTER 16
PORT FORWARDING 17
13.1 – Create Rules
13.2 – Apply Rules To Your Device 13.3 – Combined Configuration
17 19 20
ADDRESS CHECKLIST
At various points in this guide you will be asked to note down IP addressing information. Write it down in the spaces provided below, and use this list to refer to when you need the information.
ROUTER
LAN IP Address:
WAN IP Address:
DVR / IP CAMERA IP Address:
Subnet Mask:
Gateway:
DNS Server:
HTTP / Web Port:
Mobile Port:
Other Port(s)*:
* These can include media ports, video ports, and any other ports you see referenced in your device’s menu.
NOTE
For the DVR / IP Camera, the “Gateway” and “DNS Server” addresses should be exactly the same as your router’s LAN IP address, otherwise the device will not be able to access the Internet.TIP
Common port numbers used on Storage Options CCTV DVRs are 34567, 9000 and 3356 – 3360.INTRODUCTION
At Storage Options we want to make setting up remote access to your CCTV DVR or IP Camera as quick and painless as possible. This document will guide you through the basics of local network configuration, accessing your router, port forwarding, and remote device (e.g. smart phone) setup.
While we cannot provide technical support for all routers (as each manufacturer’s version varies), this guide will give you hints to get you going.
You will learn how to:
Configure your DVR / IP Camera correctly for use on your local network
Forward applicable network ports on your router
Configure your smart phone for remote access
WHAT IS PORT FORWARDING?
Port forwarding is a task performed by your Internet router which allows remote access (e.g. from a smart phone) to a specific device on your local network, in this case your Storage Options CCTV DVR or IP Camera.
When a remote access request is made to your router’s Internet (WAN) IP address, the router needs to know what to do with this traffic. A port forwarding rule tells the router to allow the traffic through its firewall and where to send it on your private local network.
Some devices only need one port configuring to work remotely. Other devices provide different services on multiple ports, so they need multiple port forwarding rules; one for each service.
Please refer to this table for a list of example ports commonly used on Storage Options products:
PROCEDURE OVERVIEW
This flow chart provides an overview of the remote access configuration process:
The number at the bottom right of each box refers to a page in this guide.
TIP
Refer back to this flow chart at any stage of the setup process to see what to do next.PHYSICAL CONNECTION
Before you can configure any of your network equipment, please make sure it is all physically connected correctly.
Make sure you have connected the devices on your network together using Ethernet cable:
Connect the DVR / IP Camera to one of your router’s LAN ports
Connect your computer / laptop to another one your router’s LAN ports
Double check you already have Internet access from your computer / laptop
While it is technically possible to connect the DVR / IP Camera directly to your computer or laptop, doing so requires advanced networking knowledge and as such, will not be covered in this guide.
Connect your devices as in the diagram above. If you are currently using a desktop or laptop with wireless connectivity, please switch your wireless adapter off while following this guide, and connect it to your router using an Ethernet cable. Once setup is complete, you can remove the cable and resume use of wireless connectivity.
NOTE
Please do not overlook this stage of the setup process. It is important that all of your network devices are connected with Ethernet cables while following this guide.FIND YOUR ROUTER’S LOCAL NETWORK IP ADDRESS
Before you can log in to your router to check or change port forwarding configuration, you need to know its address on your network. The quickest way to do this is to use a program called “IPCONFIG”, which is built into Windows.
6.1 – WINDOWS XP
1. Click “Start”, then “Run...” to display the “Run” dialog box. In the “Run” dialog box type cmd and click OK.
2. A command prompt will open. Type ipconfig /all and press Enter.
3. Find the value for “Default Gateway” and note it down in the “LAN IP Address” box on page 3.
For example, it could be “192.168.1.1”.
4. You can now close the command prompt window. Type exit and press Enter, or click the cross at the top right of the window.
6.2 – WINDOWS VISTA / WINDOWS 7
1. Click “Start”, then in the “Search programs and files” box, type cmd and press Enter.
2. A command prompt will open. Type ipconfig /all and press Enter.
3. Find the value for “Default Gateway” and note it down in the “LAN IP Address” box on page 3.
For example, it could be “192.168.1.1”.
4. You can now close the command prompt window. Type exit and press Enter, or click the cross at the top right of the window.
FIND YOUR ROUTER’S INTERNET IP ADDRESS
Up until now, the IP addresses in use throughout this guide have all started with 192.168.xxx.xxx; these local addresses will only work while you are physically connected to your router (or using wireless) and on your local network.
Your router actually has two IP addresses; one for use on the local network and one to identify it on the Internet.
For remote access, you need to know your Internet (WAN) IP address.
To find your WAN IP address:
1. Open a web browser, visit http://www.google.co.uk/ and do a search for “what is my ip”. At the top of the search results, Google will show your current Internet IP address:
Alternatively, visit one of these websites:
http://www.whatismyip.com/
http://whatismyipaddress.com/
http://www.whatismyip.org/
http://whatsmyip.net/
2. Write down your Internet IP address in the “WAN IP Address” box on page 3.
Once you have finished setting your system up with this guide, you can use your WAN IP address in conjunction with your device’s HTTP (web) port to access it from anywhere in the world using Internet Explorer:
e.g. http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:81
NOTE
Please see section “Dynamic DNS (DDNS) Accounts” (page 22) for information on static versus dynamic Internet (WAN) IP addresses.DEVICE SETUP
Before you can access your DVR or IP Camera remotely, you will need to configure it for local network access. For instructions specific to your product, please see its instruction manual.
NOTE
Remote access using port forwarding requires that your device uses static IP addressing instead of automatically assigned (DHCP) addressing.The easiest way to assign static IP address information is first to set the device to “DHCP” mode so that it automatically receives the correct information from your router, then switch to static mode and use the same addresses.
8.1 – STATIC ADDRESS CONFIGURATION
To set up static IP addressing:
1. Go to your device’s network settings menu.
Example: DVR network setup menu Example: IP Camera network setup menu
2. Under “Type”, select “DHCP”, or tick the checkbox next to “DHCP” (depending on your model). You may need to restart your device for this setting to take effect.
TIP
This option may also be labelled “DHCP Enable”, “Obtain IP from DHCP Server”, or something similar.4. Once you have noted down the above information, switch your device’s networking “Type” to “static”
addressing (or un-tick the “DHCP” setting), then check all the information you wrote down in step 3 still matches. If it does not, please change the settings on the device.
5. Restart your device, then return to the network settings menu and check the static IP address settings once more to make sure they match what was written down in step 3. If not, please change the settings on the device and restart it again.
NOTE
The device must have a network address in the same range as your router. For example, if your router’s IP address is “192.168.1.1” any attached devices must have an IP address starting “192.168.1.xxx”
otherwise they will not be visible on the network.
8.2 – IP ADDRESS SYNTAX
On some systems, IP addresses will be displayed in full:
e.g. 192.168.001.001
Whereas on others, the same IP address could be displayed in short-hand, where preceding zeros are dropped:
e.g. 192.168.1.1
Either of these ways is correct, but please be aware, if for example your IP addresses are on the 192.168.0.xxx range, you cannot shorten this to 192.168.xxx. You must always have four blocks of numbers.
i.e. 192.168.000.001 written in short-hand is 192.168.0.1, not 192.168.1.
PORTS
9.1 – HTTP / WEB PORT
The HTTP port (sometimes referred to as a Web port) is used by web browsers such as Internet Explorer to connect to web pages. All web browsers will use port 80 by default.
Most DVRs and IP Cameras also have their HTTP port set to port 80. Some routers also have their external access interface on port 80. In most cases this is fine, but sometimes it can cause a clash when trying to access the DVR / IP Camera, so we recommend you change the device’s HTTP port to a different number, for example 81 or 82. Refer to your product’s manual for specific instructions on how to change the HTTP (Web) port.
Usually it is just a case of finding the correct menu option and changing the number. You may have to restart your device after changing this setting.
Example: HTTP port setup on a DVR Example: HTTP port setup on an IP Camera
Changing the default HTTP port ensures there won’t be any problems when trying to remotely access your device using Internet Explorer web browser.
When accessing addresses that do not use the default HTTP port, you will need to append the new port number to the end of the address, by typing a colon (“:”) then the port number:
e.g. http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:81
PERFORM A PING TEST
To determine if the settings applied in section “Device Setup” (page 10) are correct, you can perform a “ping” test.
The ping test simply sends a message to the device and asks for a reply. If a valid reply is received, the device is configured correctly.
10.1 – WINDOWS XP
1. Click “Start”, then “Run...” to display the “Run” dialog box. In the “Run” dialog box type cmd and click OK.
2. A command prompt will open. Type ping [device IP address] and press Enter.
For example, if the device’s IP address is “192.168.1.150”, type ping 192.168.1.150 into the prompt.
“0% loss” = Pass “Request timed out” / “Destination host unreachable” / “100% loss” = Fail
3. If the ping tool receives a reply, the device is configured correctly on your network and you can proceed to section “Connect To Your Device Via Internet Explorer” (page 15). If you receive a “Request timed out” or
“Destination host unreachable” message, please refer back to section “Device Setup” (page 10) and carefully follow through each step again.
NOTE
You do not need to append the port number when using the Ping tool.10.2 – WINDOWS VISTA / WINDOWS 7
1. Click “Start”, then in the “Search programs and files” box, type cmd and press Enter.
2. A command prompt will open. Type ping [device IP address] and press Enter.
For example, if the device’s IP address is “192.168.1.150”, type ping 192.168.1.150 into the prompt.
“0% loss” = Pass “Request timed out” / “Destination host unreachable” / “100% loss” = Fail
4. If the ping tool receives a valid reply, the device is configured correctly on your network and you can proceed to section “Connect To Your Device Via Internet Explorer” (page 15).
If you receive a “Request timed out” or “Destination host unreachable” message, your device is not configured correctly. Please refer back to section “Device Setup” (page 10) and carefully follow through each step again.
NOTE
You do not need to append the port number when using the Ping tool.CONNECT TO YOUR DEVICE VIA INTERNET EXPLORER
Once you have verified the device is correctly set up on your local network using the “Ping” tool, you can then access it using your web browser.
NOTE
You must use Microsoft Internet Explorer for accessing our CCTV and IP Camera products.Open Internet Explorer and in the address bar, type the device’s IP address you wrote down on page 3, then press the Return / Enter key.
Type the IP address in this format: http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx where “xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx” is your device’s IP address:
e.g. http://192.168.1.150
If you changed the default HTTP (web) port on your device (as recommended on page 12), you will need to append the port number to the IP address by typing a colon (“:”) then the port number:
e.g. http://192.168.1.150:81
NOTE
Please make sure you are typing the IP into the address bar, NOT a search bar.On most web browsers, the address bar allows you to go directly to a website. In contrast, the search bar allows you to use your favourite search engine (such as Google) to search a term. Using the search bar in this case will NOT work, so please make sure you are using the address bar.
You should be presented with a login page for your device, which will ask for a user name and password. Type these into the boxes. They are likely to be case sensitive: e.g. “admin” is not the same as “Admin”.
TIP
The default user name and password information is listed in your device’s manual.You will be asked to install an ActiveX control. You must allow this otherwise the DVR / IP Camera will not function correctly.
At this point, your CCTV DVR or IP Camera is now working correctly on your local network.
To enable remote access, you will now need to configure port forwarding rules on your router.
LOG IN TO YOUR ROUTER
Now that you have your router’s IP address, you can access its settings page via your Web browser (e.g. Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari).
Open your Web browser and in the address bar, type the router’s local (LAN) IP address you wrote down on page 3, then press the Return / Enter key.
Type the IP address in this format: http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx where “xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx” is your router’s IP address.
e.g. http://192.168.1.1
NOTE
Please make sure you are typing the IP into the address bar, NOT a search bar.On most web browsers, the address bar allows you to go directly to a website. In contrast, the search bar allows you to use your favourite search engine (such as Google) to search a term. Using the search bar in this case will NOT work, so please make sure you are using the address bar.
Microsoft Internet Explorer Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome Apple Safari
You should be presented with a login page for your router. It will ask for a user name and password. Type these into the boxes. They are likely to be case sensitive: e.g. “admin” is not the same as “Admin”.
PORT FORWARDING
Refer to section “What Is Port Forwarding?” (page 4) for an overview of port forwarding. There are many different routers on the market and while each one sticks to this general procedure, they all differ in their terminology and configuration process. There are essentially two stages to configuring a port forwarding rule:
Create the port forwarding rule
Apply the rule to the device’s IP address
Storage Options can only provide an overview of the procedure to configure port forwarding rules. This guide will use a Netgear DG834G router purely as an example of how to set up port forwarding rules. The procedure to set up port forwarding rules on your router may differ.
13.1 – CREATE RULES
Here you need to set up a custom service for each port that you need to forward to your device. For example, if your device needs ports 81, 9000 and 3356 – 3360 forwarding, you will have to set up 3 separate rules, one each for ports 81 and 9000, then another one which covers the port range 3356 – 3360.
TIP
Refer to your router’s manual for more specific instructions, or visit http://www.portforward.com for a step-by-step guide for your router.To create the rules:
1. Log in to your router. See section “Log In To Your Router” (page 16) for instructions on how to do this.
2. Find the “Services” page. This might instead be called “Virtual Servers”, “Game & Application Sharing”, “Port Forwarding”, “Port Mapping” or something similar. All currently configured services will be listed on screen.
4. Add a name, type, start port and finish port for the rule. Refer to the table below for information on how to complete these requirements.
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Name: A custom name for the rule. This can be anything you would like, but we recommend naming your rules CCTV1, CCTV2, CCTV3, etc for ease of use.
Type: Set this to “TCP/UDP”.
Start & Finish Port:
If you are setting up a single port, set both the “Start Port” and “Finish Port” values to the same number.
If you are setting up a port range, input the smallest port in the “Start Port” field and the largest port in the “Finish Port” field.
5. Click the “Apply” button to save this port forwarding rule. You should be returned to the “Services” page and your newly created rule should appear on the list of current rules.
6. Repeat this process for the remaining ports. You must create a port forwarding rule for the HTTP port and for each of the other ports you listed on page 3 of this guide.
13.2 – APPLY RULES TO YOUR DEVICE
Once you have created your port forwarding rules, you need to tell the router what to actually do with the traffic that arrives on these ports. The traffic needs to be passed on to your local network and to your DVR / IP Camera.
To do this, you need to set the rules to forward to the device’s IP address. This is usually on a separate page in your router, but sometimes it is applied at the same time as creating the rule.
TIP
Refer to your router’s manual for more specific instructions, or visit http://www.portforward.com for a step-by-step guide for your router.In this Netgear example, the router uses a two-stage process, so you must continue with the following instructions:
1. Find the “Firewall Rules” page. This might instead be called “Game & Application Sharing” or something similar. All currently configured firewall rules will be listed on screen.
This page is split into two sections; Outbound Services and Inbound Services. Since you want to connect to your DVR / IP Camera from outside your local network, any traffic you send will be inbound to the firewall.
2. Under “Inbound Services”, click “Add”.
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Service: Choose one of the rules you set up in the previous step (i.e. CCTV1, CCTV2, etc).
Action: Set this to “ALLOW always”.
Send to LAN Server: Set this to your DVR / IP Camera’s IP address, as listed on page 3.
WAN Users: Set this to “Any” and leave the “Start” and “Finish” options blank.
Log: Choose whether to log activity that matches this rule – this is a personal preference.
3. Click the “Apply” button to save this firewall rule. You should be returned to the “Firewall Rules” page and your newly created rule should appear in the “Inbound Services” list.
4. Repeat this process for the remaining services that you set up in the previous section.
NOTE
On most routers these rules will work as soon as they are applied, but some may require a reboot before the rules take effect. If you do need to reboot your router, you will need to re-check your WAN IP – refer
SET UP YOUR MOBILE DEVICE
Now that you have correctly set up your DVR / IP Camera on your local network, and configured port forwarding on your router, you should be able to access your device on your smart phone.
NOTE
Instructions for third party mobile phone apps are provided as a convenience only, and Storage Options cannot provide support on their functionality.Download and install the remote viewing application of your choice to your smart phone. Navigate to the settings page. Here is an example of what the settings page might look like:
Device Name:
In this field you can give your device any name you want, to easily recognise it. For example, you might want to call it “DVR”, “CCTV”, or “IPCam”.
Address:
You must input an IP address here, based on this table:
LOCATION PHONE CONNECTIVITY IP ADDRESS TO USE
Local (connected to your home network) Wireless (Wi-Fi) DVR’s LAN IP
Remote (away from your home network) 3G Router’s WAN IP or DDNS account name
Port:
If you are connecting remotely to a CCTV DVR, you need to supply its mobile port (e.g. 100) here. If you are connecting to an IP Camera, you can use its HTTP port (e.g. 81) here. Refer to page 3 for your port numbers.
User ID and Password:
Here you must supply the user name and password you use to log into your device. These are usually case- sensitive. Default user name and password information is listed in your device’s manual.
Max Channel:
This is usually only applicable to DVR configurations. It refers to the maximum number of video channels your system supports, so if for example you have a 4 camera system, input “4” here.
DYNAMIC DNS (DDNS) ACCOUNTS
15.1 – STATIC v DYNAMIC INTERNET IP ADDRESSING
Your unique Internet (WAN) IP address can be either dynamic or static. Dynamic addresses are assigned every time your router connects to the Internet, and are different each time. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) might also have a policy of renewing your dynamic IP address to a schedule (e.g. daily / weekly), so your external access address will regularly change.
A static Internet IP address never changes. Once it is assigned to your router, you will always have that address, no matter whether you disconnect from and reconnect to the Internet. For this reason, it is much more convenient to have a static WAN IP than a changing address.
TIP
Refer to section “Find Your Router’s Internet IP Address” (page 9) for information on how to find your current WAN IP address.Some ISPs will provide a static WAN IP for free, and some for a monthly fee, whereas others do not provide this service. In this case a Dynamic DNS account can provide a solution for the issue of a changing Internet IP address.
15.2 – THE PURPOSE OF DDNS
Dynamic Domain Name System (DDNS) accounts map a domain name (e.g. “myaccount.ddns-provider.com”) to an Internet IP address. A DDNS account automatically updates the associated IP address whenever it dynamically changes, meaning you only need to remember your DDNS account details, not an IP address.
15.3 – ACCOUNT PROVIDERS
There are many DDNS account providers, which you can find by doing a Google search for “ddns provider”. Some provide free accounts, and others charge for the service.
15.4 – HOW TO USE DDNS
Once you have set up a DDNS account with the provider of your choice, you will need to input your account details into your router.
In this example, click the Dynamic DNS option and then tick the
CONCLUSION
Having followed this guide, you should now be able to view your DVR or IP Camera both on your local network, and remotely via your smart phone and / or computer.
In the event that you still need further assistance with this you can call us, at local UK rate on the number below and our UK-based experts will be happy to help you. Please have all the information you noted on page 3 to hand, as this can help us quickly identify any configuration issues.
Technical Support is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm, excluding bank holidays. Alternatively visit our website at www.storageoptions.com/support or send us an e-mail at the address below.
