Setting up Security Camera's notifications

[jacwjames]

So I have purchased and setup a couple security cameras at my S&B. I've got them mounted and connected via my router and Iphone. At home I can turn on the camera and see what is happening.



Like it or not the Camera's I bought are ReoLink. These do not require a subscription service.



I am at the point that I need to setup PUSH notifications on my Iphone and email notifications through the router.

In both cases I have been unsuccessful. When I select Push notifications on the IPhone it says it has failed.
When I go through and setup the email notifications I get a Error 480.

One problem is the Tech Support for the cameras must be over seas and the calling time is 8PM till,,,,,,,,, So I have not been able to talk to anyone. I have multiple emails without success. They want me to drop my firewall and let them have access and I ain't going to do that.


My router is an ASUS1900, this is now obsolete and the website does not provide instructions on how to set it up. I have gone into it and found the location to set up the UDP protocol but every combination I've tried hasn't worked.

Can someone point me in the right direction and/or a link to a good resource.



I guess this is why people just subscribe to a security service

[jacwjames]

101 views but no responses. Hmmm must be a tough one.


I spent last week on and off trying to get the notifications. Found different help sheets on the ASUS website but no combination of inputs would get this to work.

I contacted the Reolink tech support and started an email exchange. One problem is/was that the time difference, not sure where I was communication with but the website says phone support is available from 8PM Eastern Standard Time.

Finally agreed to download an app whereby they could access my computer so they could dig into the problem. I am always skeptical of allowing this but I was up against a brick wall. Long story short was that the accessed my system/router and made a bunch of changes which I could monitor and take photos of but in the end the router at that point would not conned to my Mobley ZTE hotspot. They gave up and said I needed a new router DUH!!!!!. I immediately removed the software allowing them to access my laptop, not sure it there is anything else I need to do on that front.

I spent yesterday trying to fix this, resetting to original settings, etc, but nothing helped. So you might say I am screwed. I can't even get the security cameras to connect let alone send notifications.



I had already been contemplating getting a new Hotspot so yesterday I ordered a Nighthawk which you can connect 20 devices to. If I cannot get the security cameras to send notification I will send them back.



I guess lesson learned. Go with better known system that has tech support in the USA. And even if you have to pay some sort of subscription you far head.

[bigb56]

Costco sells Feit Electric floodlight cams no subscription needed and free cloud storage. They were introduced at $50 but now $129 I believe. I have 4 Ring floodcams and 1 Feit that I couldn't pass up for $50, and a Ring doorbell. I have not set up the Feit yet. The Rings are great and make my CCTV system obsolete. I get notifications no matter where I am if I have cell service. The subscription fee is well worth it. Last summer our alarm went off while we were 800 miles away, I logged into my Ring cameras and there was nobody around nor had there been, I have them set up so every approach to the house is covered. Upon returning home we found the calendar had fallen off the kitchen wall and triggered the motion sensor. My advice is Ring because I have had such a good experience with them, the Feit may be just as good but I can't say because I have not set it up yet.

[JellyBean]

Originally Posted by jacwjames

101 views but no responses. Hmmm must be a tough one.

I had already been contemplating getting a new Hotspot so yesterday I ordered a Nighthawk which you can connect 20 devices to. If I cannot get the security cameras to send notification I will send them back.

I guess lesson learned. Go with better known system that has tech support in the USA. And even if you have to pay some sort of subscription you far head.

I think once you get the Nighthawk you will find that the setup will be easy and your camera system will also be simplified. Most likely you will be able to setup the entire system connections yourself. I don't have any personal experience with Nighthawk but that is my best guess.


Myself I use Lorex security camera systems. I have them at my home and in the coach. Bought at Costco. Lorex have their own "network" and there is no "subscription" needed. Pretty much plug and play. Easy ipad or android phone apps too. Good customer service also.


Hope your new router system solves you connection problems! I'm sure it will.
.

[deandec]

We purchased the Blink System for Cameras 2 years ago.

The battery powered cameras are still on their first battery packs.

Our cameras do not require a subscription because you can direct the video to record on a thumb drive in the house. This is what we do.

We are able to view the camera video or live views and receive alerts from 250 miles away using a WIFI connection on our Android portables.

You can also talk and hear someone on camera live view via WIFI.

A thief can easily detach and steal the $100 cameras because they are not hardwired. We still have our 5 cameras.

The picture quality will likely not assist the Police in making an arrest. That is not our goal.

But we can keep tabs on the property events while gone.

Lower Cost, simple, and meets our needs.

[jacwjames]

Thanks for the info on alternative security camera's




Maybe a little background will help as to the need for security camera's


We have, what you might say, a crazy neighbor I will call him the "Culprit". For some reason he has developed an obsession with making his immediate neighbors mad/frustrated/nervous. He has been dumping brush/branches on the back side of his lot but right off the main access road into our dead end subdivision. It makes the subdivision look bad but he can't see it from his house. He's been doing this for ~10 years and even though he has been asked to stop he refuses even though he has ~200+ acre of farmland he works where he could dump the stuff.

About 6 weeks ago he dumped an old couch and end table there. My immediate neighbor took his tractor with bucket grapple and picked up the items and took them to his burn pile. The culprit stopped by my neighbors house and basically threaten him.

The next week the culprit then hauled an old desk and chair up there. My wife stopped, note that she had stopped many times and told him when his cattle were loose, and asked if me and her could haul the stuff off. He defiantly said no, it stays right there.

We found out that he was having a feud with another neighbor about is grandson mowing Culprits mothers house. Do not the know the whole story but it is what it is.



Well, I decided that things seemed to be escalating so I call the county Sheriff who sent a deputy out to look and ultimately determined that the country right of way was 25' from the center of the road and he was dumping garbage illegally. He actually had the road department come and put a "NO ILLEGAL DUMPING" sign there.

The Culprit pulled it out within 3 days, not sure what he did with it.

I called the Sheriff's deputy and told him. Not sure what his next move will be.

I also found out that my immediate neighbor, who has Ring camera's had monitored the Culprit driving up and down our dead end road at midnight and that he actually backed into our driveway and parked for ~5 minutes. Not sure what he was doing but know he can't be up to anything good.



A neighbor/friend that use live next to the Culprit said he had a dog that had gotten in the Culprit's garbage. My friend went and cleaned the mess up and apologized but the the next week the dog died of antifreeze poisoning. Coincidence>>> I think not.





But after all of this I decided I needed to install these camera's, which I had ordered when all this first started. My wife has show dogs so it wouldn't take much of a problem. They are always in fenced areas, we have about 2 acres fenced into 4 different lots.

So I am trying to get a monitoring system.

[deandec]

You already know/suspect who is doing the deeds.

It sounds like you need an alert system to monitor access to your property for prompt investigation.

Then, the real question is, what do you do if notified of a current event?

Maybe your neighbors can organize some sort of reaction committee/response?

The dumping of items on public property is an act of abandonment. So, removal of the items is legal by the neighbors or anyone passing by. No permission required. And maybe a lawyer later on.

But, it sounds like the bully does not care about legality.

I have no suggestions on how to handle that kind of person in a civil manner.

[Mike-NM]

Originally Posted by jacwjames

So I have purchased and setup a couple security cameras at my S&B. I've got them mounted and connected via my router and Iphone. At home I can turn on the camera and see what is happening.


Like it or not the Camera's I bought are ReoLink. These do not require a subscription service.


I guess this is why people just subscribe to a security service

I have reolink for several years with no issues, you have to have the same router WIFI setting. this is the 2.4 and 5ghz. you need to have your reolink set at 2.4 ghz.

https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us...?source=search

[jacwjames]

Originally Posted by Mike-NM

I have reolink for several years with no issues, you have to have the same router WIFI setting. this is the 2.4 and 5ghz. you need to have your reolink set at 2.4 ghz.

The connection was to the 2.4 ghz channel. The router did connect to the cameras' and I could turn them on/off as needed both on my laptop and phone.

I just couldn't get the email or phone push notifications to work.


I did find some helpful guides and went through all the steps without success.

The tech support that tried to fix it went through the settings without success but in the end whatever they did left the router useless, it would not connect to the hotspot at all and would result in the hotspot dropping out. It would take several attempts to get the hotspot to reboot and connect to the internet so I finally just gave up.

[jacwjames]

Originally Posted by deandec

It sounds like you need an alert system to monitor access to your property for prompt investigation.

Then, the real question is, what do you do if notified of a current event?

I have no suggestions on how to handle that kind of person in a civil manner.

The Sheriff's deputy said if he came onto my property to contact him ASAP, I have his number in my phone.

I have no intention of confronting the individual, I will call the Sheriff and let them do their job.

But if push comes to shove I'll protect myself, family, property. The Sheriff told me I could do whatever was necessary.
When I was employed at a senior management level I had to deal with a lot of crazy people, so I'm not immune to this type of threat. I just figured moving out into the country into and older nice subdivision that I didn't have to worry about something like this. I'm retired and getting too old for this but I won't stand by and do nothing if push comes to shove.

[Mike-NM]

I assume you have the app on your iPhone. So you have two issues, one is the actual push notification that the alarm going off does not appear on your iPhone. Also set your siren on so it also alerts and turn on your voice control so you can talk to whoever is in your view on the camera.

If that is the case you need to go to your iPhone settings allow push notifications for that reolink app in the iPhone then go to reolink app and set it to push notification.

What email service are you using? that is a little trickery because the e-mail services have changed the way they allow the password to be generated. Reolink wants you to put your email password in the reolink app, that will no longer work. You have to go into your e-mail settings and have them generate a password specifically for reolink that you will use. I don't use it anymore for e-mail to many e-mails and since I have push notification going to myself and my family and I have a chip in the device that stores the images and video that i can access if I need to download it.

One other thought is to go into your iphone network settings and reset it. then try it. to do that settings then general scroll to the bottom hit reset iphone.... then hit reset network settings. Do not hit anything else it will reset the network and reboot. Go back into your wifi settings and ensure you are connected to the ASUS1900 router on your phone.

[jacwjames]

Originally Posted by Mike-NM

I assume you have the app on your iPhone. So you have two issues, one is the actual push notification that the alarm going off does not appear on your iPhone. Also set your siren on so it also alerts and turn on your voice control so you can talk to whoever is in your view on the camera.

If that is the case you need to go to your iPhone settings allow push notifications for that reolink app in the iPhone then go to reolink app and set it to push notification.

What email service are you using? that is a little trickery because the e-mail services have changed the way they allow the password to be generated. Reolink wants you to put your email password in the reolink app, that will no longer work. You have to go into your e-mail settings and have them generate a password specifically for reolink that you will use. I don't use it anymore for e-mail to many e-mails and since I have push notification going to myself and my family and I have a chip in the device that stores the images and video that i can access if I need to download it.

One other thought is to go into your iphone network settings and reset it. then try it. to do that settings then general scroll to the bottom hit reset iphone.... then hit reset network settings. Do not hit anything else it will reset the network and reboot. Go back into your wifi settings and ensure you are connected to the ASUS1900 router on your phone.

Yup, understand. I've gone through all of that. I had my email provider set up a password so I could set up email notifications on my laptop. Also when through the notifications set p my IPhone. In either case it would not email or send Push notifications.

But this was relying on the router.

The last thing the tech support wanted me to do was completely bypass the router and just set up the system on my Iphone. But I haven't done that.



I spent at least 3 more hours today trying to get my router to work without success. I'm throwing in the towel on that.
I have ordered a Nighthawk 4G hotspot and hope that will solve my problem.

[Mike-NM]

Originally Posted by jacwjames

The last thing the tech support wanted me to do was completely bypass the router and just set up the system on my Iphone. But I haven't done that.

.

I set the iphone up first, with each camera I have two cameras. I later set up the software on my lap top. I rarely use the lap top as the iphone gives me what i need. I have a nighthawk router and connect my phone to it when at home when on the road i use phones service connection. If i take the cameras with me, i have to reconnect the cameras and use the iphone hotspot with a Verizon service.

[jacwjames]

I'm not a real tech savvy person, I get by but have to do a lot of research.
I was able set up the ATT Mobley connecting it to the ASUS router about 3 years ago. Didn't seem that hard and it worked well but............

Then last year, for some reason my ROKU TV's quit showing the program lineup. I worked with there tech support for a couple weeks and they finally gave up. An now these security cameras have caused the ASUS router to crash.

So, since the Mobley has a limit of 5 devices we had to pick and choose which ones we wanted to connect.

In the past I tried to explain all this to my wife, but now that we only have the Mobley she couldn't understand why she couldn't connect her phone, her ROKU TV, and laptop all at the same time. She is not a happy camper.





So I am frantically waiting on the Nighthawk router that I ordered and hope it will be a seamless transition.

Also considering going ahead and subscript to the fiber optic internet service that the local electric cooperative put in. I was seriously considering doing this anyway.