Connecting to your Hikvision IP camera

Initial setup of IP cameras starts by isolating the device from the main network and connecting it to a separate segment or directly to a laptop to avoid IP conflicts and prevent accidental external access. Identify the factory IP address and default credentials and change them right away. In large systems the same password can be used within an isolated subnet for easier management, but different passwords should be set for remote access.

RTSP is a standard protocol for streaming video and audio over a network. It lets the camera connect to a recorder or software without vendor apps. The URL usually looks like rtsp://login:password@IP:554/path_to_stream. You can find it in the documentation, the web interface, or with SmartVision or ONVIF Device Manager.

People often confuse ONVIF with video streaming — but ONVIF doesn’t transmit video at all.

• Learn how ONVIF helps discover and control cameras, why RTSP is used for streaming, and how to set up multiple streams securely.
• Learn how to reset IP Camera password.

Assign a static IP address from a dedicated range, place cameras in a separate VLAN, and block direct Internet access if cloud features are not used. Use SmartVison to find Hikvision IP camera on network. Disable UPnP, DDNS, auto-updates, and any unused protocols for security reason. If the camera does not support RTSP, check if you can enable it in settings. Try HTTP streaming if supported. If not, replace the camera with a model that supports RTSP or ONVIF.