Hikvision provides DDNS service for its products (e.g. DVRs), allowing customers to use their equipment anywhere in the world, even if they do not have a static external IP address.
Preconditions that are required to use the service:
- a Hikvision device,
- public, external IP address,
- proper configuration of router or other network node: port forwarding.
Information on the features of the Internet connection you can obtain from your ISP .
Port forwarding allows a specific computer or service within a private local-area network (LAN) to connect with remote computers on the Internet. It is quite easy operation, usually performed in the router, which is typically both the network node and default gateway.
Step 1. Identifying the kind of the networkIf you do not know what kind of connection you use, you can find it out in Windows OS by selecting Run>Open: option, then typing in cmd. In the command line you should enter ipconfig. The system will display the necessary information about your network connection, which should be saved. With more than one network card in your computer, you first have to determine the name of the tested connection.
View of the cmd.exe window
Notice! It is highly recommended that devices forwarded to WAN network should have permanent IP addresses (assigned without the use of DHCP).
Step 2. Entering the network parameters to Hikvision DVRHaving known the basic network parameters (subnet mask, gateway), you have to pass them to the DVR. You can do it locally (in the Network Configuration window), or remotely (via iVMS4000 client application or web interface). Enter the subnet mask and default gateway address (usually it is the IP address of the router). Although the DDNS account is not configured yet, you can input the necessary data. Check the ports numbers used by the DVR. In the case of a conflict with another service running in the network, they have to be be changed.
Network Configuration window in the DWR menu
Network Settings in the iVMS4000 application
DDNS Settings
Step 3. Configuring Hikvision DDNS accountTo use Hikvision DDNS, you have to create an account first. The procedure is simple, just access www.hikvisioneurope.net, select Register new user link and and fill out the required fields:
The creation of a new user account
You can immediately log into your account:
Logging into DDNS account
On the left side there is user Menu:
Adding new DWR to the list of devices supported by the DDNS service
After selecting the Device Management box, you should enter the name of the DVR (in Device Alias field, with lowercase letters, digits and “-” sign only) and the Device Serial No. The latter parameter you can identify using SADP, iVMS, or directly in the DVR menu.
Reading the serial number in the iVMS4000 application
After you click OK and go to Device Status, you’ll see the DVR and, if DDNS is working correctly, the link for remote viewing.
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DDNS service may not be available for older firmware versions. The latest versions can be found on the manufacturer’s website or in relevant catalog pages of DIPOL’s website. Before an upgrade, we recommend you to save the current firmware version. After updating some oldest versions, the DVR settings may be reset, and the stored data deleted, so you should export the configuration file and backup all important video files.