Maintaining accurate camera times on an isolated subnet?

[AndrewNorCal]

I have my cameras on their own private subnet and the gateway is inactive.

Clocks on devices eventually wander.

What do most folks do to keep their cameras "on time" when they can't "call out" and automatically sync time with a time server?

Do you just manually reset the camera times on a regular schedule? (If so, what have you found is a good schedule? Twice a year? Probably varies by model, eh?)

Thanks!
Andrew

 

[Mike A.]

Run a local NTP server and point your cams to it. Search for NetTime. Many here use that. Easy to set up.

 

[Flintstone61]

 

[AndrewNorCal]

Thanks, guys, super helpful!

I found this from a post here too:

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So, Flintstone61, in your screenshot, the last change to make would be to change the Amcrest checked "Sync with NTP Server" from "0.nettime.pool.ntp.org" to the static IP address of the local computer hosting the cameras, correct?

Oh, and I need to set the cameras to a working gateway for this to work, right?
(Right now, some are even set to 0.0.0.0!)

Thanks!
Andrew

 

[Flintstone61]

IP of PC yes. I think that'll work.....
Not sure about the gateway, IF the B. I. PC is physically attached to the same switch as the cams. Probably not.
If the BI pc connection to the cams is thru the router, then yes.
I'm noticing that my cams are not saving the changes I make in Daylight savings time or NTP settings.
I think the NVR's are running the show on time stamps.....those are also point to the net time server pool 1.
I can't know unless I unplug an NVR, or two.

 

[Flintstone61]

Checking my one NVR to see how it interacts with my PC at 192.168.0.43 ( BI PC address)
It auto "unsaves" my new parameters on the cams, as if Something is saying,,,"Nothing to see here, you are the slave, we got the NVR as Master and is synced to the Atomic Clock at NORAD. Go lay by your console."

 

[Flintstone61]

Whatever LOL all my cams are with 1/2 second the Console. Saving parameters in the NVR's seems to take, so they must "serve" time out to the Cams. I guess.

 

[Mike A.]

Oh, and I need to set the cameras to a working gateway for this to work, right?
(Right now, some are even set to 0.0.0.0!)

Don't need to change the gateway (assuming cams/NTP server are on the same subnet at least).

You may need to allow UDP 123 through the Windows firewall. Also may need to disable the W32time service if it's already running on the server and has grabbed port 123.

 

[AndrewNorCal]

Don't need to change the gateway (assuming cams/NTP server are on the same subnet at least).

Thanks, Mike. The BI Box (NTP server) has the NIC in it that hosts the camera subnet, but box (172.) and subnet (192.) have different IP prefixes.

Think that'll still work?

You may need to allow UDP 123 through the Windows firewall. Also may need to disable the W32time service if it's already running on the server and has grabbed port 123.

Oooo, good advice. I'll have to check on that.

Thanks!
Andrew

 

[Mike A.]

Thanks, Mike. The BI Box (NTP server) has the NIC in it that hosts the camera subnet, but box (172.) and subnet (192.) have different IP prefixes.

Think that'll still work?

The BI/NTP server has a 192.168.x.x address in order to access the cameras on that side so as long as you've not restricted the cams from seeing the BI/NTP server, should be OK. The cams aren't going beyond their subnet so don't need a gateway to get out anywhere.

 

[AndrewNorCal]

Oh, that's right, the NIC has a 192.168.x.x address. That makes sense.

Thanks!
Andrew

 

[AndrewNorCal]

In case anyone stumbles on this thread, I found this thread which covers the topic in good detail:

Setting up NetTime Time Sync Tool on Windows 10

This is a great way to sync all your cameras. If cameras are not synced correctly they could be thrown out as evidence. This will not adjust for Daylight Savings - you must enter DST Start and End time in your Camera. I want to thank @mikeynags for all the information to get this up and running...

ipcamtalk.com

Andrew