DDNS problem but Only on HikVision NVR and Camera

[cosmo]

I am trying to diagnose why my HikVision NVR and Camera (Separate locations) do not seem to be updating the DDNS server when the router in the two locations and the Dahua NVR in one of the locations are successful.

Here is my configuration:

Location 1. Router, Hikvision NVR plugged into it with two Hikvision cameras plugged into the NVR's PoE ports.
Location 2. Router, Hikvision camera plugged into the router and a Dahua NVR also plugged into the router with a Trendnet camera plugged into the NVR's PoE port.

So that's 5 devices. I'm using the Dyn DDNS service. Switched from HikVision's DDNS service after the shutdown debacle. I've created 5 hosts on Dyn. Each of the devices is set to update the DDNS for one of those hosts. The two routers are updating the DDNS regularly, as is the Dahua NVR. Neighter the HikVision NVR in one location nor the HikVision camera in the other location are updating their DDNS host.

Since we know that the Dahua NVR can get out through the router, the router isn't blocking. So I'm curious why the camera is not updating the DDNS host.

The router in the other location is the same make and an almost identical model to the first location. But again, the NVR is not updating the DDNS host.

There is a slight difference in the interface to the DDNS for the routers, Dahua and HikVision. Here's what the settings are:

Routers:
- Service Name: DYNDNS (Selectable)
- Domain: <host>.gotdns.org
- Usename & Password

Dahua
- DDNS Type: Dyndns DDNS (Selectable)
- Host IP: members.dyndns.org
- Domain Name: <host>.gotdns.org
- Usename & Password
- Interval (mins): 5

HikVision:
- DDNS Type: DynDNS (Selectable)
- Server Address: members.dyndns.org
- Domain: <host>.gotdns.org
- Port: 0 (Can't be changed)
- Username & Password

In each case, <host> is different.

Any ideas about the next step in diagnosing why the HikVision devices are not updating the host? I updated all 5 hosts in Dyn manually about 2 days ago. Since then, the non HikVision devices have been constantly updating. The HikVision ones haven't done it at all.

 

[cosmo]

On closer inspection, the HikVision camera appeared to update the DDNS entry 30 minutes after I manually updated all 5 of them 2 days ago. Nothing since then.

 

[Securame]

You only have two locations, so you only need two hosts. Why use 3 hosts on the same location, if they will all point to the same IP address?

- The 2 Hik cameras on Location 1 are connected to the POE ports on the NVR, so they do not have internet access. They will never update their hosts.
- The IPs on dyndns will only get updated if they have actually changed. If the IP has not changed at all, nothing will get updated.
- If both of your routers support dyndns, just set up your domains on the routers, and forget about the NVRs/cameras. Let the routers do the job.

 

[cosmo]

You only have two locations, so you only need two hosts. Why use 3 hosts on the same location, if they will all point to the same IP address?

I agree that I only need two hosts. I am just testing the DDNS on HikVision now that I have switched to Dyn. It doesn't seem to be working. I could just forget it since my routers are doing the job, but I am curious why it doesn't work.

- The 2 Hik cameras on Location 1 are connected to the POE ports on the NVR, so they do not have internet access. They will never update their hosts.
-

Yes I know. I did not suggest they did. I was just pointing out my configuration.

- The IPs on dyndns will only get updated if they have actually changed. If the IP has not changed at all, nothing will get updated.

Okay. So that would mean that the routers are updating the DDNS periodically regardless, which is fine. And there is an interval setting with Dahua, which would explain why it is updating the host. I will wait for the IP address to change to see if you are correct. If you are, then the HikVision camera and NVR at separate locations should update the DDNS, which would explain everything.

- If both of your routers support dyndns, just set up your domains on the routers, and forget about the NVRs/cameras. Let the routers do the job.

Yes, ultimately I will. I am just curious as to how the different hardware does things. As you've pointed out, HikVision may be different to the other equipment. The reason why I want to see things updated is so I understand how it works and can be sure that it is working. All my equipment is installed in another country. If I don't get positive confirmation that something is working, the IP changes when I'm back home and I can't remotely access the equipment, it's a big deal.

 

[simon247]

My router doesn't support DDNS updates so I use NoIP. I noticed the camera would update the DDNS entry rather infrequently (about once every 2 days according to the website). However, my IP changed a couple of days ago and I never noticed it changed as everything still kept working. I suspect the camera knew my IP had changed and sent an update to NoIP.

 

[cosmo]

Update: This morning I checked Dyn and all 5 hosts have been updated. So it seems my first initial post was premature. I'm not sure whether the IP addresses have changed, which I suspect would have prompted the HikVision NVR and camera to update the host, or whether it was just a matter of time, but in any event, both have updated the hosts.

 

[RTFM]

have you figured this out yet ? my hik devices will not update on dyndns either

 

[cosmo]

have you figured this out yet ? my hik devices will not update on dyndns either

I just corrected my last post from "This morning I checked Dyn and all 5 hosts have not been updated." to "This morning I checked Dyn and all 5 hosts have been updated. " My mistake. In that post, they have been updated. But, here's an update:

Location 1 still has a cable modem/Wi-Fi router, 1 Hik NVR and 2 Hik cameras. The modem there is set to update Dyn and it updated it yesterday. The NVR is set to update Dyn with a different hostname (For testing) but it hasn't updated Dyn since Jan 7. I went into this NVR remotely just now and it says "Connect to server failed." Nothing has changed in the config. :-( So I tried to check the settings in the modem but I can't log into it because the modem engineers, in their infinite wisdom, randomize the port you have to connect to it every so often and the only way you can find out what that port is, is by connecting to it locally. Morons. :-( :-(

Location 2 still has the cable modem/Wi-Fi router, 1 Dahua NVR, it now has 5 Dahua cameras connected to it. I've removed the Hik camera which operated independently, so I can't tell you about that. The modem is identical to the one in location 1 and it too is updating Dyn properly as of yesterday, but like the other location, it has switched the access port since I was there on March 7 (Another continent away - not very convenient to drop in), so I can't see it's settings. The Dahua NVR is also updating Dyn as of yesterday, but get this: The DDNS setting are back at their defaults! Yet it is updating the DDNS! All these vendors have such shit software. It is so flaky.

And here's additional news. I just went and bought a brand new Hik NVR for testing here. Let's call it Location 3. I just went in to see if I could get Dyn to update. Locally on the console, I entered:

Enable DDNS: (Checked)
DDNS Type: DynDNS (Drop down list)
Area/Country: Custom (Disabled, can't change)
Server Address: members.dyndns.org
Device Domain Name: <the host I have set up on Dyn>
Status: "DDNS status is normal" (What it shows)
Username: (My Dyn username)
Password: (My Dyn password)
You can visit this URL as followed: http://<the host I have set up on Dyn>:80 (What it shows)

When I first entered this info, it told me the URL was invalid. I left it for 20 minutes and when I came back, Dyn had been updated.

Who knows. It's all too weird.

 

[RTFM]

what about on the dynDNS management site ,can't you see when the last update occurred per host name ?
I checked mine and all my hik devices say never updated unless I went in and updated the IP address manually

 

[cosmo]

what about on the dynDNS management site ,can't you see when the last update occurred per host name ?
I checked mine and all my hik devices say never updated unless I went in and updated the IP address manually

Yes, on the Dyn site under "Hosts", you can add, view and delete your hosts. You can also see the last date and time each one was updated.

As I said, the Location 3 Hik just updated one host when I added Dyn to the settings. That's not to say that it will keep updating it. The Location 1 Hik hasn't done that since January 7. Not sure why. At the moment, I'm just relying on the router to do it as that seems to be reliable.