TOP-201 mini camera: unable to change IP address...

[Moonville]

I am attempting to set up a TOP-201 mini camera with my BI PC. I installed the CMS software from the CD that came with it and I am able to see the camera's video.

I am unable to change the IP address. I have followed the YouTube video TOP-201 Mini Camera - Basic Setup (and a related video TOP-201 Mini Camera - Setup Confusion ) but my interface isn't like the ones in the videos.

When I try to edit the camera's info I get a dialog "Please make sure the device is disconnected before modifying the device information" but disconnecting it doesn't satisfy the request - the Edit button is still greyed out.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled the camera several times and I reinstalled the program. The program seems like it's a little flaky and inconsistent in how it behaves.

The version of the CMS app I have is 3.1.0.9 March 12, 2019

Suggestions, please, on how to change the camera's IP address?

 

[alastairstevenson]

Suggestions, please, on how to change the camera's IP address?

Why aren't you using the camera web GUI to access and configure the camera settings?

 

[Moonville]

Why aren't you using the camera web GUI to access and configure the camera settings?

It's in Chinese. Plus, the web GUI doesn't appear to have a settings menu - I clicked on both of the only two buttons that were not part of the camera controls (PTZ, etc) and one appeared to be the About and the other was Log out.

 

[alastairstevenson]

It's in Chinese. Plus, the web GUI doesn't appear to have a settings menu

OK, that makes sense.
I had a Top-201 a while back - it just had a pretty standard EN web GUI.

 

[TonyR]

^^
Same with mine.
Default IP was 192.168.1.10, had firmware from Xiongmai, webGUI looked like this:

 

[Moonville]

Default IP was 192.168.1.10, had firmware from Xiongmai, webGUI looked like this

Yes, my GUI is similar. Did you use the default IP? I was going to use 172.x.x.x but is that unnecessary if my cameras are on a 2nd NIC?

 

[TonyR]

Yes, my GUI is similar. Did you use the default IP? I was going to use 172.x.x.x but is that unnecessary if my cameras are on a 2nd NIC?

If it's like mine it will have to be on a network of 192.168.1.XXX to bring up its webGUI.

 

[Mark_M]

My camera with the same GUI as @TonyR posted, it has an ONVIF stream of

Main: rtsp:/192.168.1.10:554/user=admin_password=tlJwpbo6_channel=1_stream=0.sdp?real_stream
Sub: rtsp:/192.168.1.10:554/user=admin_password=tlJwpbo6_channel=1_stream=1.sdp?real_stream
'Stream=' is the main and sub. Main=0, Sub=1.

But I found you can also disregard the 'user=xx' '_password=xx' if the receiving device already puts the username/password in.
e.g. rtsp:/192.168.1.10:554/tlJwpbo6_channel=1_stream=0.sdp?real_stream and then your NVR/Blue Iris has a separate field for the username/password.

I use one of these camera inside a birdhouse.

 

[Moonville]

In this article on IP addresses, it is suggested to use a subnet other than 192.168.x.x for better security.

But since the cameras are on a 2nd NIC, is there no benefit (or little benefit) to using a subnet other than 192.168.x.x?

 

[Mark_M]

In this article on IP addresses, it is suggested to use a subnet other than 192.168.x.x for better security.

Subjective to what other networks you already have.
192.168.x.x might be better if your ISP router is 10.x.x.x.

Best practice in choosing an IP range/subnet is one that is not like any default one a manufacture would use.

 

[Moonville]

Best practice in choosing an IP range/subnet is one that is not like any default one a manufacture would use.

That's why I wanted to use 172.x.x.x but if it doesn't make any difference since the cameras are on a 2nd NIC then I won't bother with trying to change the IP address of the TOP-201 camera.

 

[Moonville]

[Please pardon the bump but I think one of my questions got lost among all the replies]

Does having the cameras on a 2nd NIC mean there is little or no benefit to changing the TOP-201 address for security reasons?

I ask this because in this article on IP addresses, it is suggested to use a subnet other than 192.168.x.x for better security.

 

[TonyR]

The TOP-201 should be on a different network segment than your Internet access; a 2nd NIC is the easiest way to do that.
For example, if your router/gateway LAN is 192.168.1.XXX, change the TOP-201 IP to work with the 2nd NIC at say, 192,168.2.XXX.


EDIT @ 1601 hrs: added N/W topology image, courtesy of @samplenhold :