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Camera connection
After you have configured the NVR and camera settings, you can install and connect cameras to
the FortiRecorder NVR. For information about how to physically install a camera, see the
camera’s QuickStart Guide.
Camera discovery and DHCP service
In order for the FortiRecorder NVR to be able to discover cameras and receive video, cameras
Two
first get their IP addresses and other network settings from either the FortiRecorder
built-in DHCP server or any other third-party DHCP server on your network.
•
FortiRecorder DHCP server
— If you do not have a DHCP server in your network, or you
are installing the FortiRecorder and the cameras in their dedicated network, you must
configure the built-in DHCP server on the FortiRecorder. For example, if you configured the
built-in DHCP server to provide DHCP service through port2, and port2 is connected to a
PoE switch, you would connect the cameras to the PoE switch. The switch would supply
power to the cameras, and through it, the cameras would be able to access the DHCP
server. For information about FortiRecorder DHCP server configuration, see
•
Other DHCP server
— If you already have a DHCP server in your network and the
FortiRecorder and cameras will be installed in the existing network, the cameras will get their
IP addresses from the DHCP server after you connect and power up the cameras.
Since you can configure the camera to use a static IP address, you only need the DHCP server
for the initial camera discovery.
Later, after each camera has network settings from DHCP, you can either:
•
Continue using DHCP
— Leave the cameras plugged into their current network location.
Configure the DHCP server to reserve a specific IP lease for each camera. This will mimic
If you connect a camera to FortiRecorder before any DHCP server is configured, the camera will
assign itself a default IP address, which might not be working in your subnet. In this case, you
must reboot the camera after you have configured a DHCP server, so that the camera can get
network settings from the DHCP server.
