Axis network camera software

[Change]

Sorry for all the random questions I've been posting :angry:
This doesn't quite fall under "home" security, but at our office we have 6 Axis 2100 cameras, and plan to increase that to around 20 eventually. However, we've found the Axis camera station software to be very lacking. Specifically, due to our security policies, the cameras are all on a segregated private network that only the machine running the Axis software has access to. We want to be able to get video streams out of that machine for various other client machines, but the Axis camera station client needs to be able to directly see all of the cameras on the network, the Axis camera station does not serve up media streams to clients.
Is there any alternate software that will duplicate the current functionality of the Axis camera station software (recording with motion detection events) as well as provide media streams to client machines without requiring the client machines to have access to the camera network?
(Switching to non-IP cameras feeding video into a machine with capture cards is also not an option for us)

 

[roussell]

Try ZoneMinder. I use it around the house with a couple of Axis cams and it works great. Your security policy is interesting - do they not allow traffic from one subnet to another? If not then what's the point in a network? :angry:

Terry

 

[electron]

I really like the AverMedia DVR software, which supports IP cameras and is designed with commecial installs in mind. Mine came with the NV5000 kit, once CT has been moved, I 'll try to post the review.

 

[Change]

Try ZoneMinder. I use it around the house with a couple of Axis cams and it works great.

Hm, that looks quite nifty...and free, too! Looks like it does everything the Axis software does, thanks!

 

[ChuckSchick]

Probably not what you're looking for, and I don't know if the Axis software includes a web server, but the first thing that comes to mind is to put a 2nd NIC (network card) in the PC on the Axis subnet and open that 2nd card up to whatever ports are needed to interface with the software. That way you've still got the partitioning advantages of traffic control.

Edit: just make sure you don't "bridge" the two networks.

 

[Change]

Probably not what you're looking for, and I don't know if the Axis software includes a web server, but the first thing that comes to mind is to put a 2nd NIC (network card) in the PC on the Axis subnet and open that 2nd card up to whatever ports are needed to interface with the software. That way you've still got the partitioning advantages of traffic control.

We do have a second network interface on the camera server machine that's open to our office network, but the problem is the Axis camera station software doesn't actually serve any media streams, all it does is provide the client software with the IP addresses of the cameras. Hence why I find it to be completely useless to us.

 

[Captain Caveman]

.. Specifically, due to our security policies, the cameras are all on a segregated private network that only the machine running the Axis software has access to. We want to be able to get video streams out of that machine for various other client machines, but the Axis camera station client needs to be able to directly see all of the cameras on the network, the Axis camera station does not serve up media streams to clients.

I have not used Axis cameras nor thier software but I do know the basics of networking. Here is my 2 cents.

First of all we don't exactly know your networking security policies, with that in mind I can't think of a reason why your network administrator can't do what you want and still have security in place.

What are you using to communicate between the 2 networks?

If you are using a router does it have VPN functionality? That would be the most simple method.

Another approach would be the port forwarding feature built into most routers and applying static IPs to each camera. If you use this method you will also have to give each camera a unique port number, but by doing so the Axis software would probably not be able to communicate with the camera unless you can also specify what port # each camera uses. If the Axis software does not work can you login to the camera with a web browser using its IP address and port #?

 

[ChuckSchick]

I'm wondering if they aren't partitioning the subnets for the sake of quality of service rather than security.

At my office we've got the cisco voip system on a separate partition than the main database. Perhaps they are concerned that the network traffic from the cams would be excessive. Who knows, but I don't see a security issue.

 

[Change]

Rather than have more wild speculation about the network setup, I'll say we have our reasons for it, and are not looking for suggestions on networking, just replacement software that can do what I'm looking for it to do. So far ZoneMinder looks to work quite well, I did some testing using the live CD and was very pleased.

 

[wfernley]

I usually like to recommend Milestone software. It is very easy to use and has great features. I recommend it to people with just one IP camera because they also offer a free one-camera license. Considering you have 6, you will have to purchase the software. You can at least try it out with the free camera license.

I still have to look into ZoneMinder. I just haven't had time to go through the software. Is it not Linux based and not Windows?

 

[Change]

I still have to look into ZoneMinder. I just haven't had time to go through the software. Is it not Linux based and not Windows?

It's Linux based. Worked pretty well from my tests with the live CD, we'll see if I get the go-ahead to do some more testing with a fully-installed system.

 

[noshali]

Hi,

Any other suggestions would be appreciated. I use Axis cameras and need to be able to record and view via internet. I have iop cameras. ...motion detected recording is also a must.

zoneminder seems to be down...can I use that on a windows machine???

regards,

 

[Change]

zoneminder seems to be down...can I use that on a windows machine???

Nope, it's a Linux app.

 

[wfernley]

I have a linux box so I will try it out. It is only a P2 400Mhz though :blink: I'm sure its not going to handle well haha.

You can record AXIS cameras over the Internet. You just need to setup port forwarding so you can access the camera over the Internet. Then you install your recording software and tell it to look for the IP of the camera. This is a good setup because if someone breaks into your house and steals your computer, you still have the recorded data at a remote location.

 

[CollinR]

I really like the AverMedia DVR software, which supports IP cameras and is designed with commecial installs in mind.  Mine came with the NV5000 kit, once CT has been moved, I 'll try to post the review.

Thats IMHO the right move.

Probably not what you're looking for, and I don't know if the Axis software includes a web server, but the first thing that comes to mind is to put a 2nd NIC (network card) in the PC on the Axis subnet and open that 2nd card up to whatever ports are needed to interface with the software. That way you've still got the partitioning advantages of traffic control.

Edit: just make sure you don't "bridge" the two networks.

Thats how I do it.

(The quoting system here is really odd, I'll figure it out eventually. :blink: )