DVR/NVR remote access without using Device ID (i.e. if the FSEYE servers are down)

If you have to get local/remote access for their recorders without going through the FSEYE servers, I’d suggest creating two direct IP address devices on your app. One of these will be useful when you’re on the same network (i.e. via WiFi) as the CCTV system, and one will be for remote access (down the street, in the emergency bunker in a secret location, etc.).

To do that, these are the steps:

1. Log into the FSEYE app on your device
2. On the “Device Manager” screen, tap the “+” button or “Add device”
3. On the “Add device” screen, tap the IP/Domain tab
4. Use a name like “CCTV local”, and use the local IP address for your DVR/NVR (i.e. 192.168.1.188, 10.0.0.101, etc.)
   • This is normally found in the NVR’s Settings>Network menu, as the “Device IP” or just “IP address”. Don’t use the “Gateway address”!
5. Leave the port as 5800, and enter your username and password
6. It may ask you on the next screen how many cameras/channels you have (1, 4, 8, etc.)
7. And that’s it.

For the “CCTV remote” device, the steps are mostly the same. However, instead of the local IP address, you’ll need the external/WAN IP address for your modem/router. Easiest way to find it is to be on the same WiFi network, and point your browser at https://www.whatismyip.com/. Your public IPv4 address is the IP address you’ll use at step 4 above.

Keep in mind that these WAN addresses can and will change from time to time, unless the customer has paid for a static IP address from their ISP. If the WAN address changes, visit https://www.whatismyip.com/ again, and change the IP address in the app. Please note – most mobile broadband modems/routers change their WAN addresses more often than I change socks, so this isn’t a great option for those customers.

Port forwarding may be required.

1. Find Your Router’s IP Address:

   • On Windows, open Command Prompt and type ipconfig. Look for the “Default Gateway” address.
   • On Mac, go to System Preferences > Network, select your network connection, and click “Advanced”. Go to the “TCP/IP” tab to find the router’s IP address.

2. Log into Your Router:

   • Open a web browser and enter your router’s IP address in the address bar.
   • Log in using your router’s admin username and password. If you haven’t changed these, they are usually found in the router’s manual or on a sticker on the router itself.

3. Navigate to the Port Forwarding Section:

   • This section might be under “Advanced”, “Firewall”, “Virtual Server”, or “Applications” depending on your router model.

4. Create a Port Forwarding Rule:

   • Enter the port number you want to forward:5800
   • Enter the IP address of the device you want to forward the port to. This is usually a static IP address assigned to your device.
   • Choose the protocol (TCP) that the port will use.

5. Save Your Settings:

   • Save the new port forwarding rule. Your router might need to restart for the changes to take effect.

If they’re more tech-savvy, they could create a dynamic DNS service (through FreeDNS, DynDNS, No-IP, etc., etc.) and use that custom address instead of the IP address in Step 4 above.