Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2 2. What is Axis Camera Station? 3 3. What is Viewer for Axis Camera Station? 4 4. AXIS Camera Station Service Control 5 5. Configuring Ports 7 5.1 Creating New Inbound Rule for Ports 7 5.2 Configuring your router to allow remote access 14 6. Connect to Server via Viewer for Axis Camera Station Mobile App 15 6.1 In the Axis Camera Station Client: 15 6.2 In the Viewer for Axis Camera Station ios app: 18 1
1. Introduction This article looks at using the Viewer for AXIS Camera Station ios mobile app in conjunction with AXIS Camera Station, and the steps that need to be taken in order to ensure that the Server application is configured correctly in order to allow access from a mobile device. Viewer for AXIS Camera Station The app is available here: http://www.eyespyfx.com/camstation.php 2
2. What is Axis Camera Station? AXIS Camera Station is a monitoring and recording system which can facilitate up to 100 network cameras and video encoders, and is comprised of two components, the AXIS Camera Station Server, and the AXIS Camera Station Client. The AXIS Camera Station Server handles all the communication between the system and connected cameras and encoders. The cameras can be situated inside or outside the Local Area Network (LAN) (as shown in Figure 1). In addition, the Server handles any recordings that may be captured by the cameras, as well as event management and user management. The AXIS Camera Station Client provides user access (either locally or remotely) to live video streams and recordings associated with cameras connected to the Server. The Client also allows the user to access to system configuration such as camera and device management, recording schedules, license management and user management. Figure 1. - Typical AXIS Camera Station Setup 3
3. What is Viewer for Axis Camera Station? Viewer for Axis Camera Station is a mobile application that allows remote access to an AXIS Camera Station Server and ultimately to cameras connected to that server (Figure 2). If a user has administrator or operator privileges, they will be able to view any recordings that may be associated with a camera. In order to successfully connect the Viewer for AXIS Camera Station mobile app to an AXIS Camera Station Server, a link must be made using details that have been authorized using the AXIS Camera Station Client. This procedure is covered in Section 6: Connect to Server via Viewer for Axis Camera Station Mobile App. Figure 2. - AXIS Camera Station Setup with Mobile Device Access 4
4. AXIS Camera Station Service Control The AXIS Camera Station Service Control starts when a user logs onto Windows. The Service Control handles the starting and stopping of the AXIS Camera Station Server. There are several points of interest in the AXIS Camera Station Service Control for configuration of the Viewer For AXIS Camera Station mobile app. These are: Server Name situated in the General tab and can be edited. This name is displayed in the AXIS Camera Station Client when a connection is established (Figure 21). Server Ports - ports that the AXIS Camera Station Server uses to communicate with the AXIS Camera Station Client application. These are set by default to: HTTP port: 55752, TCP port: 55754, Streaming port: 55753. (Figure 3) These ports can be altered, but must lie in the range of 1024 65534. Developer API Port allows access to the camera list. This is set by default to 50333 (Figure 4). As described in Creating New Inbound Rules for Ports, a new rule must be created to allow access to the Developer API Port. Video Port allows access to camera video streaming. This is set by default to 50334 (Figure 4). Again, as described in Creating New Inbound Rules for Ports, a new rule must be created to allow access to the Video Port. NOTE: In order to carry out any changes in the AXIS Camera Station Service Control, Modify settings must be selected in the top left hand corner of the window. (Figure 3) 5
Figure 3. - AXIS Camera Station Service Control Figure 4. - Service Control Developer API 6
5. Configuring Ports 5.1. Creating New Inbound Rule for Ports In order to access the Axis Camera Station Server from a remote location, such as typically required for a smart phone application, new inbound rules must be created for ports 50333 and 50334. Port 50333 deals with accessing the camera list, whereas port 50334 deals with access to the live camera streams for each of those cameras on the list. These inbound rules can be created as follows: In MS Windows > Select Control Panel > System & Security > Administrative Tools > Windows Firewall with Advanced Security In the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security window, select: Inbound Rules from the panel on the left (Figure 5) Figure 5. - Windows Firewall & Advanced Security Window 7
Then from the Actions panel on the right, under the section Inbound Rules select: New Rule (Figure 6) Figure 6 - New Rule Selection This will open the New Inbound Rule Wizard. 8
For What type of rule would you like to create? select Port (Figure 7) Figure 7. - Select Port New Inbound Rule Wizard Click Next 9
For Does the rule apply to TCP or UDP? select TCP (Figure 1.6) For Does the rule apply to all local ports or specific local ports? select Specific Local Ports and specify 50333, 50334 (Figure 1.6). Figure 8. - Protocol and port selection Click Next 10
For What action should be taken when the connection matches specific conditions? select Allow the Connection (Figure 9) Figure 9. - Specify action on matching conditions Click Next 11
For When does the rule apply? select All the options (Figure 10) Figure 10. Profile selection Click Next 12
Give the Rule a name and an optional description (Figure 11) Figure 11. - Name and description Click Finish 13
The new rule that has just been created will now appear in the list of Inbound Rules (Figure 12) Figure 12. - New inbound rule appears in list 5.2. Configuring your router to allow remote access In order to access the AXIS Camera Station Server over a 3G or remote WIFI connection, it is necessary to configure your router to ensure that any requests that come in on ports 50333, and 50334 (the ports which the new inbound rules have just been set up for), are sent to correct location on the network, i.e the Axis Camera Station Server. This process, known as Port Forwarding, can vary depending on the model of your router. Router specific instructions for this process can be found on www.portforward.com, or by looking at router manual. An alternative method is to set up a VPN. There is a blog article about this option here: http://www.eyespyfx.co.uk/blog/?p=948 14
6. Connect to Server via Viewer for Axis Camera Station Mobile App Before it is possible to connect to an Axis Camera Station Server, it is a requirement to add a user with suitable privileges via the Axis Camera Station Client. This can be done as follows: 6.1 In the Axis Camera Station Client: Create user account in User Permissions 1. Select Configuration from ACS menu in top left of the screen (Figure 13) Figure 13. - Configuration Selection from ACS menu 2. Select User Permissions (Figure 14) Figure 14. - Select User Permissions 15
3. Select Add in the User Permissions window (Figure 15) Figure 15. - Select Add in User Permissions Window 4. The Add User/Group window will appear (Figure 16). Deselecting the Group can shorten the list that appears. This will result in only the available users to this work station being shown. NB. This list is comprised from MS Windows user profiles. Before AXIS Camera Station can give any access a Windows User Profile must be created. Figure 16. - Add User/Group window 16
5. Select the user to be added from the resulting list and click Add (Figure 17) Figure 17. - Select User 6. The User/Group Privileges window will appear (Figure 18). This will allow the user to select a role for the user that is to be added. A full description of what each role entitles the new user to is provided in the window on selection. An Administrator is granted access to all cameras connected to the server. If the user is granted an Operator or Viewer role, then specific cameras will have to be selected in order for them to be viewed using this account. IMPORTANT: If the user that is being added is already an administrator on the computer where the server is installed, then they will be given administrator privileges on the AXIS Camera Station application regardless of the role selection that is made. To securely restrict the new user to operator or viewer privileges, it is required that they do not have administrator privileges on the computer where the server is installed. Once a role and cameras have been selected, press OK. 17
Figure 18. User/Group Privileges window 6.2 In the Viewer for Axis Camera Station ios app: 1. Press the Add on the top right of the Login screen. (Figure 19) Figure 19. - Login Screen 18
2. The Server Details Screen will appear (Figure 20) Server Name is the name of the server that is to be connected to. The name can be found at the bottom of the Axis Camera Station client application window, as shown in Figure 2.9. It can also be accessed through the Service Control (See AXIS Camera Station Service Control) The HOST ADDRESS can be obtained using the command prompt on the workstation on which the server is installed. Open the command prompt, type the command ipconfig, and get the value for IPV4 Address. Follow the instructions for Creating New Inbound Rule for Ports and then set the port to 50333 Figure 20. - Server Details Screen Username and Password are those that are used to login to the workstation If connecting to a SMTP server Use SSL must be selected. An SMTP server is necessary for sending emails about system alerts, or when an even configuration rule is activated. Figure 21. - Server Name Server Name to be entered into the SERVER NAME field of the Server Details form 19
3. Once all the details have been entered correctly, press Save in the top right of the screen. The user is then directed back to the Login Screen which will now be populated with the server that has just been added. (Figure 22) Figure 23. Login screen with new server added 20
4. Once servers have been added to the Viewer for Axis Camera Station ios app, the user can view cameras connected to any of these servers simply by selecting a server from the list provided. (Figure 23) Figure 23. - Server selection from Login screen 21
5. Once a selection has been made, the Viewer for Axis Camera Station app will log into the selected server. Once the login is successful a Camera List screen will appear (Figure 24) Figure 24. - Camera List In order to view a live stream of any of the available cameras the user simply has to make a selection from the Camera List. The live stream will appear on screen once the selected camera has been successfully connected to (Figure 25). From here the user has several options: 1. Take a snapshot taking a snapshot will automatically save a photograph of the current image to the photos folder on the mobile device 2. View recordings log selecting the view recordings log will open up a list of recordings associated with that camera (Figure 26) 22
Take snapshot View recordings log Figure 25. - Camera View Figure 26. - Recordings List 23