Adding Cameras to Clone

This guide walks you through adding your first cameras to Clone.

Prerequisites

Before adding cameras, ensure you have:

• Clone installed and running (Installation Guide)
• Network access to your cameras
• Camera credentials (username/password)
• Camera IP addresses

Pro Tip

Use the camera's web interface first to verify it's accessible and note down its settings.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Access Clone Interface

Navigate to your Clone installation:

• Local: http://localhost:1776
• Network: http://192.168.1.100:1776
• Domain: https://your-clone-instance.com

2. Navigate to Camera Management

# You can also check camera connectivity via CLI
curl -I http://192.168.1.50  # Replace with camera IP

🔍 Click to see expected response

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Server: Dahua-HTTP-Server
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:30:00 GMT

3. Add Camera Configuration

Fill in the camera details:

Field	Description	Example
Name	Friendly camera name	"Front Door Camera"
IP Address	Camera IP address	192.168.1.50
Username	Camera username	admin
Password	Camera password	your_password
Brand	Camera manufacturer	Dahua, ONVIF

Security Note

Store camera passwords securely. Consider using environment variables for sensitive credentials.

Supported Camera Types

🏭 Dahua Cameras

Dahua cameras have native support with advanced features:

# Example configuration for Dahua cameras
cameras:
  - name: "Dahua Front Door"
    ip: "192.168.1.50"
    brand: "dahua"
    connector: "dahua_cgi"
    credentials:
      username: "admin"
      password: "${CAMERA_PASSWORD}"

Supported Features:

• ✅ Video settings configuration
• ✅ Audio settings
• ✅ Day/Night profiles
• ✅ Motion detection zones
• ✅ PTZ controls (if applicable)

🌐 ONVIF Cameras

ONVIF provides universal compatibility:

# Example configuration for ONVIF cameras  
cameras:
  - name: "Generic ONVIF Camera"
    ip: "192.168.1.51"
    brand: "onvif"
    connector: "onvif"
    credentials:
      username: "admin"
      password: "${CAMERA_PASSWORD}"

Supported Features:

• ✅ Basic video settings
• ✅ Profile management
• ⚠️ Limited advanced features (depends on camera)

Testing Your Setup

After adding cameras, verify they're working:

1. Connection Test

# Test camera connectivity
ping 192.168.1.50

# Test HTTP response
curl -u admin:password http://192.168.1.50/cgi-bin/magicBox.cgi?action=getSystemInfo

2. Clone Integration Test

1. Navigate to Dashboard → Camera Status
2. Look for green indicators next to camera names
3. Check Logs section for any error messages

Status Indicators

• 🟢 Green: Camera connected and configured
• 🟡 Yellow: Camera reachable but configuration issues
• 🔴 Red: Camera unreachable or authentication failed

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

❌ "Camera not responding" error

Possible causes:

• Network connectivity issues
• Incorrect IP address
• Camera is powered off
• Firewall blocking access

Solutions:

1. Verify camera IP with network scan:

   nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24

2. Check camera web interface accessibility
3. Verify network routing and VLANs

❌ "Authentication failed" error

Possible causes:

• Wrong username/password
• Account locked due to too many attempts
• Camera using non-standard auth

Solutions:

1. Reset camera credentials via physical reset
2. Check camera documentation for default credentials
3. Try common default combinations:
   • admin/admin
   • admin/password
   • admin/123456

❌ "Unsupported camera" warning

Possible causes:

• Camera doesn't support ONVIF
• Proprietary protocol not implemented
• Firmware compatibility issues

Solutions:

1. Check Camera Compatibility List
2. Enable ONVIF in camera settings if available
3. Consider firmware update
4. File compatibility request

Next Steps

After successfully adding cameras:

1. Configure Settings - Fine-tune camera parameters
2. Set up Synchronization - Keep settings in sync
3. Integration with NVR - Connect with Frigate or other NVR systems

Advanced Configuration

For advanced users, cameras can also be configured via YAML:

/config/clone.yml

cameras:
  front_door:
    name: "Front Door Camera"
    ip: "192.168.1.50"
    brand: "dahua"
    connector: "dahua_cgi"
    credentials:
      username: "admin"  
      password: "${FRONT_DOOR_PASSWORD}"
    settings:
      video:
        resolution: "1920x1080"
        fps: 15
        bitrate: 2048
      audio:
        enabled: true
        codec: "AAC"
    profiles:
      day:
        brightness: 50
        contrast: 50
      night:
        brightness: 30
        ir_enabled: true

---

Need Help? Check out our Troubleshooting Guide or ask in GitHub Discussions.