Add to Hikvision / Hilook NVR via ONVIF

Some cams, especially newer cams adding to an older NVR need to be added via ONVIF.

Step 1: Log into the camera.

Enable ONVIF on the camera.

– this video shows you that you need to log in, enable ONVIF, and add a user to the camera under username admin. NOTE only the first 1/2 of the video is relevant. Disregard the part where they log into the 3rd party NVR.

Step 2: Add to the NVR manually (not plug and play)

username = admin password = password of the camera (which is likely the same as the NVR if it adopted the NVR password)

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When a camera is plugged into the PoE ports on the back of a Hikvision NVR, it is NOT on your normal LAN.

The NVR creates a private PoE network (usually 192.168.254.x)
Your PC is on a different network (e.g. 192.168.1.x)
You cannot browse to the camera IP directly from your PC

So you must access the camera through the NVR.

METHOD 1 (Most common & correct)

Log into the camera via the NVR’s Virtual Host

This works on most Hikvision & HiLook NVRs, even older firmware.

Step-by-step (via monitor + mouse)

Connect a monitor & mouse to the NVR
Log in as admin
Go to:
Menu → Camera → Camera Management → IP Camera
Locate the camera that is plugged in
- It will usually show:
  - IP like 192.168.254.2
  - Status: Inactive / Offline / Password error
Click the camera and choose Edit or Modify
Look for Virtual Host (or “Web” / “Link” icon)
Click Virtual Host

This opens the camera’s own web interface, tunneled through the NVR.

Camera login credentials

Username: admin
Password:
- Either the camera’s original password, OR
- On many older systems: the same password as the NVR admin

⚠️ If you see “Wrong password”, it means:

The camera was previously initialised elsewhere
Or it has a different admin password

Once logged into the camera

Now do the following:

Go to:
Configuration → Network → Advanced → Integration Protocol
Enable:
- ☑ ONVIF
- ☑ Hikvision-CGI (if present)
Create an ONVIF user
- Username: onvif
- Password: (strong password)
- Permission: Administrator
Save / Apply

Now the camera is ready to be added manually via ONVIF.

METHOD 2 (If Virtual Host does NOT exist – very old firmware)

Some very old NVR firmware does not support Virtual Host.

In that case, do this:

Use this method only if the NVR firmware is very old and does NOT support Virtual Host, or you cannot access the camera via the NVR.

Step-by-step

Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the NVR’s LAN port
- This is the port that normally goes to the modem/router.
Plug that Ethernet cable into one of the NVR’s PoE camera ports
- You are temporarily using the NVR’s PoE network as your access path.
Leave the camera plugged into a different PoE port on the NVR
- Both your computer and the camera are now on the same PoE subnet
- Typically: 192.168.254.x
Connect your computer to the Ethernet cable
- Disable Wi-Fi on your computer (important).
- Your PC will now receive an IP from the NVR’s PoE network.
Run the Hikvision SADP Tool
- The camera should now appear.
- Note the camera IP address (usually 192.168.254.2, .3, etc.).
Log into the camera via web browser
- Enter the camera IP address in your browser.
- Username: admin
- Password:
  - Either the camera’s original password, or
  - On many older systems, the same password as the NVR admin.
Enable ONVIF on the camera
- Go to:
  Configuration → Network → Advanced → Integration Protocol
- Enable:
  - ☑ ONVIF
  - ☑ Hikvision-CGI (if available)
- Create an ONVIF user:
  - Username: onvif
  - Password: strong password
  - Permission: Administrator
- Save / Apply.
(Optional but recommended)
Confirm the camera IP remains in the 192.168.254.x range.
Restore normal cabling
- Plug the Ethernet cable back into the NVR LAN port
- Reconnect NVR to the router/modem.
Add the camera to the NVR using ONVIF
- Go to:
  Menu → Camera Management → IP Camera
- Add the camera manually using:
  - Protocol: ONVIF
  - IP address: camera IP
  - Username/password: ONVIF user created above

Common gotchas (very important)

❌ “I tried typing the camera IP in my browser and it didn’t load”

That is expected behaviour when the camera is on the NVR PoE network.

❌ “Wrong username or password”

Means one of:

Camera was previously initialised
Camera admin password ≠ NVR admin password
ONVIF user does not exist yet

⚠️ Factory reset note

On older Hikvision cameras, factory reset often:

Requires holding reset button while powering
May NOT clear password without SADP (depends on model)