How to check, on an Axis camera, that it sends its alarms to GC Surge by e-mail (SMTP): where the settings are, what must be switched on, how to test, and what to do when it fails. Use it together with Not Receiving Alarms.
An Axis device sends an alarm e-mail through three parts that work together: a detection application, a recipient and a rule. All three must be right. Names differ a little between AXIS OS versions.
Who it is for: Technicians and admins who can sign in to the device with an administrator account.
GC Surge does this for you | You must make sure of this |
|---|---|
Writes the e-mail recipient (the SMTP settings) onto the device. | The device user you entered in GC Surge is an administrator. |
Adds the rule that sends an e-mail with pictures when the detection triggers. | A detection application is running and configured. |
Reads the cameras (channels) of the device. | The device can send to the internet: gateway, DNS server, outbound port. |
You need | Notes |
|---|---|
The address of the device and its HTTP or HTTPS port | Factory values are 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS). |
An administrator account of the device | Often "root". The password is set at the first start. |
The values from GC Surge | In GC Surge: Sites & Cameras > device … menu > Setup details. |
Watch:
Field on the device | Must be |
|---|---|
Type | |
Send email to | To email from Setup details |
Send email from | From email |
Username | Username |
Password | Password (use the show and copy buttons in Setup details) |
Email server (SMTP) | Host |
Port | Port |
Encryption | The value of Encryption. For "tls" with port 587 choose STARTTLS. |
Symptom | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
GC Surge shows Setup failed at Device credentials | Wrong password, or the user is an operator or viewer. | In GC Surge: Edit, enter an administrator account, Save and retry. |
GC Surge shows Setup failed at Camera reachable or Loading device settings | Wrong port, or HTTP and HTTPS mixed up. Newer devices only allow HTTPS. | Use the port of the web interface. Set HTTPS (secure) in GC Surge to match. |
GC Surge shows Setup failed at Writing alarm e-mail settings | The user is not an administrator, or the AXIS OS version is very old. | Use an administrator account. Update AXIS OS. Or set it up by hand (below). |
Test of the recipient fails | No DNS server or gateway, a blocked outbound port, wrong user name or password, or the wrong encryption type. | Section 2. Allow outbound connections to the Port from Setup details. Copy user name and password again. Choose STARTTLS for port 587. |
Test works, but no alarm arrives | The application is stopped, has no scenario, or the rule is switched off. | Sections 3 and 4. |
The rule exists, but its condition is empty or shows an error | The application it used was removed or replaced. | Choose the condition again and save. |
Alarms arrive without pictures | The action of the rule is Send notification to email and not Send images through email. | Change the action. |
Very many alarms | The scenario covers a road, trees or a light source. | Reduce the area. Use the object types person and vehicle in AXIS Object Analytics. |
Alarms stopped after an update or a reset | The recipient or the rule was removed. | Retry in GC Surge writes them again. Then check sections 3 and 4. |
If the automatic setup does not work on your device:
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