Use this for a device in a LAN or behind a VPN that GC Surge cannot reach from the internet. A small program, the local agent, runs once on a computer or phone in the same network as the device. It writes the alarm settings to the device. After that the device sends its alarms to GC Surge itself. The agent is needed for setup only, not for the alarms.
Watch (admin):
Step 1: Open Sites & Cameras. Click Add sites & cameras at the top, or in the site row open Actions > Add device.
Step 2:
To add a device to a site you already have, open Actions > Add device in the site row.
To start from the top of the page, click Add sites & cameras. Under What would you like to do? choose Add a site and camera (enter the name under What should we call this site? and click Continue) or Add a camera to an existing site (select the site under Which site?).
Step 3: Fill in the device details: Device name, Device IP or hostname (the address inside the site network), Device brand, HTTP/S port, HTTPS (secure), Username, Password.
Step 4: Answer Who installs the local agent?
Choice | What happens |
|---|---|
I am on-site | You install the local agent yourself on a device in the camera network. The steps are shown right after you add the device. |
Delegate installation | Enter Contact person, Contact email and, if you want, Contact phone. This person receives the site key and the steps to install the local agent. |
Step 5: If a message Confirm Before Proceeding appears, read it and click Proceed. It reminds you that you need permission to connect a site that is not publicly reachable.
Step 6: Click Add device. GC Surge activates the site key automatically.
Step 7: The device appears with the status Setup needed until the on-site step is done.
Watch (on site):
The person on site needs no GC Surge account. Use a Windows or macOS computer that is connected to the same network as the cameras and has internet access.
Step 1: On that computer, open the page On-site setup: the address of GC Surge followed by /site-setup.
Step 2: Install and start the local agent. The page shows Local Agent Not Connected until the agent runs on this computer.
Step 3: Under Enter site key, type the site key you got from the admin, for example GCSK-1234-5678, and click Continue.
Step 4: The device setup starts by itself when the agent is connected. If it does not, click Start setup.
Step 5: Tell the admin that you are done.
What you see in the table Devices | Meaning |
|---|---|
Port: open | The computer reaches the device. |
Port: closed or check_failed | The computer does not reach the device. It is in another network, or the address or port is wrong. |
Inject: success or configured | The alarm settings are on the device. |
Inject: failed | The device refused. The column Note says why, for example wrong credentials. |
Inject: skipped | The device was not handled, for example because an address is missing. The admin corrects it with Edit. |
You are on site yourself? Choose I am on-site. Open GC Surge on a computer in the camera network. After Add device the next screen shows the same download buttons and Retry connection. When the agent is found, GC Surge writes the settings ("Applying SMTP settings via local agent…") and the device becomes Configured. You do not need the on-site setup page.
If you closed the setup window, open the device Actions > Complete setup to see the steps again.
Symptom | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
Local Agent Not Connected, also after Retry Connection | The agent is not installed, not running, or installed on another computer than the one with the browser. | Download and start the agent on this computer, then click Retry Connection. Browser and agent must be on the same computer. |
"Local agent update required" or "Your local agent is out of date." | The installed agent is too old. | Download the latest agent, install it, then click Check version again. |
"Invalid or expired site key", "Site session has expired" or "Site key activation expired" | The activation has ended (it lasts 30 minutes), or the key was typed wrong. | The admin clicks Reactivate site key or Activate site key. Enter the key again. Check the letters and digits. |
The installer buttons do not appear ("Could not load installer links. Please try again.") | The links could not be loaded. | Reload the page. If they are still missing, ask the admin to download the installer in GC Surge (device Actions > Complete setup) and send it to you. |
The page shows "No private devices found for this site." | The devices were not added to this site in GC Surge, or the key of another site was used. | The admin checks that the devices are listed under this site. Use the key of this site. |
A device is shown as failed in the agent summary | Wrong address, port or credentials, or the computer is in another network than the camera. | Check that the computer can open the device web page. The admin corrects the details with Edit. Then run the setup again. |
"Paused — agent disconnected" | The agent was closed or the computer went to sleep during setup. | Start the agent again and continue. Keep the computer awake. |
"Your device was added, but automatic SMTP setup did not complete." | The device refused the settings. | Enter the settings by hand. See "Manual settings" below. |
The admin sees Setup needed for a long time ("Site is Pending — waiting for on-site setup") | The on-site step is not done yet. | Ask the contact. Use Resend instructions if they did not get the message. |
"Device was added, but we could not email setup instructions to …" | The contact e-mail is wrong or could not be reached. | Send the site key with Send site key by WhatsApp or to another address. |
Status is Configured but no alarm arrives | The camera cannot send to the internet, or detection is not active. | Check outbound internet access and DNS on the camera. Check that detection is switched on. Trigger a test event. |
"Local agent is offline. Start the agent before retrying." when you use Retry | Retry and Edit for a private device need the agent in the site network. | Start the agent on site, then use Retry from a browser on that computer. |
Manual settings
If the automatic setup of a device fails, you can enter the alarm e-mail settings on the device yourself.
Does the local agent have to stay installed? No. It is needed for setup, and again when you use Retry or Edit for a private device.
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