How to check, on a Dahua camera or recorder, 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.
Dahua devices have an older web interface (menu Setting at the top) and a newer one (tiles on a start page). Both are named below. Names differ a little between firmware 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 (SMTP) settings onto the device. | The device user you entered in GC Surge is an administrator. |
Adds the e-mail action to the detection of the device. | The detection is switched on, has an area and a period (schedule). |
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 | Usually "admin". |
The values from GC Surge | In GC Surge: Sites & Cameras, expand the site, then the device Actions > Setup details. |
Watch:
Step 1: Sign in to the web interface of the device.
Step 2: Open the e-mail settings:
Step 3: Compare each field with Setup details in GC Surge.
Field on the device | Must be |
|---|---|
Enable | Ticked |
SMTP Server | Host from Setup details |
Port | Port |
Anonymous | Not ticked |
Username | Username |
Password | Password (use the show and copy buttons in Setup details) |
Sender | From email |
Authentication or Encryption | The value of Encryption. For "tls" with port 587 choose TLS. |
Attachment | Ticked |
Mail Receiver | To email. Type it and click + so that it is in the list. |
Interval | 0, or as short as the device allows. A long interval holds alarms back. |
Step 4: Click Test (on some devices Email Test). The device must report success.
Step 5: Click Save or Apply.
Do this for every camera that should send alarms. On a recorder, choose the Channel first.
Motion detection
Smart detection (if you use it)
Symptom | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
GC Surge shows Setup failed at Device credentials | Wrong password, or the account is locked after wrong attempts. | Wait for the lock to end or restart the device. In GC Surge: Edit, correct the credentials, Save and retry. |
GC Surge shows Setup failed at Camera reachable or Loading device settings | Wrong port, or HTTP and HTTPS mixed up. | Use the port of the web interface (80 or 443), not the TCP port 37777. Set HTTPS (secure) in GC Surge to match. |
GC Surge shows Setup failed at Writing alarm e-mail settings | The user has no right to change the network settings, or the firmware is very old. | Use an administrator account. Update the firmware. Or enter the settings by hand (Check the E-mail Settings). |
Test fails | No DNS server or gateway, a blocked outbound port, wrong user name or password, or the wrong encryption type. | See Check That the Device Can Send Out. Allow outbound connections to the Port from Setup details. Copy user name and password again. Choose TLS for port 587. |
Test works, but no alarm arrives | The detection does not send, or the receiver is not in the list. | In Check the Detection and Its E-mail Action, check: Enable, Period, Area, Send Email. In the e-mail settings, check that To email is in the Mail Receiver list. |
Alarms arrive late or in groups | Interval in the e-mail settings is high. | Set it to 0 or to the lowest value. |
Alarms arrive without pictures | Attachment or Snapshot is not ticked. | Tick Attachment in the e-mail settings and Snapshot in the detection. |
Smart rules do not trigger | The Smart Plan is not switched on for this camera. | Switch on the plan, then check the rule. |
Only some cameras of a recorder send alarms | The detection or Send Email is missing on the other channels. | Repeat Check the Detection and Its E-mail Action for each channel. Then use Retry in GC Surge. |
Alarms stopped after a firmware update or a reset | The settings were removed. | Retry in GC Surge writes them again. Then check Check the Detection and Its E-mail Action. |
If the automatic setup does not work on your device:
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