Before you add a device, check what you need and which way of adding it fits your device.
Have this ready for each device:
You need | Why |
|---|---|
The device IP address or hostname and the HTTP/S port | GC Surge or the local agent connects to the device to write the alarm settings. |
A device user name and password with rights to change settings | Without admin rights on the device the alarm settings cannot be written. |
The device brand | GC Surge uses the brand to apply the right settings. |
To know if the device is reachable from the internet | This decides the path: public camera or private camera. |
Internet access from the device to the outside | The device sends its alarms to GC Surge itself. |
Your situation | Use | Section |
|---|---|---|
The device has a public IP, a DDNS (dynamic DNS) name or forwarded ports, and its brand is on the list | Public camera | |
The device is in a LAN or behind a VPN, and its brand is on the list | Private camera with the local agent | |
The brand is not on the list, but the device can send alarms by REST API, e-mail or FTP | Device sends to us |
The brands that GC Surge sets up for you are Axis, Dahua, HikVision and NxWitness. Each has its own guide for checking the device: Hikvision, Dahua, Axis and Nx Witness.
If a device is stuck and sends no alarms, use Not Receiving Alarms.
Both ways open the same form, Device details, in a window with two steps. A diagram at the top shows your devices and the GC Surge cloud.
Step 1: Open Sites & Cameras.
Step 2: Choose where to start:
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 Device details:
Device name, Device IP or hostname, Device brand, HTTP/S port (with the option HTTPS (secure)), Username and Password. Use case is detected automatically from the IP, port and brand. Contact information (contact person, e-mail, phone) is optional for a public device.
Step 4: GC Surge checks the address and the port while you type. The result decides the path:
Public IP: the device answers from the internet. Continue in Public Camera Setup.
Private/VPN Site: the message Port not reachable — site connects via private/VPN. appears and the section Who installs the local agent? opens. Continue in Private Camera Setup (Local Agent).
Step 5: Click Add device. If you started with a new site, the button is Add site & device.
Do I need to open ports on the site firewall? For a public camera, the device must be reachable on its HTTP/S port during setup. For a private camera, no inbound port is needed. In all cases the device must be able to send data to the internet.
Thank you — your feedback goes to the team that owns this page.
