When the status of a device is Configured, Configured manually or Quiet, the settings are on the device but no alarms arrive. Go through the checks on this page. It is part of Not Receiving Alarms, where you also find the guide for your brand.
The settings are on the device. Now the device itself must detect and send. Allow 10 to 15 minutes after setup, then go through these checks. The exact menus are in the guide for your brand.
Watch:
# | Check | How | If it is wrong |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Trigger a real test. | Walk through the picture of the camera, inside the detection area. | Without movement there is no alarm. |
2 | Detection is switched on. |
On the device: motion detection or the analytics rule is enabled for this camera.
Switch it on. GC Surge adds the e-mail action to a detection. It does not switch a detection on for you. |
3 | Detection has an area and enough sensitivity. | On the device: the area covers the scene, the sensitivity is not at the lowest value. | Draw the area. Raise the sensitivity. |
4 | Detection is armed now. | On the device: the arming schedule includes the current day and hour. | Set the schedule, for example all day. |
5 | The detection sends an e-mail. | On the device: the action "send e-mail" is ticked for this detection. | Tick it and save, or use Retry in GC Surge to write the settings again. |
6 | The e-mail carries a picture. | On the device: "attach image" or "snapshot" is ticked. | Tick it. An alarm without pictures cannot be checked. |
7 | The e-mail settings are the ones of this device. | In GC Surge: device Actions > Setup details. Compare Host, Port, Username, Encryption, To email and From email with the device, character by character. | Use Retry to write them again, or correct them by hand. |
8 | The e-mail test of the device works. | On the device: the test button of the e-mail settings. | See the next table. |
9 | The device time is right. | On the device: date, time and time zone. | Set the time or switch on time synchronisation (NTP). A wrong date can make the secure connection fail. |
If the e-mail test of the device fails:
What the device says | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
The server cannot be found, or a name error | No DNS server on the device. | Enter a DNS server in the network settings, for example the one of your router. |
No connection, or a time-out | The device has no gateway, or the site firewall blocks the outbound port. | Enter the gateway. Allow outbound connections from the device to the Port shown in Setup details. |
Login or authentication failed | The user name or password on the device is not the one from Setup details. | Copy both again with the copy buttons. Use Retry to write them again. |
Secure connection or TLS error | Wrong encryption type, wrong date on the device, or old firmware. | Choose the encryption shown in Setup details. With port 587 this is TLS, on some devices named STARTTLS. Correct the date. Update the firmware. |
The test works, but no alarm arrives | The test only checks the server. The detection does not send. | Go back to checks 2 to 6. |
Private cameras
After the on-site step the local agent is no longer needed. The camera sends its alarms itself. So a private camera needs the same as a public one: outbound internet access, a gateway and a DNS server. Many camera networks are closed to the internet. Ask the network administrator of the site to allow the camera to send out on the Port shown in Setup details.
Devices you configure yourself
Method | Check |
|---|---|
REST API | The request goes to the Events URL, carries the API key, and contains the Device ID exactly as shown. The answer is 202. Send pictures with every alarm. |
Email (SMTP) | All values are the ones from Setup details. The e-mail has a picture attached. |
FTP | Host, port, user name and password are the ones from Setup details. Outbound FTP is allowed on the site firewall. Try passive mode. |
Each device has its own values. If you copied the values of another device, the alarms arrive under that other device.
The device worked and then stopped. Something changed.
Check | Typical cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
Is this expected? | The site is closed, or nothing moved in front of the camera. | Nothing. Trigger a test alarm if you want to be sure. |
Is the device online? | Power cut, cable, switch, or the device was restarted and did not come back. | Open the web page of the device. Restore power or network. |
Does the site have internet? | The line is down, or the firewall or router was changed. Several devices of the site are Quiet at the same time. | Check the internet connection and the outbound rules of the site. |
Was the device changed? | A firmware update, a factory reset or a replacement removed the settings. | Retry writes the settings again. For a replaced device with another address, use Edit. |
Was the password changed on the device? | Retry fails with a credentials message. | Edit, enter the new password, Save and retry. |
Was the detection changed? | The schedule ended, the area was removed, or the detection was switched off. | Checks 2 to 6 in Status: Configured, but No Alarm Arrives above. |
Is the lens blocked or the picture black? | Dirt, a failed infrared light, a moved camera. | Look at the live picture on the web page of the camera or on your recorder. |
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