Turn your Network Attached Storage device into a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) with the NetCamPro NAS Setup.NetCamPro cameras are compatible with all major NAS manufacturers like QNAP, Synology, Netgear, Buffalo,D-Link, and more.
NetCamPro cameras offer two ways of sending and writing images and videos to a NAS. Windows Fileshare (Samba) and FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Unless needed for a particular application we recommend using Windows Fileshare (Samba) over FTP.
In order to setup your camera you will need to configure your NAS with a user account and a writable share. Please consult the documentation of your NAS on how to create user accounts and writable shares.
Overview: Samba vs FTP
| Windows Fileshare (Samba) | FTP (File Transfer Protocol) | |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity | Only works on local network | Works locally and across the Internet |
| Storage Management | Camera manages cyclic storage | No storage management capabilities |
| Media Access | NetCamProLive app (locally and over the Internet) | Requires FTP client or a built-in file manager on the NAS |
| Network Outage | No backup capability | Store and forward capability |
Configure Windows Fileshare (Samba)
Windows Fileshare (Samba) only works with the camera being on the same local network as the NAS. Choosing this way of connecting enables the camera to use the NAS just like an SD card. Similar to using an SD card, the camera can retrieve images and videos from the NAS when being requested by the NetCamProLive app. In case of a local network connectivity outage to the NAS, recorded media will be irretrievably lost.
- Log in to your camera’s Internal Administration Website
- On the right hand side, go to Storage, then Storage Setup
- Under Store to choose NAS
- Enter the NAS remote path
- Change Authorization to Yes
- Enter User name and the Password
- Choose a name for the Store Directory (default: IPCAMERA)
- Set values for Max Space and Max files
- Click Apply
By default the camera only records motion activated videos to the NAS.
Configure sending of motion activated images:
- Go to Task, then Task Management.
- Configure and enable task 7 Snapshot to storage on alarm.
- Apply changes
Configure FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
FTP allows sending across networks that can be located anywhere on the Internet. FTP does not posses storage management capabilities which means if not manged properly, FTP shares, once filled up, will stop receiving files from the camera. Accessing files that were sent using FTP requires an FTP client or the internal NAS file manager. Other retrieval options include dedicated Windows or Linux FTP servers that have custom file access built around them.
Since in most cases FTP is going over the Internet, it has to be more robust against outages. Cameras that are equipped with an SD card will store all files in case of a network outage until the outage is over. At this point, the camera will forward the stored media to the remote FTP server (store and forward).
- Log in to you camera’s Internal Administration Website
- Go to Settings, then go to Task Management
- Click on item 11, Send files in storage to FTP server
- Enter the FTP server name (FQDN or IP address)
- Enter the FTP server port (default 21)
- Set Authentication to Yes
- Enter your FTP User name
- Enter the Password twice
- Specify the Remote Path (use a forward slash for FTP root directory)
- Apply and go Back
- Check task 11 to enable Send files in storage to FTP server
- Apply to save your changes.
With tasks 9 and 11 enabled, the camera will only send motion activated videos to the FTP server. Additionally turn on and configure task 7 Snapshot to storage on alarm to enable sending of motion activated images to the FTP server as well.
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