Replacing cameras

When a camera is old or broken, a replacement camera is often put at the same location: the same wall or ceiling, and the same video recording settings. So you may want continuity in your recording timeline, since both cameras will have provided surveillance for the same location.

Especially if you used provisioning, you also may want the new camera to reuse the same IP address and DHCP reservation. This simplifies administration because every store or branch office's network remains the same.

You can replace an existing camera. The result is that, after a repair, your deployment is the same as before, and recording timelines are not split.

Currently, this feature works with Fortinet FortiCam cameras. Third party ONVIF cameras are not supported.

1. On the DHCP server, increase the pool. You need enough IP addresses to give a temporary IP address to the new camera so that FortiRecorder can connect to it, until it replaces the old camera.

   If you use the build-in DHCP server on FortiRecorder, for details, see Configuring the built-in DHCP server.

2. Plug in the new camera.

   Similar to initial setup, the replacement camera must be able to reach the DHCP server. If the camera is on a remote network, see Discovering cameras in remote networks.

3. Go to Camera > Configuration > Camera.

4. Click Discover.

   Wait for the new camera to be discovered. It should appear at the end of the list. The camera's Status column indicates Not Configured.

5. Click the row to select the new camera.

   The Assign to button becomes available.

6. Click Assign to.

7. In Name, select the name of the old or broken camera that the new camera will replace.

8. Review the remaining settings. Camera settings vary by model, so if the new camera is a different model, then you may need to adjust settings:

   1. (Optional) Configuring video profiles
   2. (Optional) Configuring camera profiles
   3. Configuring cameras

9. Click OK.

   The new camera replaces the old or broken camera in the FortiRecorder configuration. The camera's Status column indicates Active if FortiRecorder succeeds at connecting to the new camera.

10. If you use a third-party DHCP server, then in the DHCP reservation, replace the old or broken camera's MAC address with the new camera.

    You may need to reboot the camera for it to start using the new DHCP reservation, or wait for the lease to expire.