⭐ Gateway FAQ's

2. How many devices can be connected to the Gateway?

• The number of devices that can be connected at a given time depends on the resolution of the cameras connected and the network throughput. For 720p resolution 30-40 camera streams can be connected at the same time and if cameras are streaming at 4K at 3-4 Mbps then only 8 to 10 camera streams can be connected through a single gateway, and if cameras are streaming at 1 Mbps then 20-25 cameras can be pushed through. Typically the network throughput is the limiting factor in most installations.

3. Why the Gateway is needed?

• It is the easiest, fastest, most convenient, and safest way to connect any existing camera to the cloud. The Gateway allows a customer to bypass port forwarding to connect their cameras to the cloud through an encrypted secure tunnel ensuring maximum safety of the data and ease of integration. Also, if ISP changes your IP or randomly assigns your IP then, in that case, the Gateway will automatically connect with the Cloud and the User doesn't have to update the IP on the system every time.

4. How long does it take to set up?

• Technical setup personnel can be in and out of the installation location within 15-20 minutes if cameras are already installed. The gateway comes with pre-installed software and is ready to start discovering cameras just 2 minutes after it is powered on, all it needs is a stable internet connection and to be connected to the same local network as the cameras. Cameras are discovered automatically and are added to the gateway with a single mouse click. The gateway then will provide you with a unique registration code for every camera that was added. It is even possible to register the gateway in the admin portal as a camera using Gateway's own registration code and then complete the configure remotely using the "Generate URL" feature from the troubleshooting tab.

5.  What the tech will do?

• The tech will connect the gateway to the local network where cameras are and will access the gateway's web interface. From the web UI it is possible to discover all of the cameras which are on the same network and are ONVIF compliant. Next, the cameras which are to be added to the cloud have to be registered on the gateway using the plus button. Gateway will provide a registration code for each camera to be added through the admin portal to complete the camera integration process.
  
  
  
  

  6. Do Cameras need to be connected to the cloud as well?

  • The only requirement is that Gateway and Cameras are connected to the same network. Just basic configurations on the camera have to be completed, things like password, clock, image sensor settings, etc. Also if there is a firewall on the local network ensure that there are no security restrictions that can block the gateway to access the cameras on the local network and that the outbound traffic is allowed through port 443 for the gateway, all outbound and inbound traffic for cameras can be blocked if needed though not required.

   

  7. So, in practice can we add cameras from the USA to the Gateway in Canada?

  • Yes, but it will defeat the purpose of the gateway as it will require port forwarding for the cameras in the USA so in this case, it is much better to integrate cameras directly using the ONVIF option rather than routing traffic to the gateway first simply to have it rerouted to our servers again. 

   

  8. How does it discover the camera?

  • It uses the ONVIF protocol to discover cameras. Most ONVIF cameras should be discovered automatically. If the automatic camera discovery fails then there is a manual override to add a camera, though this does require that the technician know the IP address and the ports of the camera.

  ⚠️Note: In order to add a camera to the Gateway, it is important to ensure that the ONVIF user is enabled on the camera and the firewall should allow multicast traffic for the gateway. Without the ONVIF user being enabled, the camera cannot be added. Please make sure that the ONVIF user is enabled on the camera for it to be visible and accessible in the Discovery tab of Gateway.

  • To add more cameras manually press the Add Camera button and enter the local IP address and ports of your camera:
    
    
    

    9. Is there any memory capacity on the Gateway?

    • Currently, there is no storage on the gateway so there is no requirement for the memory, when the feature will be added the storage requirement will be dictated by the desired backup storage memory.
    
    

    10. Is there any analytics preprocessing on the Gateway?

    • No, there is no pre-processing done on the Gateway. Everything is done by the cloud server. Gateway only provides a secure encrypted tunnel of the data stream coming from the Camera to the Cloud. 
    
    

    11. So, nothing is happening on Gateway other than the discovery of cameras?

    • Besides camera discovery gateway creates a tunnel for the communication of the camera with the Cloud and encrypts all data streams to protect client information.
    
    

    12. Any reason the Gateway will stop working?

    • Yes, for many reasons the Gateway can stop working. Things like power grid failure, network failure, and water damage, to name a few, can cause the Gateway to stop working or to lose communication with the Cameras or the Cloud.
    
    

    13. How bad should it be for water damage?

    • Any amount of water can be enough as the Gateway is not water-resistant. So, it should be put in a dry space rather than exposed to the environment where water or moisture can come in contact with the Gateway.
    
    

    14. So, what is included in the Gateway box?

    • The Gateway Box includes the Gateway, 110V US style power supply, plus an additional USB power cable which can also be connected with any regular USB-powered charger capable to supply at least 2 Amps, and an SD card with Gateway OS pre-installed on it.
    
    

    15. Does the box include an instructions manual?

    • Yes, printed instructions manual along with technical support team contact details and a QR code which leads directly to the knowledge base page for any information or any support articles with in-depth information and how to's is provided with the gateway.
    
    

    16. What are the troubleshooting steps when the Gateway stops working?

    • The very first step is to do a power cycle i.e. unplugs and plugin again and restart.
    • If it still does not work then power off the gateway and remove the SD card from the back of the device and then reinsert the SD card and check if it is working.
    • If the issue still persists contact tech support.
    
    

    17. Is there any other feature of the Gateway?

    • The user can make a backup of their SD card so they can recover their camera information from the backup automatically and can use the backup in case the Gateway fails or can use it on a new gateway device.
    
    

    18. Can we access the Gateway remotely?

    • Yes, once the gateway is connected to the network and at least one camera is registered using the Gateway in the admin portal then it is accessible via the Admin Portal using the Generate URL from the Camera Troubleshooting Tab. 
    
    

    19. How does the gateway appear in the Admin Portal?

    • It appears as a regular camera, but this camera never works and is always offline as it is not a Camera but the Gateway Device. The user can generate the URL to access the WebUI from the Admin Panel to discover new cameras on the local network or to remove existing ones.