Asus-Merlin AC86u and AC68u - DLink IP Camera not visible

[Ratman]

Hi, wondered if anyone else is facing a problem with trying to add Dlink DCS-2670L to the network on AC86U or the AC68U. I've got both and have tried both Asus and Merlin firmware. When I use the DLink app to add the camera, under local mode it does not show any cameras. I was able to add it when I first had my AC68U and the cameras were visible in Local mode. I can't remember which firmware it was. Since upgrading to the 384.6 Merlin I then lost Local view. The same with the AC86u.

I tried going back a few firmware versions and also tried Asus firmware but still no luck. Weirdly enough, on the AC68U running latest merlin firmware 384.6, I can now go a little further (i.e. camera recognised during setup process, but later on stops and says 'timeout error').

I raised several tickets with DLink and they even replaced my camera but still no luck. They even tried at their end to replicate the issue but they'd not come across this problem. It works fine for them.

I then tried tethering on my phone and connecting the DLink Camera to it, as well as a second iPhone (the one used to run the Dlink setup app), and it worked immediately. Camera connects and sets up within seconds and I can see the cameras in Local view mode as well as remote view mode. This leads me to believe that the issue is with the router and perhaps something that I've not configured correctly or a bug.

On the AC86U, I've tried enabling UPNP (even changed internal to start from 1 and go to 65535), I switched off firewall, I disabled AIProtection completely, I even fiddled around with the NAT passthrough features. Nothing seems to work. Somehow the router seems to be blocking the cameras.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[M@rco]

I don't have any D-Link cameras, so I can't speak from my own experience with that specific brand. Having said that, I do own several other brands and in my experience they (at least, the ones I own) have an AP-function which is used for setting it up. When reading your post, it looks like your perfectly able to directly connect to the built-in AP, but have you configured it to join your local network (as described here)?

EDIT: Oh, and you might consider editing the subject of your post

 

[skeal]

Hi, wondered if anyone else is facing a problem with trying to add Dlink DCS-2670L to the network on AC86U or the AC68U. I've got both and have tried both Asus and Merlin firmware. When I use the DLink app to add the camera, under local mode it does not show any cameras. I was able to add it when I first had my AC68U and the cameras were visible in Local mode. I can't remember which firmware it was. Since upgrading to the 384.6 Merlin I then lost Local view. The same with the AC86u.

I tried going back a few firmware versions and also tried Asus firmware but still no luck. Weirdly enough, on the AC68U running latest merlin firmware 384.6, I can now go a little further (i.e. camera recognised during setup process, but later on stops and says 'timeout error').

I raised several tickets with DLink and they even replaced my camera but still no luck. They even tried at their end to replicate the issue but they'd not come across this problem. It works fine for them.

I then tried tethering on my phone and connecting the DLink Camera to it, as well as a second iPhone (the one used to run the Dlink setup app), and it worked immediately. Camera connects and sets up within seconds and I can see the cameras in Local view mode as well as remote view mode. This leads me to believe that the issue is with the router and perhaps something that I've not configured correctly or a bug.

On the AC86U, I've tried enabling UPNP (even changed internal to start from 1 and go to 65535), I switched off firewall, I disabled AIProtection completely, I even fiddled around with the NAT passthrough features. Nothing seems to work. Somehow the router seems to be blocking the cameras.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Further the above post. I have two dlink cameras and it was recommended to me to connect to my router via ethernet first and then once the access is figured out you can enable and configure local wifi access.

 

[Ratman]

Further the above post. I have two dlink cameras and it was recommended to me to connect to my router via ethernet first and then once the access is figured out you can enable and configure local wifi access.

I tried connecting using Ethernet as well. Still get the same problem. In fact, once I got it recognised over tethered connection to phone (WiFi), I then logged into the camera browser and configured it to connect over LAN. Then connected the camera to an Ethernet Port on the AC86u.

I will try on a friend’s sky or virgin router to make sure that it isn’t asus giving me this problem.

 

[Ratman]

I don't have any D-Link cameras, so I can't speak from my own experience with that specific brand. Having said that, I do own several other brands and in my experience they (at least, the ones I own) have an AP-function which is used for setting it up. When reading your post, it looks like your perfectly able to directly connect to the built-in AP, but have you configured it to join your local network (as described here)?

EDIT: Oh, and you might consider editing the subject of your post

The camera supports Bluetooth connection, and so I connect over Bluetooth using the D-Link app, and then configure the camera to connect to my router over 2.4ghz Wi-Fi. I can also connect the camera to Ethernet port directly and try to setup via the app through Ethernet connection. The Ethernet mode doesn’t work at all. The WiFi mode goes as far as connecting the camera to the WiFi but then stops going further. The problem with D-Link is that the only way to add the camera to the MyDlink cloud account (for remote access) is via the app and only once the app recognised and adds the camera to the local view mode (which it doesn’t do). This whole process works fine when I get the camera to connect to an iphone’s personal hotspot. But fails every time I try the same on the WiFi router.

 

[xulian]

I got one and managed it to link properly to my RT-AC87u thru mydlink-lite App. however I'm unable to access it from my lan devices thru their dns name, only by IP.

I know, this is not your problem but it is my experience. Also have other dcs-8200lh that goes thru the new mydlinkHome and works fine. That one is accesible by its dns name.

If you wanna me to make any test for you just let me know.

 

[Ratman]

I got one and managed it to link properly to my RT-AC87u thru mydlink-lite App. however I'm unable to access it from my lan devices thru their dns name, only by IP.

I know, this is not your problem but it is my experience. Also have other dcs-8200lh that goes thru the new mydlinkHome and works fine. That one is accesible by its dns name.

If you wanna me to make any test for you just let me know.

Thanks Xulian. That’s very interesting. Are you using Merlin firmware? Also, did you enable UPNP or changed any settings for NAT passthrough or firewall rules?

 

[xulian]

Thanks Xulian. That’s very interesting. Are you using Merlin firmware? Also, did you enable UPNP or changed any settings for NAT passthrough or firewall rules?

UPNP -- disabled (but tested it also ON and no visible change)
NAT -- default values
FW -- not one related to the camera, only bittorrent and plex ports being forwarded.

Merlin firmware, v384.5

 

[Ratman]

Thanks for checking, Xulian. I’m going to try and downgrade to v384.5 and see what happens. Will post an update after.

 

[Ratman]

Problem fixed on my AC68u by downgrading to v384.5. Thanks for sharing info Xulian. I’ve not downgraded the AC86u yet since I’ve configured so much on there. I’ll back everything up before downgrading on this router and hopefully it should just work since it worked immediately on the AC68u after I downgraded to v384.5.

 

[xulian]

Problem fixed on my AC68u by downgrading to v384.5.

Nice to know ... are you able to access camera web page using its name?

 

[Ratman]

Nice to know ... are you able to access camera web page using its name?

Just tried it. Seems to only work with IP address.

Also, I downgraded the AC86u to v384.5 (from v384.6) and the cameras only show up in the app if I run the app as soon as the router reboots and is ready for connection. It stays like this for about 5 mins or less. After that time the cameras disappear from the app’s local view. If I reboot the router again, then run the app as soon as the router is ready, then once again I can view the cameras in the app for about 5 mins. Not sure what’s going on. Tried the 384.4 firmware too and does the same thing as 384.5.

 

[Ratman]

Just tried it. Seems to only work with IP address.

Also, I downgraded the AC86u to v384.5 (from v384.6) and the cameras only show up in the app if I run the app as soon as the router reboots and is ready for connection. It stays like this for about 5 mins or less. After that time the cameras disappear from the app’s local view. If I reboot the router again, then run the app as soon as the router is ready, then once again I can view the cameras in the app for about 5 mins. Not sure what’s going on. Tried the 384.4 firmware too and does the same thing as 384.5.

Attached images are of the view I get in the app. 1st image shows the cameras as I run the app as soon as router reboots and is ready.

Second image shows what I get after the router has been running for about 5 mins or less.

 

[Ratman]

Have now just finished testing Merlin v384.6 on the AC86u. After a reboot you only have a few seconds to run the app and you can then see the cameras in local view, however if you click to view the camera live, it says “connection timed out” (something that did not happen on the 384.5 after reboot). After about another 30 seconds or less, the cameras disappear from local view whereas on the 384.5 the cameras remain in local view and accessible for about 5 mins or slightly less.

The AC68u, on the other hand, is quite stable on Merlin 384.5. The cameras remain in local view. I’ve not tested to see if they remain indefinitely though.

 

[xulian]

Just tried it. Seems to only work with IP address.

Aha... thanks for the confirmation. Will check with support to see if it can be fixed. Unsure if this has relation with not being visible in higher versions of Merlin

Regarding the issue with the App in my case (RT-AC87U and firmware 384.5) local tab is not very stable (I can see cameras but many times they are not accesible from there. In the other hand, I have no problem opening them from remote even being at home)

 

[ryannathans]

I too am having difficulties accessing or pinging devices (by ip) on my local network after upgrading to 384.6, I plan on trying 384.7 alpha 2 today

Desktop (wifi) <-> phone = no
Desktop (wifi) <-> ip cam (wifi) = no
Desktop (wifi) <-> chromecast ultra = no

laptop <-> ip cam (wifi) = no

phone <-> ip cam (wifi) = yes
phone <-> chromecast ultra = yes

Although I am using the RT-AC5300

 

[Ratman]

I too am having difficulties accessing or pinging devices (by ip) on my local network after upgrading to 384.6, I plan on trying 384.7 alpha 2 today

Desktop (wifi) <-> phone = no
Desktop (wifi) <-> ip cam (wifi) = no
Desktop (wifi) <-> chromecast ultra = no

laptop <-> ip cam (wifi) = no

phone <-> ip cam (wifi) = yes
phone <-> chromecast ultra = yes

Although I am using the RT-AC5300

Have you tried rebooting your router and accessing / pinging your devices within a few minutes after the router is up and ready? I wonder if during the startup process there is some kind of process within the firmware that eventually runs and blocks access to local devices.

 

[ryannathans]

Have you tried rebooting your router and accessing / pinging your devices within a few minutes after the router is up and ready? I wonder if during the startup process there is some kind of process within the firmware that eventually runs and blocks access to local devices.

I will try this now

I just discovered this though: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/r...verting-to-20mhz-bandwidth.48500/#post-427744

 

[ryannathans]

Yep, it works pinging the device whilst the router boots and connects but the test is flawed because the device I was pinging just happened to connect to the same 5G band as the device I was pinging it from so it worked. (pinging from one 5G band to another seems to not work for me, but pinging 2.4 or LAN works)

Pinging other devices does NOT work within a few minutes of boot - perhaps we have separate problems?

Strangely I have a second device that does not exhibit this problem and can happily ping across bands

 

[xulian]

Have now just finished testing Merlin v384.6 on the AC86u.

Hi @Ratman have you had any progress with your problem with AC86u and 384.6 firmware?

thanks