Forwarding Ports

[RobRoy33]

I have an Amcrest Surveillance Wi Fi System and use Port Forwarding to configure my router for the cameras. What they say to do is write in the (Application Name) so I put in the camera's model# (Fill in the TCP port) # then (Fill in the UDP port)# Then it asks ware do you want to forward this Application to, the (Computer) or (Another Device on my Network) What thier telling me is (forward it to another divice) witch is the that camera's IP Address. Anyone know if this is rite? It seems like I'm forwarding the camera ports back to themselves instead of the router.      I dont know.  I have 6 cams going and when they get used to everything they go weeks without any problems.         RobRoy33

[Huffer]

You forward from an external port (on the router) to an internal port (on the device). Here is an example. I run a sftp server and here are the single port frowarding settings on my router:

Router settings

You can set "application name" to anything you want like camera model is OK. Then external port in my case corresponds to the port universally used by SFTP i.e. 22. That is set by the app you use to access the camera. In my case SFTP uses only TCP so I use "both" (routes all traffic to both TCP port 22 and UDP port 22 and the latter goes nowhere) but you have the option to also set a UDP port. The router senses data packets coming in. Part of the metadata on all packets in network traffic is the port like internet http is port 80. So anything coming in with port 22 in my setup is routed by the router only to static IP 192.168.1.41 (my SFTP server) and then the OS on the server is set to let traffic identified with port 22 only come into and out of the sftp server application. 

So the app you use for the camera has to have instructions to tell you what port(s) to use. A security camera is more complicated than an SFTP server, so you might have to point 3 or 4 ports, both TCP and UDP, to the IP address of the camera. Here is a web page from a security camera maker explaining it better than I can:

https://www.cctvcameraworld.com/port-forwarding-for-dvr-and-nvr/

Your device might use different port numbers. 

Post back with any more questions and please accept as solution if this is the info you needed. 

[BusterBodyCrab]

I have one more question Huffer? Is port forwarding to get the camera's to communicate better with my router or is it to only communicate with my phone better? I have all my camera's on my phone and they work pretty good. I've bin to busy to read up on this topic that you sent me so hang with me. I also changed my name to BusterBodyCrab.

           Thanks Again      BusterBodyCrab

[Huffer]

I can't understand how you could have any cameras available to view on your phone without setting up port forwarding. It's a necessary part of having access to the cameras from the internet whether on your phone or a computer. 

[BusterBodyCrab]

My camera's are not working so good today but that's normal on some days. Anyway I like trying things when I have time so I deleted all forwarded ports in my router and did a restart today and the camera's still come on using my phone. No kidding. BusterBodyCrab

[Huffer]

Then they must have software that just gives them a regular internet address. 

[BusterBodyCrab]

Hi Huffer. That's why I'm having such a time with this Wi Fi. Now that I deleted all the forwarded ports, my camera's are working way better then this morning. I did put all the cams on the DHCP Resurvation list in the router on the local network. Sorry I didn't get back sooner I'm doing a back up on one laptop and a restart on another. On my old one now. I got a brand new Pavillion I'm having problems with but that will be another time if I can't get it to work.

[Huffer]

We are probably not going to be much help with your security cameras. I doubt deleting port forwarding settings could make the cameras work better. I think probably your cameras are just using internet addresses for access. You would be better off to go to the support page for the manufacturer of the security cameras as the way you set them up varies quite a bit. 

[BusterBodyCrab]

Ya I think what I'm going to do is join the forum where the camera's are from and not waste anymore of your time but I thank you very much for all your help and I concider this case closed. Thanks Again Huffer.

          BusterBodyCrab and I'm out..