Adding Cameras to IC Secure Desktop
IC Secure (Desktop) supports up to 256 cameras per system. This article explains how to discover cameras, add cameras manually, import cameras in batches, configure camera settings, and verify camera connections.
Auto-Discovery
IC Secure can discover compatible cameras on the local network.
To add cameras using auto-discovery:
- Go to Settings > Camera from the main toolbar.
- Click Add Camera
- Wait for IC Secure to scan the network.
- Review the discovered device list and select the cameras you want to add.
- Click Add.
- Enter the camera username and password when prompted. If the selected cameras use the same credentials, select Apply to All.
- Click OK.
The cameras appear in the camera tree and begin streaming after they are added successfully.
Note: Auto-discovery uses supported discovery protocols, such as ONVIF or UPnP. Cameras on different subnets may not appear in the scan. Use manual entry for cameras that are not discovered automatically.
Manual IP Entry
Use manual entry for cameras that are not discovered automatically, such as cameras on a different subnet or cameras behind a router.
To add a camera manually:
- Go to Settings > Camera
- Click Add Camera or the + button.
- Enter the camera details.
- See below table for field descriptions
- Click Add.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive name for the camera, such as Front Door or Parking Lot North. |
| IP Address | The camera IP address on the network. |
| Port | The camera communication port. |
| Protocol | The connection protocol, such as ONVIF, RTSP, or a manufacturer-specific protocol. |
| Username / Password | The camera login credentials. |
Camera Settings
After a camera is added, its settings can be reviewed from the Cameras page.
To open camera settings:
- Click Settings in the top navigation bar.
- Select Cameras from menu.
- Select a camera from the device list.
The camera settings page displays the selected camera’s connection and configuration options. Available sections may include Basic, Video, Image, Motion detection, and Multicast.
| Section | What You Configure |
|---|---|
| Basic | Camera name, IP address, port, brand, protocol, username, password, and MAC address. |
| Video | Video stream settings for the selected camera. |
| Image | Camera image settings. |
| Motion detection | Motion detection settings for the selected camera. |
| Multicast | Multicast configuration when supported. |
A live preview appears on the right side of the page when the selected camera is connected.
Stream Configuration
Stream settings are configured from the Video section of the camera settings page.
To open stream settings:
- Click Settings in the top navigation bar.
- Select Cameras.
- Select the camera you want to configure.
- Open the Video section.
The Video section displays video quality settings for each available stream.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | The video codec used by the stream, such as H.264. |
| Frame Size | The stream resolution. |
| Maximum Frame Rate | The maximum frames per second used by the stream. |
| Intra Frame Period | The interval between intra frames/keyframes. |
| Video Quality | The bitrate mode, such as constant bitrate. |
| Target Bit Rate | The target bitrate used by the stream. |
| Policy | The stream quality policy, such as image quality priority. |
| Smart Stream II | Includes options such as Dynamic Intra Frame Period and Smart Codec when supported. |
IC Secure may show separate settings for Stream 1 and Stream 2. Stream 1 is typically used for higher-quality viewing or recording, while Stream 2 is typically used for lower-bandwidth viewing or multi-camera layouts.
After changing stream settings, click Apply to save the changes.
Verifying Camera Connections
After cameras are added, verify that they appear correctly in the device list and live view.
In the camera tree, connected cameras show a red status indicator next to the camera icon. Offline or unavailable cameras use a different status icon to indicate they are not currently connected.
To confirm a camera is working:
- Open Live View.
- Drag the camera into the live view grid, or double-click the camera from the device list.
- Confirm the live video stream loads.
- If the camera does not load, return to Settings > Cameras and confirm the IP address, port, protocol, username, and password.
- If the camera still does not connect, confirm the camera is powered on and reachable on the network.
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