Dahua on iPhone: RTSP Setup for Dahua, Amcrest, Lorex and Imou

Dahua RTSP addresses

The query string is part of the address: keep ?, channel=, & and subtype= exactly as shown. Port 37777, which Dahua's own apps use, is Dahua's private protocol, not RTSP; other apps need 554.

ONVIF on Dahua cameras

Dahua cameras support ONVIF, and IP Camera Viewer recognises them when it scans. ONVIF settings are in the web page under Setting → Network → Access Platform (Platform Access on some firmware), with an option to require ONVIF authentication. On some firmware the account you log in with also needs ONVIF permission under System → Account. As with every brand, a camera with the wrong date and time refuses ONVIF logins, so let it sync with NTP.

Locked out after wrong passwords

Dahua cameras and recorders lock an account after a handful of failed logins and keep it locked for a while, often half an hour. Any app retrying an old password, including a forgotten phone or tablet, can keep a camera locked. When every password is refused, stop all apps that use the camera, wait, then try once with the correct password. IP Camera Viewer warns about this lockout when a test connection to a Dahua, Lorex or NVR login fails.

Amcrest, Lorex and Imou

Amcrest

Amcrest IP cameras are Dahua hardware with Amcrest firmware, so the address is identical: /cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0. Current firmware has no default password and makes you set one at first login; use admin and that password. ONVIF is enabled out of the box, so Amcrest cameras usually appear straight away in a scan. The app's Amcrest preset fills in the path.

Lorex

Many Lorex IP cameras and NVRs from recent years are Dahua-built and use the same address, including channel= for each camera on an NVR. Lorex also sells systems built on other platforms, and some Wi-Fi models have no local stream. If the Dahua address is refused, scan for the recorder with ONVIF, or check the model's documentation for RTSP support. Lorex recorders lock out after failed logins just as Dahua's do.

Imou

Imou is Dahua's consumer brand and uses the same cam/realmonitor address. The username is admin. On older models the password is the safety code printed on the label; on newer ones it is the device password you set in the Imou Life app. Some models keep local streaming off until it is enabled in the device settings in Imou Life, so check there if the camera refuses every connection.

Troubleshooting

• Stream Not Found: a typo in the query string, or the wrong channel number on an NVR.
• Authentication Failed on the right password: the account is locked; wait it out. On scanned cameras, also check ONVIF permission and the camera's clock.
• Picture breaks up: turn off Smart Codec (H.264+ / H.265+) in the camera's video settings, or switch to the sub-stream.
• Works at home but not on mobile data: connect through a VPN; Dahua's P2P cloud only works inside Dahua's own apps.