Static ip for cameras

[Anderson7]

I have a Verizon Quantum router.

Because the wifi is weak in parts of the house, I have an ASUS ACRH13 router in another room attached by ethernet cable to it. The ASUS is set as an AP.

Part of my home WLAN includes some ip 2.4 security cameras that go directly to a cam viewer app (not calling outside the home). To ensure continuous connection, I went into the verizon router Advanced Tab/IP Address Distribution/Connection List and set the camera ip addresses to static. I also gave them names to help me remember them.

Just now, the cameras stopped working and I discovered that was because their IPs had changed! Maybe when I rebooted the Verizon or ASUS router but I'm not sure.

So I went back to verizon router Advanced Tab/IP Address Distribution/Connection List. The static addresses were still there and marked as "static" but the cameras now had new IPs they are currently connected to!!! The old IPs no longer work in the camera app. The new IPs were also present in the ASUS connection list but the old static IPs were not there.

I don't understand what I am doing wrong. How do I prevent this from happening? I think the ASUS router is assigning new IPs (even though it is an AP) but I am not sure how to make them static there too.

I "think" I need to

1. In the Verizon router, delete the old static IPs

2. In the Verizon router, mae the new camera IPs static

3. In the ASUS router make the new current camera IPs static

But I'm no good at networks so I may be missing something here. And it is very frustrating.

Help appreciated.

[Anderson7]

Additional information:

I set the IP address to being static by selecting the entry in the distribution list and clicking on Edit and then selecting static. Maybe that is not the correct way to do it?

Also, one of the cameras currently connected, does not have its ip address appear in the Verizon distribution list, which I really don't understand.

[Edg1]

If the Asus is in AP mode then it definitely shouldn’t be giving out IPs. The DHCP should be disabled. I would make note of the old static IPs and MACs and hard reset the router for 15 seconds and re-configure everything.

To set up static IPs try going to the “Advanced” tab. Then under Routing click “IP Address Distribution”. Click the red box that says “Connection List”. Go to the bottom of that page and you will see another red box that says “Add static connection +”

[Anderson7]

Thank you (instead of kudos which my browser won't let me do).

I will do as you say tomorrow.

Your help is much appreciated.

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[Anderson7]

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@Edg1 wrote:

If the Asus is in AP mode then it definitely shouldn’t be giving out IPs. The DHCP should be disabled. I would make note of the old static IPs and MACs and hard reset the router for 15 seconds and re-configure everything.

Just so I don't screw things up out of stupid ignorance, here is what I've done in preparation for tomorrow:

• I copy/pasted the old static IPs and MACs to a "Notebook" text file so they are accurate when I copy paste them back tomorrow.
• I believe the ASUS is in AP mode. (Don't know what "Parent" AP mode means). Is it in the correct AP mode?
  "Parent" AP mode

• Here is (I think) the appropriate DHCP setting page in the ASUS. Is the ASUS DHCP correctly disabled? If not, what should I change?
  

  ASUS setting

• Finally, how exactly do I reset the router for 15 secs. (I presume you mean the Verizon router).
  
  Thank you so much again! Networks and their termnology just get me all confused.

[Anderson7]

Or maybe this is the appropriate DHCP setting page. Is its DHCP turned off?

ASUS DHCP setting page?

[Anderson7]

If "yes" button is selected (which is not clear on that screenshot) does this mean the Asus ruter is broadcasting its own IPs or merely transferring what the Verizon router is sending it? The instructions logic and network terminology is not clear to me.

That may be my core problem: both routers are sending IPs even though the ASUS router is set to AP.

[Edg1]

Here is the Asus page for setting AP mode. It says if in AP mode DHCH will be turned off. 

[Wireless] [Administration] How to set up operation mode- Access Point(AP) mode? | Official Support | ASUS USA
https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1015009/

[Anderson7]

This is getting really frustrating. On my Verizon "quantum" Actiontec router, when I set static IPs for devices, they only stay "static" for a short time, then they revert to DHCP. The listing in the router continues to show the previously set static IP as still static, but that IP no longer connects and there is now a new working IP generated by the router for that same device whose mac has not changed.

Is this a known bug?

Can it be worked around?

I have the latest router firmware update. Do I need a new router?

[Edg1]

I guess it is possible. Are you on MoCA or Ethernet? Sorry if you already mentioned it. You could try putting your Asus as the primary router and configuring G1100 as a MoCA adapter if you have TV. 

[Anderson7]

The verizon router is on coax Then there is an ethernet cable between the Verizon router and the Asus router which is set as an Access Point.

Thanks for replying and Happy New Year.

[Anderson7]

I do not own a MoCA box. Just the cable between the Verizon router and the Asus router.

I talked to Verizon tech support and they tell me this Actiontec router will not provide static IPs (despite it's setting page....) until I purchase a Verizon business connection which I don't want to do.

Is what you describe (reversing the router arrangement) a workable option to get static IPs from the ASUS router or am I up the creek without a paddle unless I drop FIOS? If yes, how do I do that?

[Edg1]

I think the rep you talked to is confusing a static WAN IP and LAN IP.

[Anderson7]

That's what I thought too, but there was no arguing with her.....

[Edg1]

Yeah unfortunately the phone tech support is very limited. Other than what color lights the router should have and rebooting, they  aren't going to known alot of advanced stuff like static IPs.

I would try seeing if the DVR system can have a static LAN configuration. The only reason I say that is because my NAS harddrive and printer and set with static IPs and they never change IPs. I also didn't have any static routes configured in the router. 

[Edg1]

It almost seems  like the SON upgrade has caused this bug. How long does it take from once you click Static IP until it pulls a different IP. 

Can you also put the static IP info into the device's settings too? Most client's network settings allow you to select DHCP or Static  IP.

[Anderson7]

I think you are correct. The SON upgrade did something because I was happy with things for a while before that.

The static IP now changes in a matter of hours, maybe 6-10hrs. Impossible to deal with.

I'm using this excellent app I've used for years (IP cam Viewer) on android devices

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rcreations.WebCamViewerPaid

to to monitor cameras directly without passing to the camera manufacturers' home base.

Each camera emits a continuous image via the router on whatever IP the router assigns it. The app receives the image directly from the camera on whatever IP is set for that camera in the app.

This has worked for multiple years. The problem is that now the router keeps changing the IPs for the cameras so the mnonitoring app can no longer connect the cameras and they intermittently go out in turn. I have to determine the new IP and set that into the app.

Can the son upgrade be reversed? Should I give up on FIOS and its routers?

[Edg1]

Unfortunately Verizon pushes their router upgrades so there isn't anyway to go back to old firmware. I wouldn't give up on FiOS. I would consider get an ethernet WAN connection and using your own router. 

[Anderson7]

I really get lost when dealing with Networks and routers. They just confuse me.

So please explain what you are suggesting I do to "I would consider get an ethernet WAN connection and using your own router". Not sure what that means. I already have an AC1300 ASUS router and would consider getting a different one if necessary. What setup are you suggesting and how do I do it specifically.

It's New Year's day so I understand if you would rather reply tomorrow. I just need to get this going and working correctly after having wasted so much time with it.

[Edg1]

I meant if you to switch your connection from the ONT to ethernet, instead of coax. This way you can use your own router instead of the G1100. 
I still think that if you were to get into the camera system’s user interface then you would be able to assign static IPs. I would looking into this before going the ethernet from ONT route. 
By the way, what camera system are you using?

[Anderson7]

It's an old ip camera system that Zmodo used to but no longer makes. All the cameras Zmodo now sells are made (like most cameras sold today) to transmit images to Zmodo (or other home base) which you can then view in their app. You cannot access the cameras directly via their individual IP addresses on a separate app that does not use them as an intermediary. For me that makes 'security' a meaningless word! They're watching everything from your cameras even before you do! (Just like all these video doorbells sold today).

They do it so they can rent you recording storage on their servers. It's not the money that bothers me. It's the lack of privacy (I know that's an ancient outmoded 20th century concept) but one I still cling to. Besides the app I use lets me record on a simple sdcard in my tablet and even transmit the recordings to my cloud if I want to.

But I may have come up with an alternate solution from the developer of the IP cam viewer app: using a ddns

https://hit-mob.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=47

I'll explore that when I have time to analyze the privacy issues it may pose if any.

Don't get me wrong. I don't have great secrets to hide. I just don't think it makes sense to install 'security' cameras which can be hacked into and which transmit images to people I don't know much about. It's the principle of the thing. Not foolproof, just better than no privacy at all. 

You know more about networks than I do. What do you think of the ddns idea? Does it make sense?