How to Connect an NVR/DVR to SmartRTSP — View All CCTV Channels on iPhone

Q: My NVR was not found by ONVIF scan — what should I do?

Try adding channels manually using the RTSP URL format for your NVR brand. Ensure ONVIF is enabled in the NVR's network settings. Some older NVRs only expose ONVIF on a non-standard port.

Q: My NVR has 16 channels — can I add all of them?

Yes. Add each channel as a separate camera in SmartRTSP using the channel number in the RTSP URL. For a Hikvision NVR, channel 5 main stream would be /Streaming/Channels/501, channel 6 would be /Streaming/Channels/601, and so on.

An NVR (Network Video Recorder) is a centralized device that manages multiple IP cameras. Unlike individual cameras, you connect to the NVR's IP address — not each camera's IP separately — and use channel numbers in the RTSP URL to select which camera feed to view.

Most modern NVRs from Hikvision, Dahua, Reolink, and Swann support RTSP streaming, meaning you can view any camera connected to the NVR using SmartRTSP on iPhone, iPad, or Mac — no proprietary app required. ONVIF-capable NVRs can even be discovered automatically.

NVR vs Individual Cameras

Understanding this key difference will save time during setup:

Individual IP Camera

• Has its own IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100)
• You connect directly to the camera's IP
• One RTSP URL per camera
• Camera records to its own SD card or NVR

NVR System

• NVR has one IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.200)
• All cameras accessed through the NVR's IP
• Channel number in URL selects the camera
• NVR handles all recording centrally

Method 1 — ONVIF Auto-Discovery

Most modern NVRs support ONVIF and will expose all connected camera channels automatically when scanned by SmartRTSP. This is the fastest method and requires no manual URL entry.

1
Ensure ONVIF is enabled on your NVR. Find this in the NVR's network settings or web interface under "Platform Access" or "Third Party Access".
2
Open SmartRTSP and tap + → ONVIF Scan.
3
Select your NVR from the scan results. SmartRTSP will enumerate all channels and present them as individual camera streams.
4
Enter your NVR credentials when prompted — these are the NVR's admin username and password, not the individual camera credentials.

Method 2 — Manual Channel RTSP URLs

If ONVIF scan doesn't find your NVR, add each channel manually using the RTSP URL format for your NVR brand. Replace NVR-IP with your NVR's local IP address.

NVR Channel RTSP URL Reference

Brand	Channel URL Format
Hikvision NVR Ch1=101, Ch2=201, Ch3=301…	rtsp://user:pass@NVR-IP:554/Streaming/Channels/101 rtsp://user:pass@NVR-IP:554/Streaming/Channels/201 rtsp://user:pass@NVR-IP:554/Streaming/Channels/301
Dahua NVR channel=1, channel=2…	rtsp://user:pass@NVR-IP:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0 rtsp://user:pass@NVR-IP:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=2&subtype=0
Reolink NVR 01_main, 02_main…	rtsp://user:pass@NVR-IP:554/h264Preview_01_main rtsp://user:pass@NVR-IP:554/h264Preview_02_main rtsp://user:pass@NVR-IP:554/h264Preview_03_main
Swann NVR Hikvision format (newer models)	rtsp://user:pass@NVR-IP:554/Streaming/Channels/101
Generic / ONVIF NVR	Try ONVIF scan first — most generic NVRs support ONVIF auto-discovery and will expose all channels automatically.

Hikvision Sub-Stream

To access a lower-bitrate sub-stream for mobile use, change the last digit from 1 to 2: e.g., /Streaming/Channels/102 for channel 1 sub-stream.

Adding All NVR Channels to SmartRTSP

1
Find your NVR's IP address — see the section below for methods.
2
Add channel 1 using the RTSP URL for your NVR brand. Name it clearly (e.g., "NVR — Front Door").
3
Repeat for each channel — increment the channel number in the URL for each camera connected to the NVR.
4
Use multi-camera grid view to monitor up to 4 NVR channels simultaneously. Tap the grid icon in the top-right corner.

How to Find Your NVR's IP Address

Router DHCP List

Log into your router's admin panel (usually 192.168.1.1) and check the DHCP client list. Find the entry for your NVR by MAC address or device name.

NVR Front Panel

Most NVRs show the IP address on the local display. Check the system settings or network configuration menu directly on the NVR.

Manufacturer Tool

Hikvision SADP, Dahua ConfigTool, and Reolink's desktop app can all discover NVRs on your local network and display their IP addresses.

NVR Default Credentials

These are factory defaults — most NVRs require you to set a password during initial setup. If your NVR still uses defaults, change them immediately.

Brand	Default Username	Default Password
Hikvision	admin	(blank — set on first login)
Dahua	admin	admin or blank (model-dependent)
Reolink	admin	(blank — set on first login)
Swann	admin	12345

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I view all NVR channels at once in SmartRTSP?

Yes. Add each NVR channel as a separate camera in SmartRTSP, then switch to the multi-camera grid view (tap the grid icon) to see up to 4 channels simultaneously on screen. You can freely mix channels from the same NVR or from different devices.

Does SmartRTSP support PTZ control for NVR cameras?

PTZ control is available for cameras connected via ONVIF. When you add an NVR channel through ONVIF discovery, PTZ commands are passed through the NVR to the individual camera using the ONVIF PTZ profile.

My NVR was not found by ONVIF scan — what should I do?

First, verify that ONVIF is enabled in the NVR's network or platform access settings. If it still doesn't appear, use Method 2 and add channels manually with the RTSP URL formats in the table above. Also confirm your iPhone is on the same network as the NVR.

My NVR has 16 channels — can I add all of them?

Yes — SmartRTSP supports an unlimited number of saved cameras. For a Hikvision NVR, channel 5 main stream is /Streaming/Channels/501, channel 6 is /Streaming/Channels/601, and so on up to channel 16 at /Streaming/Channels/1601.

Connect an NVR to SmartRTSP