CCTV camera disconnects after network scan

Good day team.

I have purchased a new version of WiFi Guard yesterday, and upon launching of the program, the moment it scans the IP range, it disconnects my CCTV camera. I cannot even ping the IP address of the CCTV, all I have to do is to reboot the CCTV device and everything is back to normal. The moment WiFi Guard scan again after 30 mins, it again disconnects the CCTV system. At first, it appears so weird, but I made several tests yesterday night, by reducing the next scan at every 5 mins interval, to confirm that it was WiFi Guard which is the root cause of this disconnection. Important to add that WiFi Guard does not hang or freezes after the first pass, it continues to run smoothly but does not detect the IP address of my CCTV camera since it has disconnected /disabled it on the first detection.

In the old version of WiFi Guard I did not have such problem.

OS = Windows 10
Ethernet speed = 1 GB
IP address for PC = Fixed address
IP address of CCTV Camera = Fix
WiFi Guard = Latest version purchased yesterday

Please kindly advise how to troubleshoot this weird problem.

Thank you
Kind regards,
Salim

From your description, it sounds like certain network probes from WiFi Guard might be causing the CCTV camera software to behave unexpectedly.

It's important to note that WiFi Guard is designed to passively scan and monitor network activities. It doesn't have the capability to actively disconnect any device from the network. However, some devices, especially if their software isn't up-to-date or if they have certain vulnerabilities, might react unpredictably to certain network probes.

As a preliminary step, I'd recommend updating the software/firmware of your CCTV camera to the latest version. Manufacturers often release updates to address compatibility and stability issues.

Thank you for your prompt reply.

The firmware of my CCTV Camera has not been updated since I bought it, more than 7 years ago. And I do not intend to update it either because it is working flawlessly. I can even access it remotely via Dynamic DNS (noip.com). Moreover, the previous WiFi Guard V2.0.1 (since early 2018) never had such issue. Its only with the new version that I installed (on the same PC) that this problem has started.

I do not know if this can be related... before I do the upgrade, I did an export from 'All Devices' so that I can have a history of all the devices that was once connected to my network. Then I completely removed the old version, installed the latest version --> set the IP Range to search --> went to 'All Devices' and performed an import --> then launched the scan. I got the same devices that were connected before... all were perfect, until I noticed that my CCTV was not showing any camera views. I tried to input the login & password again, but constantly got the error 'Login failed'. Tried to ping... unsuccessful. So I went to reboot the CCTV and it was back to normal, and after 30 mins, again same problem. It was then that I suspected it could be WiFi Guard, because that's the only 'change' I did.

If there's any config or file that you need, please let me know. I would like to have the problem solved else it defeats completely the upgrade that I did.

Thanks

The recent builds of WiFi Guard include more advanced network probes to identify as many devices as possible. Most likely your CCTV camera simply doesn't like some of them, crashes and stops responding to network requests.

Unfortunately we can't really be sure what it is without having that exact camera, but there is a simple workaround. Since WiFi Guard accepts custom IP address ranges, you could simply configure it in a way that it does not scan the camera. Say, if your network range 192.168.0.x and the camera is assigned 192.168.0.100, you could simply specify a split range to scan:
192.168.0.1 - 192.168.0.99, 192.168.0.101 - 192.168.0.254.

This should prevent the camera from being scanned and resolve this issue.

Okay... that a good temporary workaround. I will try that when I get back home and post the results here.

However, I think you could work on the 'Advanced Probes', have this feature in a check box, hence the user have the ability to choose between intensive scanning or light scan. What do you think?

The purpose of having WiFi Guard is to have ALL historical data on my network, excluding one from the scanning will not meet the objective... in my humble opinion.

Thank you for this temp workaround. Will report back tonight.

Hi again,

The temporary solution works fine, thank you. However, as mentioned above, I would like to have ALL my wired & wireless devices connected to my Network. If you are planning to work on 'a sort of checkbox' giving the user the ability for the program to choose between intensive scanning or light scan soon, I can keep going with this temporary fix.

Please kindly advise.

Thank you.

Thank you for your feedback, Salim.

I understand the importance of having a complete history of all devices on your network. The challenge we face is that our latest builds of WiFi Guard have advanced network probes to ensure comprehensive detection. Your CCTV camera seems to be adversely affected by one of these probes, yet we don't know which specific specific probe causes that.

If a device responds to a network request by crashing, it could indicate a potential security vulnerability in that device. It might be a good idea to check for updates for your CCTV camera or consider its overall security.

That said, we value user flexibility. Your suggestion about introducing a checkbox to toggle between intensive and light scans is a valid one. We will certainly consider this feature in our future updates to provide a better experience for our users.

In the meantime, while it's not ideal, the workaround remains the best immediate solution to prevent disruptions to your CCTV. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Hi Andrew.
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I was out of town.

1. I have uninstalled the latest version that i bought and installed the old one (ver 2.1.0), please see attached the screenshot and part highlighted in Red showing my CCTV Camera.

2. With regards to the firmware of this CCTV, there aren't any new. (a) It is very old CCTV, but as long as it is doing the job, am happy with it. (b) I do not want to scrap the CCTV because the 4 cameras that I have installed on this are of very high resolution. (c) I checked with the Supplier, they do not have any new firmware, worst, the CCTV device is obsolete.

3. I am not asking for a refund for the last version I just bought {You can cancel the license if need be, please see Order ID:- 28902916 of 10Aug2023}, but if we can settle on a mutual agreement, I would much appreciate:- That is on your next version release, after you have worked out the options for the check box [Intensive scanning] or [Light scan], that I can be eligible to a free license.

Awaiting your feedback,
Thank you

Since version 2.1.0 works well for you and doesn't cause the CCTV camera to stop working, it's best if you keep using that version for the time being.

If we discover at some point what specific scan causes that, we will be able to add a workaround or light/full scanning options. In the meantime, please keep using version 2.1.0 until there is a solution.