Are you looking to set up your NVR system without the hassle of cables? Reolink introduces a new WiFi NVR that can enable a wireless connection between your camera and the NVR. This guide will walk you through the process of adding your Reolink IP camera to the WiFi NVR wirelessly. 

Applies to: RLN12W and some Reolink IP cameras

Table of Contents

1. Notes of Using Reolink RLN12W

2. Video of Adding Reolink Cameras to WiFi NVR

3. Step-by-Step Guide of Adding Reolink Cameras to WiFi NVR

4. How to Change Camera's Wi-Fi

1. Notes of Using Reolink RLN12W

1. Before you start, ensure that you’ve connected the NVR to a monitor via HDMI/VGA. 

2. The network ports of the WiFi NVR cannot power on the cameras. Please make sure that the cameras are powered on via a PoE switch/injector (only for PoE cameras) or via a DC 12V power adapter in advance. 

2. Video of Adding Reolink Cameras to WiFi NVR

This video not only includes the steps for adding a camera to the NVR but also covers how to change the camera’s Wi-Fi settings and switch between NVR‘s 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks.

3. Step-by-Step Guide of Adding Reolink Cameras to WiFi NVR

  • Method 1 (For all plug-in WiFi cameras)

    After powering on the camera, connect it to the back of the NVR with an Ethernet cable, then sync the WiFi info of the NVR to the camera via a monitor to build a wireless connection between the camera and the NVR.

    Step 1. Power on your camera using the original power adapter.

    Step 2. Connect the camera to the network port of the WiFi NVR with an Ethernet cable.

    network port

    Step 3. Log in to your NVR, and go to Channel > Channel Management.

    Step 4. Turn on Auto Add and the camera will be added to NVR automatically. If you have changed the default password (blank) or have insufficient channels for all cameras, auto-add may not work.

    • If you’ve set your password for your camera during initialization, it will show "Incorrect account name or password" on the channel. Click on Modify and enter the password to log in. 

    modify pwd

    • If it shows "Connection failed" on the screen, you can try deleting the camera by clicking Delete to delete it and try adding it again.

    connection failed

    • If there are no available channels to add a new camera, you can replace the one that you no longer need by clicking Replace, and choose the new camera, and click Next to add it.

    replace

    select replacement

    Step 5. Click on the camera shown on the screen and sync the Wi-Fi info to it.

    sync wifi

    sync wifi

    Step 6. Once you see Connection succeeded, click Cancel to exit.

    sync wifi

    Note: If the Sync Wi-Fi Info page does not appear, go to Network > WiFi to sync WiFi info under Device Connection(s)
    wifi settings

    Step 7. Remove the Ethernet cable, and the camera will now connect to the NVR via WiFi.

  • You can set them up on your network first then add them to the NVR via the same local network (LAN).

    Step 1. Initialize your camera. Refer to: How to Initially Set up Reolink Devices.

    Step 2. Use an Ethernet cable to connect the NVR to the same router that your camera is connecting to.

    Step 3. Log in to your NVR, and go to Channel > Channel Management.

    Step 4. Turn on Auto Add, and all cameras on the same LAN will be automatically added and shown in the list.

    Note: Since you have set up the camera and reset the password, you will see "Incorrect account name or password" on the screen.

    Step 5. Click Modify, enter the login password of the camera, and click OK, then you can live view it on the NVR.

    enable auto add

    enter password

    You can assign the IP cameras to any channel you want, but cannot have two cameras on the same channel, otherwise, the configurations will fail to be saved.

    click replace

    Select the camera you want to add to a channel and click Next to add.

    choose camera

    Note: When battery-powered WiFi camera is added to the NVR, the NVR takes over, and the standalone access to this battery-powered WiFi camera through the App/Client is no longer possible. If standalone access is needed, a hard reset of the camera is required.

4. How to Change Camera's Wi-Fi

Cameras that support dual-band Wi-Fi can connect to either the 2.4GHz or 5GHz network of the NVR. If you experience poor signal strength, need to switch networks, or want to better manage your network environment, you can consider the following two methods.

  • Configure NVR different Wi-Fi frequency bands for the camera: 2.4GHz and 5GHz

    Step 1. Clickgear iconto enter the Settings page. Go to Network > Wi-Fi > Settings.

    settings

    network settings

    Step 2. Click NVR Wi-Fi under Saved network(s) and the Wi-Fi Band Preference window will pop up. There are three options: Auto(Recommend), Only 5GHz, and Only 2.4GHz. Select the appropriate frequency band according to your needs.

    Auto:  The camera can select any Wi-Fi frequency band to connect.

    Only 5GHz:  The camera will change Wi-Fi to 5GHz

    Only 2.4GHz:  The camera will change Wi-Fi to 2.4GHz

    wifi band preference

  • Connecting camera to different Wi-Fi network

    Click Settings of the camera, choose the Wi-Fi you want to connect, and input Wi-Fi password. Once finished, camera will connect to the Wi-Fi network you just configured.

    network settings

    change other wifi

    input wifi password