Can surveillance station be used with cameras that are not on the same network as the NAS?

[NAS Newbie]

I'm looking into setting up surveillance station to monitor some remote cameras at 2 separate building sites several miles away from my NAS as well as some cameras at home where my NAS is. All 3 sites (home, building A, Building B) have their own unique wifi networks. can surveillance station be setup to monitor cameras at all 3 sites?

There's a paragraph at the bottom of this article that states that surveillance station will not work with cameras that are not in the same local network as the NAS. The writer claims I'd need a separate NAS at each location. This seems like it'd be a really dumb limitation, and hence the reason for this queation.

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[jeyare]

it isn’t dumb limitation, it’s based on principle
when all the sites have also internet connection (not mentioned) here is a solution:
- you can purchase 3x routers with site to site VPN feature
- then all of your sites will use single LAN (for security reason tagged VLANs, then you need purchase managed switch also)
done

 

[WST16]

can surveillance station be setup to monitor cameras at all 3 sites?

I think not. You can’t connect cameras over WAN. You’ll need to have another NAS on each location. Go through the Synology solutions presented here.

If I were you, I’d compare the cost/benefit of a dedicated NVR over a Synology solution and see which is better. But I suspect that most of them will behave the same way– they need some hardware at the remote site. Not sure though. Didn’t research it.
Keep in mind that you’ll need extra licenses. For the price of two extra licenses (more or less depending on how you buy them) you can get a new DS120j which includes 2 SS licenses. So you might consider adding a Synology NAS to each remote location and have it archive to the main one. But I don’t know how it works (within the SS context). Never tried it. You might want to ask Synology (or research) for a recommendation and understand how it behaves.
However, having extra NASes on remote sites will open up other possibilities, like offsite backups, which is a big plus IMHO.

 

[NAS Newbie]

it isn’t dumb limitation, it’s based on principle when all the sites have also internet connection (not mentioned) here is a solution: - you can purchase 3x routers with site to site VPN feature - then all of your sites will use single LAN (for security reason tagged VLANs, then you need purchase managed switch also) done

What principle is it based on? I have a small reolink Argus 2 that I'm playing around with (I was going to return it due to not supporting ONVIF until the dog found it and chewed it up), and I can connect to it from any device that has an internet connection, whether or not I am on the same network as the camera. I realize the NAS can't connect to this particular camera due to no ONVIF support, but why can't the NAS otherwise act on the same principle?

I'm not too worried about having criminals sophisticated enough that they're going to cut my internet connection. I just want to be able to monitor the sites and know when people show up at them. In my case, I don't have any other need or desire to have another NAS at the off-site locations.

My home and site A do have a regular hardwired internet connection. However, site B is served by a mobile hotspot puck from Verizon and is more of a temporary site. The only electronics that I intended to leave at that site were the camera and the hotspot. I assume there isn't any way to establish the VPN connection you discuss without having additional hardware out there?

 

[NAS Newbie]

I think not. You can’t connect cameras over WAN. You’ll need to have another NAS on each location. Go through the Synology solutions presented here.

If I were you, I’d compare the cost/benefit of a dedicated NVR over a Synology solution and see which is better. But I suspect that most of them will behave the same way– they need some hardware at the remote site. Not sure though. Didn’t research it.
Keep in mind that you’ll need extra licenses. For the price of two extra licenses (more or less depending on how you buy them) you can get a new DS120j which includes 2 SS licenses. So you might consider adding a Synology NAS to each remote location and have it archive to the main one. But I don’t know how it works (within the SS context). Never tried it. You might want to ask Synology (or research) for a recommendation and understand how it behaves.
However, having extra NASes on remote sites will open up other possibilities, like offsite backups, which is a big plus IMHO.

I'm interested in the Synology solution because I already have the NAS, because I want to keep control of my data, and because I don't want to get stuck with products from any particular manufacturer.

Getting a 120j like you suggest appears that it could be a solution using Centralized Management System per the article below. However, neither of the offsite buildings are conducive to such a solution. Site A is a hog barn, and the sulphuric gases and dust that come from hog production are murder on sensitive electronics. Site B does not have a regular internet connection, and is connected to the internet via one of those hotspot pucks from verizon. I would love to have an offsite backup, but I don't think I want to locate that backup at either of these sites.

I have multiple Synology servers in my Surveillance Station deployment. How do I manage them centrally? - Synology Knowledge Center

Synology Knowledge Center offers comprehensive support, providing answers to frequently asked questions, troubleshooting steps, software tutorials, and all the technical documentation you may need.

www.synology.com

 

[jeyare]

"near low cost", but secure, reliable and easy manageable solution based on Ubiquiti network and Synology NAS:
and you have single big LAN (or VLANs) composed from n-remote sites (even over thousand miles away from your NAS)

 

[Rusty]

can connect to it from any device that has an internet connection, whether or not I am on the same network as the camera

That’s because the camera by default is calling home and using Reolink cloud to make this happen. Make sure to understand that’s not the same as what you want. Synology SS works on a slightly different principal. So if you want to be more secure with Reolink and privacy, be sure they can’t call home 1st.

 

[NAS Newbie]

That’s because the camera by default is calling home and using Reolink cloud to make this happen. Make sure to understand that’s not the same as what you want. Synology SS works on a slightly different principal. So if you want to be more secure with Reolink and privacy, be sure they can’t call home 1st.

Yes, I do understand that is what is happening with that particular camera, I just find it strange that the NAS can't be pointed to and connect to a camera through the net without it having to check in with the manufacturer's cloud first. Given that they are called IP cameras, I just figured that the cameras would have an IP address that the NAS could find and connect to. I would obviously have to setup a password on the camera itself by first connecting to it via a local network. Perhaps that's not the way any of this works, I'm just surprised that it doesn't work that way. It seems to me that having the recording device offsite from the camera could be a benefit because then the NAS can't be stolen or destroyed.

 

[NAS Newbie]

"near low cost", but secure, reliable and easy manageable solution based on Ubiquiti network and Synology NAS:
and you have single big LAN (or VLANs) composed from n-remote sites (even over thousand miles away from your NAS)
View attachment 711

That looks like what I might have to do. Been waiting on synology all day to answer my service ticket without any luck. Where did you find that layout? It looks like it came from something I should read more about.

 

[jeyare]

That looks like what I might have to do. Been waiting on synology all day to answer my service ticket without any luck. Where did you find that layout? It looks like it came from something I should read more about.

I found this layout in my brain and the layout I drew for your better understanding of my previous recommendation , which is still valid

 

[NAS Newbie]

I found this layout in my brain and the layout I drew for your better understanding of my previous recommendation , which is still valid

Lol. Well thanks for the map, now I have to research what parts I'll need to fill it out. I'm still running a router rented from my ISP, so maybe this is the excuse I need to get my own.

 

[jeyare]

3x UniFi USG router
3x UniFi switch up to your port requirements (PoE demand, devices, ...)
Setup of Docker/UniFi controller you can find in our Forum resources

 

[NAS Newbie]

3x UniFi USG router
3x UniFi switch up to your port requirements (PoE demand, devices, ...)
Setup of Docker/UniFi controller you can find in our Forum resources

Excellent, thank you. A little off topic, but suppose i had family in another house and wanted to improve security for their access to my nas (photo and such). Would installing a pair of these switches and routers enable them to access the Nas via the unifi VPN and therefore reduce exposure to the open internet?

 

[jeyare]

Excellent, thank you. A little off topic, but suppose i had family in another house and wanted to improve security for their access to my nas (photo and such). Would installing a pair of these switches and routers enable them to access the Nas via the unifi VPN and therefore reduce exposure to the open internet?

don't hesitate to do it
You can use more security features:
- prepare controlled access by UniFi Radius server (USG native feature)
- controlled access to NAS (DSM security rules) +2FA
- prepare Reverse proxy for such services (Photo station, File station, Drive, ...)
- close all ports in USG routers, except 443
- define specific VLAN for them
...

 

[jeyare]

all necessary info you can find here

 

[NAS Newbie]

Well I finally heard back on my support ticket from synology, and he says that it is possible to connect an externally networked camera to Surveillance Station so long as the ports on the camera are forwarded properly. Is there any reason that I would not want to do what is discussed in this article?

Quote from synology tech: There is nothing in Surveillance Station that inherently blocks an external connection, it only requires you correctly portforward the RTSP and HTTP/s ports related to the camera from that external site.

How do I add a camera in a different network to Surveillance Station? - Synology Knowledge Center

Synology Knowledge Center offers comprehensive support, providing answers to frequently asked questions, troubleshooting steps, software tutorials, and all the technical documentation you may need.

www.synology.com

 

[jeyare]

if you like visitors in your network, it is great job how to do it
just google:
rtsp service exploit
rtsp vulnerability
Syno support must be crazy

 

[NAS Newbie]

if you like visitors in your network, it is great job how to do it
just google:
rtsp service exploit
rtsp vulnerability
Syno support must be crazy

I was wondering if there was some concerns along those lines. I guess he did answer my questions as to if it was possible to connect or not... Thanks again.

 

[WST16]

There is nothing in Surveillance Station that inherently blocks an external connection

I think that’s great.

I’d suggest that you decide on what cameras you want and just get one (with the aim to use it over LAN, for the house as you said). Try it over WAN. Use https, open a port to SS and limit its exposure (even better if the source is a static IP address, so you can allow that address only with the firewall).

Play with the different resolutions/quality/frame rates, to see what works.
Try a bandwidth calculator to have a rough idea of what will you be dealing with. Don’t forget that there are other things consuming your bandwidth by the running protocols on top of your camera’s bandwidth utilization (like security and error correction) and the reality of internet communications quality. Delays will result in missed frames, unrecorded snippets and choppy video.
You’ll need to get a feel for it, because there’s no point of getting a 6MP or 8MP camera if you’ll end up lowering its resolution to 640X480 to be able to stream it over WAN.

—Edit—
On a second thought. I think you don’t need to do anything on your network side (router wise). All you need is to forward a port on the remote site to the camera and point SS to that address. If the support rep is correct, it should work.

 

[WST16]

FWIW and if anyone is interested. I bought a Hikvision IP camera (DS-2CD2043G0-I) while I’m still away from home.

All I needed to do, is forward a port to the camera and I’ve been able to add it (remotely) to my DS back home thousands of miles away and it worked. However, I don’t intend to use it in this configuration. So it was a brief test to see if I can access it over WAN.