Error code 18 is a password related problem that shows up on the new Dahua IP cameras. If you plug in your IP camera into your NVR or XVR and get an error stating conf.LoginErrorNo-18, then your NVR or XVR does not support initialization and you need to login to the camera via its web interface or the Dahua ConfigTool and initialize the camera. To initialize an IP camera means to assign a password for the camera.
Fixing conf.LoginErrorNo-18 issue
All you need to do is to initialize the IP camera and this error will go away. Follow the steps below on how to initialize the IP camera. The settings can be done directly on the recorder, using the web interface or using the Configtool in your computer.
Initialize via Device Smart Add directly on the recorder
When setting up your NVR or XVR for the first time and you go through the Startup Wizard you have the option to enable ‘Smart Add.’
Smart Add will search your network and automatically add all IP cameras that it finds. If the camera requires initialization then the Smart Add function will change the camera’s password and recovery email information to that of the NVR/DVR (meaning it will use the same password as the recorder).
Go to the Device Search section and look up the cameras discovered by the recorder. Tick the camera with white logo and then select Initialize.
You will be asked if you want to use the NVR’s password and email info. If you tick this option then the camera’s password and recovery email will change to the same as the NVR’s.
If you do not tick this option you will be prompted to change the camera’s password and add its own recovery email. For practical reasons, we suggest keeping the same password settings as the recorder.
You can now add the camera that has been initialized.
Initialize via Web Interface
To initialize an IP camera using its web interface simply login in to the camera using your web browser and you will be prompted to change the camera’s password and recovery information, as seen below.
Initialize via Configtool
Using the ConfigTool you can initialize IP cameras. You can download the configuration tool on this link. Install the tool on your computer and run it.
Then simply search for devices, select the device you want to initialize, and select initialize. Follow the on-screen steps one by one.
Once the IP cameras are initialized, the error conf.LoginErrorNo-18 will disappear and you’ll be able to see the live picture on your monitor.
