If you own a security camera system, it’s very important to keep the firmware updated for all the components such as the cameras, recorders, and even the apps/software used for monitoring. Occasionally, vulnerabilities are discovered which can be exploited and have the system hacked or misused.
Recently, Uniview announced a security notice regarding their firmware and equipment that required an update to close bugs that allowed users to target the cameras.
Another reason to update the firmware of the cameras is to enable new features or other technical improvements.
Sometimes cameras may underperform and the update may fix issues such as a bad image, erroneous behaviors, unresponsiveness, etc.
Usually, Uniview releases a major update every quarter, and a minor update every month. Basically, you need to pay attention to your equipment and ensure that the units are using the latest firmware at all times.
In this guide, we will show how to update Uniview cameras, what software to use, and how to find the right firmware.
How to update firmware on Unview cameras
There are three ways how you can update the firmware:
- Updating via EZTools
- Updating via the web interface
- Updating via the NVR’s local interface
Upgrading the firmware via EZTools
The easiest way to update Uniview’s camera firmware is by using the EZTools software. This tool can be downloaded here (or from Uniview’s website) and it’s basically a configuration tool.
It allows the user to scan the local network. Simply locate Uniview cameras and then by following the prompts you can update the firmware.
Once the EZTools is installed, run the tool. The software will scan the local network and list all the found devices (as shown in the picture below).
Check the box beside the camera (or NVR) that needs firmware update. Then click Login (the status should show “Not Logged In”). In this window, you need to type the camera’s username and password and then hit OK.
Next, click the Upgrade tab on the left hand. Choose Local Upgrade if you have previously downloaded the firmware in a .zip or .bin format (on your computer). Otherwise, select Cloud Upgrade.
Tick the box beside the device that needs to be updated and then hit Upgrade to start the process. The tool will show if there’s a new firmware update; if so, hit OK and the upgrade procedure will start right away.
Usually, it takes 2-5 minutes to complete. During this time, don’t disconnect the camera or perform any other action. If interrupted, the camera may be bricked.
If you did select to update an NVR, you will be able to update the cameras hooked up to the NVR during the last step. This method makes it easier to update all the devices at once. And as we said, keep all your equipment up-to-date.
Upgrading the Firmware via web interface (for UNV devices)
Another method to update the firmware is by accessing the device via the web browser and going through the on-screen prompts.
First, you need to find the IP address of the unit; install EZTools software in your laptop/computer and find out what’s the local IP address of the camera.
Once you have that information, go to the web browser and type the IP address in the URL bar. Additionally, you may click the Remote Web icon in the EZTool and the software will automatically open up the web interface.
Once you log into the camera using your username and password, navigate to Setup > System > Maintenance. In this section, you should see two options under Software Upgrade: Local Upgrade and Cloud Upgrade.
If you have the firmware downloaded to your laptop, choose Local Upgrade, locate the file, and start the upgrade process. Otherwise, select the Cloud Upgrade option by hitting Detect.
The camera will check online if there’s any update package available; if so, the button will change to Cloud Upgrade. Click update and wait until the unit is updated.
Once the update is done, the unit will automatically reboot. Wait until it comes back online.
Upgrading the firmware via the Uniview NVR
The two previous methods shown above require a laptop or a desktop computer to update the firmware.
If you don’t have access to a computer, you can easily update the camera’s firmware directly to the NVR’s interface. The NVR needs to be connected to a monitor (or TV) and you can use a mouse to navigate.
Right-click with your mouse and select the Main Menu option. Then navigate to Maintenance > Upgrade > IPC Upgrade where you should see all the cameras added to the NVR.
Hit the “Check for Update” button and the NVR will start searching Uniview’s servers for any available firmware.
Then, select the cameras that you want to upgrade by ticking the box. Click “Upgrade by Cloud” and wait until the firmware is updated. In some cases, the NVR may reboot.
Conclusion
It’s crucial to keep your security devices updated to the latest firmware at all times. This not just improves the performance, but ensures that your system is secure.
In this guide, we showed detailed instructions on how to update the firmware of Unview cameras by going through the web browser, using EZTools, or via the NVR’s update interface.
You can either download the firmware from Uniview, or you can use the Cloud feature to let the system find and automatically install the correct firmware.
Additionally, you may contact Uniview’s support team to get firmware files that the NVR cannot find via the Cloud. Make sure to send them the correct model and serial number as shown on the sticker.
