How to find the RTSP URL for a Dahua camera

This applies to Dahua's professional IP cameras, the WizSense and WizMind lines, and NVR or XVR-connected camera systems, all of which have their own web interface reachable at an IP address on your network. Dahua's consumer smart-home arm, Imou, runs a different app and often ships with stream encryption switched on, so if your camera came from the Imou app rather than a Dahua recorder, expect an extra step to turn that off before a plain RTSP URL works.

Finding it

Log into the camera's or recorder's web interface and go to Setting > Network > Port, where the RTSP port is listed alongside the device's other network ports, 554 by default. Dahua's documented URL format is rtsp://<username>:<password>@<ip>:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0, where subtype 0 is the main stream and subtype 1 is the lower-resolution sub stream; on an NVR, channel is the recorder's own channel number rather than always 1. That format has been stable for years, and Amcrest, built on the same underlying technology, uses an identical one, but a handful of older models default to a different port such as 1554. Check your model's specific path and port before building the URL from memory, since firmware generation does account for the odd exception.

1. 01

   Find the device's IP address

   Check your router's connected-device list, or the gDMSS/DMSS app, for the camera's or recorder's local IP.

2. 02

   Open the web interface

   Type the IP address into a browser and sign in with the admin account.

3. 03

   Check the RTSP port

   Go to Setting > Network > Port and note the RTSP port, usually 554.

4. 04

   Build the URL

   Use rtsp://username:password@ip:554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0, changing the channel number for other cameras on an NVR.

5. 05

   Test it

   Open the URL in VLC's network stream option to confirm it connects.

Using it with Svid

Once the RTSP URL connects, adding it to Svid is the same as for any brand: Svid captures the stream server-side, so there's no new hardware and no separate viewer to run. It becomes a live feed like any other input, described frame by frame, and searchable and checkable the same way footage from a phone or an upload would be. The general RTSP connection guide covers the account setup and what happens once the stream is added.

Does my Dahua camera need to be on the same network as Svid?

Only while you're finding the IP address and testing the URL locally. Once Svid is capturing the stream server-side, the camera or NVR just needs a reachable route to it, not a network shared with your own device.

What port does Dahua use for RTSP?

554 by default. A small number of older models use 1554 instead, so it's worth checking the port setting on unfamiliar hardware rather than assuming.

Do I need an Imou or Dahua subscription to get an RTSP URL?

No. On Dahua's professional cameras and NVRs, RTSP is a free local feature built into the device. If your camera actually ships through the consumer Imou app, you may need to open that app once to disable a default encryption setting before the plain RTSP URL connects, but that's a one-off toggle, not a subscription.