How to find the RTSP URL for a Reolink camera

This applies to Reolink's PoE and Wi-Fi cameras and to NVR or Home Hub connected systems. Battery-powered cameras like the Argus range only support RTSP when paired with a Home Hub or NVR, and even then a stream stays open for a few minutes before the camera sleeps to save power. Reolink's 4G and LTE models, the Go and TrackMix LTE cameras, don't support RTSP at all, so this page isn't the one for those.

Finding it

In the camera's web interface, the Reolink Client desktop app, or the mobile app's advanced settings, go to Network Settings > Advanced > Port Settings and turn RTSP on if it isn't already; NVR and Home Hub cameras are configured from the recorder's interface rather than the camera's own. The default port is 554. Reolink's current published pattern is rtsp://<username>:<password>@<ip>/Preview_<channel>_main, or _sub for the lighter stream, for example Preview_01_main for channel 1; an older but still-working form looks like h264Preview_01_main. Channel numbers count from 1, so change the number for each additional camera on an NVR, and check your model's specific path if neither form connects straight away.

1. 01

   Find the camera's IP address

   Check the Reolink app's device info, or your router's device list, for the local IP address.

2. 02

   Turn RTSP on

   In Network Settings > Advanced > Port Settings, enable RTSP if it's showing as off.

3. 03

   Note the port

   Confirm the RTSP port, 554 unless you've changed it.

4. 04

   Build the URL

   Use rtsp://username:password@ip/Preview_01_main for channel 1's main stream, or add _sub for the lighter one.

5. 05

   Test it

   Open the URL in VLC to confirm the stream connects before relying on it elsewhere.

Using it with Svid

Once RTSP is switched on and the 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 Reolink camera need to be on the same network as Svid?

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

What port does Reolink use for RTSP?

554 by default, and it's shown in the same Port Settings screen where you switch RTSP on. It can be changed there if you need a different port.

Do I need a Reolink subscription to get an RTSP URL?

No. RTSP is a free feature of Reolink's cameras and recorders once it's switched on in settings. Reolink's paid cloud plan covers cloud storage and remote features, and has nothing to do with the local RTSP stream.