Getting Started FAQs
Which camera models does your platform support?
Arcules supports cameras that are ONVIF conformant. Our driver pack also includes native drivers for most AXIS cameras. For the latest update on our supported cameras please visit: https://arcules.com/devices/
How many users does Arcules support?
There is no limit on the number of People added to the platform (and no additional cost).
Is there a way to manage different levels of access within an organization
Each user or user group can be granted certain Roles and Permissions specific to a Site and Location. This allows a granular level of control within the organization.
Can I use distribution lists for notifications?
If you plan on using email distribution lists to share notifications with an existing list of people, you will need to create a user for this email in the same way as you would for a regular user. To see how to add a user, check out our People Article.
Bandwidth FAQ
What are the typical bandwidth requirements for this solution?
That’s a variable answer. The qualifying questions to determine upload and download requirements are:
Do they plan on continuously recording or utilize Motion-based recording?
Will they be using Analytics?
How many cameras will be viewed live at once?
Arcules uses the Primary stream from each camera so how you typically calculate bandwidth for VMS applications applies to Arcules as well, with additional requirements around the live view and analytics use for upload from the Gateway to cloud.
Data/Security FAQs
What measures are in place to ensure that data is secured?
The Gateway sits behind the firewall and adds an extra layer of security between your data and the cloud. No port forwarding (i.e. no publicly accessible ports to open/close); no inbound connections needed; end-to-end encryption between the Gateway and cloud over SSL (port 443); and less hardware also reduces your security footprint.
In the case of an internet outage, how can we access the data? Will there be data loss?
Arcules has a feature where if under certain circumstances, the Internet connection is down, then you can still access the offline emergency viewing on your local Gateway. Data will remain on the Gateway for up to 4 days, dependent on camera count and settings. Once services are re-established, the data will be pushed to the cloud.
How can you monitor a Gateway or camera in case it shuts down or disconnects?
Arcules allows you to add rules and alerts for device health status notifications, that can be received via three channels - email, SMS, push notifications.
How long can evidence be stored? Can it be used in court?
Exported evidence is stored for an indefinite period in the cloud, regardless of the set/fixed cloud retention days. Every evidence footage includes a watermark with the Arcules logo on the top left corner, the camera name, as well as the recording time. For more information, see Cases.
Rhythm of Business FAQs
Do you require any special application to view the exported evidence?
No special application is required. Downloaded video files are stored in the MP4 format.
Does your platform use the cameras' built-in analytics?
The platform does not use cameras' built-in analytics. The Arcules built-in cloud Video Analytics turns unstructured video data into actionable insights with Arcules AI/ML The built-in analytics is not bolted on, but unified within the platform, and hence you can apply analytics to cameras you want, anywhere and anytime, and compare data from different cameras & locations.
Can I install Arcules while another VMS is connected to my cameras?
No. The cameras managed by Arcules must be different from the cameras managed by the other VMS. Assuming this is the case, you must first turn off the other VMS prior to adding the Arcules gateway and cameras via the Arcules Web portal. Once added, you can then turn on the other VMS.
Please note: minimum bandwidth per channel and channels with cloud analytics may be different for Arcules vs the other VMS.
Some quick items on this subject of having two NVR’s connected to the same camera:
• Camera needs to be able to support multiple streams
• The Gateway will take over stream one regardless as this configuration is not exposed in our system this can cause configuration issues between two systems.
If the integrator or end user owns both system configurations and sets them identically and the camera supports multiple streams there should be no issue, however not guaranteed.
Cameras FAQs
Why is my camera not 'Auto Discovered' in the Installation Wizard' ?
There are various reason a camera may not be auto discovered;
The camera/s is not on the same subnet within the network
On some of the AXIS cameras,
ZeroConf
is enabled by default. For the camera to be 'Auto Discovered',ZeroConf
needs to be disabled at the camera level.If multicast is disabled - camera may not be discovered
Why am I getting a connection failure or authentication failure when attempting to add a camera?
Incorrect username and password for camera's web UI
If you are using an ONVIF profile to add the camera, the profile must be assigned the Administrator role to successfully add the device into the Arcules interface.
Disable time check for authentication. For example, on some Canon cameras, we have seen it refuse to connect even though the clock was in sync. Within the Canon settings page, there is an option to disable time check on authentication.
HIKVISON camera is not available in Live - constantly writes "Establishing Connection"
There are two main issues when adding Hikvision cameras and it really depends on the models.We are working on a camera 'wiki' and will be adding this to it.
1. The ONVIF driver was not performing HTTP digest authentication correctly
2. The HikVision has two user management systems, one for regular users and another separate set for ONVIF users. The ONVIF user settings appear under `Network->Advanced Settings->Integration Protocol` on the camera and not in the regular user management section. By default there are no ONVIF users added to the camera.
We have set the following for the camera in-house, and your team will require to do the same two steps on your other 3 cameras.
Step 1: ONVIF user management page
Step 2: Adding an ONVIF user
Couple of things to note in general(this is for your reference):
1. HikVision cameras can lock out a user account for a period of time if credentials are entered incorrectly too many times in a row. It's possible to disable this security feature in the camera web interface if it causes trouble:
2. Time settings on the camera need to be correct.
How many streams are available for users to view simultaneously?
120 streams at the gateway and 30 cloud based live streams. This is a soft limit to prevent abuse. Note: each cloud based live stream would consume 1 gateway stream. Local live viewing is limited by the number of gateway streams allowed. In addition, bandwidth limitations also apply.
Troubleshooting FAQs
My account has been locked out when accessing the Arcules portal, how can I unlock it?
The account gets locked out after 4 incorrect attempts. Once locked out, due to security reasons, you will require to click on the ‘Forgot Password’ option to reset the password.
If you are an Arcules XProtect Plugin user, please ensure the XProtect client password is also updated after you reset your Arcules portal password. Failure to keep both passwords consistent can result in getting locked out of your Arcules account.
My cameras' IP addresses have changed, and they are marked 'offline'. How can I bring them back online?
Due to security reasons, the cameras' credentials will need to be re-entered to bring cameras back online after their IP changed. You can do this either separately for each camera, or you can update the cameras' credentials by using our CSV Bulk Uploader. For more information on cameras, take a look at our Cameras article.
What do I do if the gateway stops working or is destroyed?
In case the gateway malfunctions or is destroyed, please contact Arcules Support either via the chat icon, call us at 888-244-5154, or send an email to support@arcules.com for assistance to process an RMA.
On Google Chrome, I am noticing that live views perform poorly when I navigate to another tab or application and then come back to my Arcules views, how can I fix this?
Google Chrome has two new features called Energy Saver and Memory Saver. These two settings may reduces its image capture rate, background tasks, or deactivate inactive tabs. To turn this feature off or personalize your Chrome performance, please refer to the Google Chrome Help article here.
I am not receiving SMS text messages from Arcules
SMS (Short Message Service) may not supported in your region due to certain limitations. These limitations could be related to regulatory restrictions, technical infrastructure, or specific policies implemented by telecommunication providers in these regions. As a result, sending and receiving SMS messages may not be possible or may be limited in these locations. To receive messages from Arcules, please enable email notifications and/or download the Arcules mobile app and enable push notifications.
SMS is currently not supported in: Dubai, Singapore
Mobile FAQs
How do I receive push notifications from Arcules?
You must enable “Push” under “Notification Delivery” in your user profile icon and allow the Arcules app on your iOS or Android device to send push notifications.
To ensure push notifications are continually received, do not log out of the Arcules app on your mobile device. If your session duration has timed out, you will continue to receive push notifications. Logging out of your account will stop push notifications.
Integrations FAQs
Can Local Live/Playback be used with Feenics Keep, Arcules Plugin for XProtect, IMMIX, Genea, and IMRON integrations?
No, at this time only WebSocket protocol is supported for video with our integrations.