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Onboarding a Camera-to-Cloud (C2C) Device

Adding your camera-to-cloud camera to your Arcules portal

Updated this week

Introduction

The Camera-to-Cloud ("C2C") architecture enables you to add supported devices to your Arcules portal without needing a gateway.
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To launch your device into the cloud:

Confirm you have the right equipment

You'll need the right camera, the right MicroSD card, and tools needed for installation. If you haven't installed a camera before, you can get help on the Axis website.

Use a supported Axis Camera-to-Cloud device

Use an AXIS MicroSD card

Different than Pure Cloud or Edge Gateway setups, video is recorded to the MicroSD card installed in your Axis camera.

  • Install the AXIS MicroSD in your device.

    • We recommend AXIS MicroSD cards for Arcules Camera-to-Cloud storage.

    • We recommend the Axis 512 GB or 1 TB size card to achieve your expected retention time.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There's no need to change settings in the AXIS OS Storage tab, like mounting or formatting the MicroSD card or changing the retention time. The Arcules system will configure the card for you.

Prepare your device in the AXIS OS

You'll start preparing your device in the AXIS OS interface - not your Arcules portal.


Find your device on your network and access the AXIS OS interface

Note: Record your device’s serial number (known as a MAC address) to use when you claim your device in the Arcules portal.

Set the temporary password to "arcules" on "root" user

  • With a new or recently reset device, you'll be prompted to enter a password.

  • Please set the password for the “root” user to “arcules".

Note: In newer firmware versions, you may be prompted to create an initial username. That username must be "root".

Note: This step is essential for connecting to the Arcules portal - you must use the password "arcules" for the "root" user.

  • You'll only use this password temporarily until your Arcules C2C ACAP has been enabled.

  • Your Arcules system will change the "root" user's password after you have enabled the Arcules C2C ACAP.

    • This password is controlled and rotated by Arcules and inaccessible for security purposes.

    • In other words, you don't have to worry about the "root" user or password once you connect your device to the Arcules portal.
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Note: You may see a warning that you are accessing the device over HTTP. This is temporary and data will be secure once connected to Arcules.

If you haven't yet, note your device serial (also known as a MAC address). You'll need it to add your camera to the Arcules portal.

Verify device firmware

In order to validate the device's firmware version, consult the Firmware Compatibility for C2C Cameras article.

Install the Camera-to-Cloud ACAP on your device

  • Click the Arcules C2C ACAP link here to download it to your computer.

Note: It does not matter what regional datacenter your Arcules system connects to.

Note: If you require to perform the installation of the C2C ACAP software in multiple devices at the same time, please consider using the Axis Device Manager (ADM) application

Install the Arcules C2C software ACAP

  • In your device’s AXIS OS interface, click on the Apps tab.

  • Make sure the "Allow root-privileged apps" toggle is on.
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  • Click "+ Add App".

  • Drag or select the downloaded Arcules C2C ACAP.

  • The Arcules ACAP will install (typically in less than a minute) and display as an application in the AXIS OS interface.

    • The ACAP application is called Arcules Orchestration.

  • Enable the toggle next to the Arcules C2C ACAP to turn it on.

The Arcules C2C ACAP will configure your device to be ready to be claimed in your Arcules portal, including formatting your MicroSD card.

Points to take into account:

  • The device will appear in the Arcules portal before the SD card is formatted

  • The device will appear OFFLINE until the format completes and updates are downloaded

  • Recording will not start until the SD card is formatted.

The table below serves as a general guide for AXIS SD cards formatting times (actual times may vary).

SD Card Size

Time to Format SD Card

Time to Appear ONLINE

128 GB or less

< 5 minutes

< 10 minutes

256 GB

5 minutes

10 minutes

512 GB

10 minutes

15 minutes

1024 GB

20-25 minutes

30 minutes

Note: The default root password (arcules) is no longer changed immediately after formatting the MicroSD card. The password is now updated only after the device has been successfully claimed and is visible in the Arcules portal. This allows continued access to the AXIS OS interface using root/arcules if troubleshooting is needed during onboarding.

Claim your device in the Arcules Portal

Claiming your device adds it to your Arcules organization and prevents it from being added to another one.

  • Login to your Arcules portal.

  • Make sure you have the desired Site and Location created for your device.

    • Choose "regional" not "multi-regional" in most instances. Contact Customer Care if you are using "multi-regional" for previous installations.

    • You can move a camera to a different Location, but you would start over by removing the device and re-adding it if you wanted to change Sites.

  • Navigate to the Devices pane and either "All Devices" or "Video."

  • Click the + button in the top right corner above the devices list.

  • Select “Add Device”.

  • Select “Cloud” for the camera connection type.

  • Enter your device serial number (known as a MAC address) in standard format. There's many ways to find your MAC address if you do not have it yet.
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  • Select a Site and Location and press "ADD".

Behavior upon claiming

  • During claiming your device will not immediately appear in the devices list.

    • This may take up to two minutes.

      • Your device has likely already started recording at default 1080p resolution and ten frames per second.

    • Refresh your browser and find its name in your "All Devices" or "Video" list.

  • The device will begin in “OFFLINE” status for up to ten minutes.

  • Refresh your browser after waiting and look for the update to “ONLINE" status.

Note: The device's default recordings is set to 1920x1080@10 fps, even if the user modified settings in the Axis OS Interface before onboarding.

Success

Your device onboarding is complete! We knew you could do it.

  • Click on your device row to open its device drawer.

  • Review additional information and configure settings here in the device drawer.

Changing device settings

See the Camera-to-Cloud Device Settings article for more information.

  • Basic Settings: You can change your camera's name, along with its recording resolution and frame rate.

    • Recording resolution and frame rate options are based on your device's capabilities.

    • Live streaming is fixed at 1080p resolution and ten frames per second.

  • Advanced Settings: You can change more detailed settings to optimize video quality.

  • AXIS OS interface: Advanced technical users who want to configure aspects of your device not supported by the Arcules portal can access the AXIS OS interface.

Note: Direct AXIS OS access should be limited to experienced power users as some settings could cause device instability and lost video. See the Camera-to-Cloud Remote Device Access (RDA) article for more information.

Additional notes

  • If you are experiencing onboarding issues do not factory default your device - reach out to Customer Care.

  • Don't remove the MicroSD card after the camera is claimed in your Arcules portal.

    • Removing the MicroSD card while recording risks corrupted data and lost recordings.

  • Once your device has been claimed in your Arcules portal, you won't have direct access to the AXIS OS interface.

    • The temporary root password ("arcules") has already been changed.

    • Power users will be able to access the AXIS OS later through a separate username.

  • Do not change the root password on your device in the AXIS OS interface - this will break your device's connection to your Arcules portal.

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