Ubiquiti is one of the leading wireless equipment makers and has produced a cutting-edge surveillance camera and video management system called UniFi Protect. UniFi Protect promised to provide a smooth User Experience, professional performance, convenience of cloud access, and the privacy of local storage, with no required subscriptions. It is easy to use, and users can easily add and manage Protect cameras and other security devices. Users can watch camera streams and download recordings easily. They can also configure each camera by adding privacy zones, allowing smart detection, changing recording settings, etc.
UniFi Protect has a lot of positive reviews from users. From its sleek design to the camera system that produces high-quality video, UniFi Protect never fails to provide quality service to its customers. The growing demand for UniFi Protect has made more consumers interested in adding third-party cameras to UniFi Protect. However, these third-party cameras are not supported by UniFi Protect at the moment. This has challenged the geeks to look for ways to make it possible.
Can you use 3rd party cameras with UniFi Protect?
Unifi cameras are mostly hard wired. Therefore, third party cameras that allow streaming would be great. However, technically speaking, UniFi Protect doesn’t support third-party cameras at the moment. UniFi Protect is supposedly dedicated to using Ubiquiti Security Camera products only. However, there are ways to make it possible through UniFi Camera Proxy.
How to use 3rd party cameras with UniFi Protect?
UniFi Camera Proxy allows third-party cameras or non-UniFi cameras to be added to the UniFi Protect. Users can use existing RTSP-enabled cameras in the same UI and mobile app as the other Unifi devices. It works for live streaming, full-time recording, motion detection, and Smart Detection using Frigate (an NVR with Realtime Object Detection for IP Cameras). To install UniFi Camera Proxy:
Step 1: Generate a certificate
UniFi Camera Proxy installation prerequisites include generating your own client certificate.
| openssl ecparam -out /tmp/private.key -name prime256v1 -genkey -noout openssl req -new -sha256 -key /tmp/private.key -out /tmp/server.csr -subj “/C=TW/L=Taipei/O=Ubiquiti Networks Inc./OU=devint/CN=camera.ubnt.dev/[email protected]” openssl x509 -req -sha256 -days 36500 -in /tmp/server.csr -signkey /tmp/private.key -out /tmp/public.key cat /tmp/private.key /tmp/public.key > client.pem rm -f /tmp/private.key /tmp/public.key /tmp/server.csr |
Step 2: Generate an adoption token
To add a camera to Protect, you must first, you must Generate an adoption token before you can add a camera. Keep in mind that the token is only valid for 30 minutes. Beyond 30 mins, the token will expire, and you’ll need to generate a new one.
- Go to Protect app and click Add Devices
- Select G3 Micro, then click Continue to Web
- Type in a random string for the SSID and Password fields> Generate QR Code. (If Generate QR Code doesn’t pop up, do it manually through https://{NVR IP}/protect/devices/add (notice the “/devices/add”).
- Screen capture the QR code.
- Upload it to https://zxing.org/w/decode.jspx to decode the QR code.
- In the Raw Text field, get the second to the last line token.
Step 3: Use a Docker
The docker-compose. yaml file. must be in the same directory as the certificate generated. Here is the most recommended deployment:
| version: “3.9” services: unifi-cam-proxy: restart: unless-stopped image: keshavdv/unifi-cam-proxy volumes: – “./client.pem:/client.pem” command: unifi-cam-proxy –host {NVR IP} –cert /client.pem –token {Adoption token} rtsp -s rtsp://192.168.201.15:8554/cam’ |
If using a Docker is not possible, install the proxy on most Linux distros. However, it is not a guarantee that it’s supported. Nevertheless, you can use the instruction below:
| apt install ffmpeg netcat python3 python3-pip pip3 install unifi-cam-proxy unifi-cam-proxy –host 192.168.201.179 –cert /client.pem –token {Adoption token} rtsp -s rtsp://192.168.201.15:8554/cam’ |
What cameras work with Ubiquiti Unifi Protect?
UniFi NVR only with UniFi cameras, including all G2, G3, and G4 cameras and doorbells with the prefix UVC (UVC, UVC-G3, and UVC-G4). It is also compatible with Protect IoT devices with UFP and UP prefixes.
Does UniFi have wireless cameras?
Yes, Ubiquiti offers a wireless camera called the Ubiquiti UniFi G3-MICRO wireless camera. This wireless camera delivers sharp 1080p and clear day or night video footage using an automatic, integrated infrared nighttime illumination. It is compact and easy to mount anywhere you want.
Can I add other cameras to UniFi Protect?
Yes, it is possible to add a non-UniFi camera to your UniFi Protect through the help of a camera proxy. Some non- Unifi cameras include RTSP IP cameras, Amcrest cameras, Reolink cameras, Hikvision cameras, Dahua cameras, Lorex cameras, and Frigate cameras.
How many cameras can UniFi Protect support?
UniFi Protect system can support 20 to 50 UniFicameras, depending on the model. For the UCKG2+ (Cloud Key Gen2+), it can support up to 20 cameras only. UDM-Pro (Dream Machine Pro) can support up to 32 cameras, and UNVR4 (Protect NVR) HW can support as many as 50 cameras.
