Beginner8 minUpdated 2026-02-22

How to Connect a Reolink Camera

Stream your Reolink camera to the web with PanoraCast. Covers RTSP URL format, app setup, PoE NVR channels, and WiFi camera considerations.

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What you need

Make sure your Reolink camera is set up and connected to your network.

  • Reolink IP camera or NVR on your network
  • Camera credentials (set during initial setup via Reolink app)
  • A computer on the same LAN
  • A PanoraCast account

Step 1: Find your camera's IP address

Open the Reolink app or Reolink Client on your computer. Go to Device Settings > Network > General. The camera's IP address is displayed there. You can also find it in your router's DHCP client list.

Step 2: Copy your RTSP URL

Reolink uses a unique URL format with h264Preview. Channel numbers start at 01. For standalone cameras, use channel 01.

bash
# Main stream (clear)
rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/h264Preview_01_main

# Sub stream (fluent)
rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/h264Preview_01_sub

# NVR channel 3, main stream
rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/h264Preview_03_main

WiFi camera considerations

WiFi Reolink cameras can be less reliable for 24/7 streaming due to wireless interference. For continuous streaming, a wired (PoE) connection is strongly recommended. If you must use WiFi, ensure the camera has a strong signal and use the sub stream to reduce bandwidth.

Step 3: Add to PanoraCast

In your PanoraCast dashboard, click 'Add Camera', select 'Reolink', paste the RTSP URL, and test the connection.

Troubleshooting

Common issues:

  • RTSP not working — Some battery-powered Reolink cameras (e.g., Argus series) do not support RTSP
  • Wrong password — Reolink passwords are set in the app during initial setup. There's no default
  • Channel number — Standalone cameras are always channel 01. NVR channels match the port number
  • H.265 streams — If using H.265, change to H.264 in Device Settings > Encode for best compatibility

Ready to stream?

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