Frequently Asked Question

DeskCamera uses network ports for ONVIF discovery, ONVIF services, RTSP streaming, and the optional Browser Configuration page.

The actual port numbers can depend on custom port settings, Shared or Per-user mode, and whether Browser Configuration is installed and enabled.

For Shared and Per-user mode, see Camera Instance Mode and Lock Settings.

Default DeskCamera ports

The ports above are defaults. If you changed the ONVIF port, use the port shown by DeskCamera. See How to change default ONVIF ports.

Shared mode and Per-user mode

In Shared mode, the PC appears as one DeskCamera camera. The NVR/VMS normally connects to one ONVIF port and one RTSP port for that shared camera.

In Per-user mode, each Windows user can appear as a separate DeskCamera camera. Each per-user camera receives its own ONVIF and RTSP ports.

DeskCamera 6.0.0 keeps dynamic ONVIF and RTSP ports stable across upgrades, application restarts, and Windows user switching. This helps NVR/VMS systems keep the same camera pairing after restart or reconnect.

How to check the actual ports used by DeskCamera

1) Start the DeskCamera camera
2) Open the camera information or details dialog
3) Check the ONVIF address and RTSP URL displayed by DeskCamera

Use the ports shown there when adding DeskCamera manually to an NVR/VMS.

ONVIF ports are shown in the Started Cameras list:

RTSP URLs are shown in the Camera Details dialog:

For more information about direct RTSP URLs, see How to retrieve direct RTSP URLs for DeskCamera streams.

Windows Firewall rules created by the installer

During installation, DeskCamera can create the required Windows Firewall rules automatically. These rules allow NVR/VMS systems on the network to discover and connect to DeskCamera.

The installer-created DeskCamera rules cover:

- DeskCamera application inbound access
- DeskCamera application outbound access
- ONVIF TCP ports 8090-8110
- RTSP TCP ports 554-603

ONVIF discovery uses UDP port 3702. DeskCamera does not create a separate UDP 3702 port rule; discovery is handled by DeskCamera.exe and is covered by the DeskCamera application inbound rule.

ONVIF services use Windows HTTP hosting internally, so the ONVIF TCP port rule is required even when a DeskCamera.exe application rule exists.

RTSP streaming is handled by DeskCamera.exe. A dedicated RTSP TCP port rule is also installed to improve compatibility with stricter firewall or endpoint protection configurations.

If Browser Configuration is installed and enabled, it uses a separate Windows service. Its installer firewall rule is program-based for the browser service, so changing the Browser Configuration LAN port in DeskCamera does not require updating the Windows Firewall rule created by the installer.

Firewall option during upgrade

DeskCamera 6.0.0 fixes an installer issue where the Windows Firewall exceptions option could turn back on after an upgrade even if it was previously unchecked.

If network access stops working after an upgrade, check whether firewall rules were intentionally disabled during installation or are managed by domain policy.

Opening ports manually

If firewall rules are managed manually, by domain policy, or by a non-Windows firewall, allow inbound traffic to the DeskCamera PC for:

- UDP 3702 for ONVIF discovery, if automatic discovery is required
- TCP 8090-8110 for ONVIF services, unless custom ONVIF ports are configured
- TCP 554-603 for RTSP streams, unless a static RTSP port is configured
- The current Browser Configuration HTTPS port, if browser configuration from another PC is required

If an NVR/VMS is configured with the camera address manually, ONVIF discovery is not required. In that case UDP 3702 can remain blocked, but the ONVIF TCP and RTSP TCP ports must still be reachable.

To avoid opening the whole RTSP range, configure a static RTSP port under OPTIONS - GENERAL, then allow only that TCP port:

For custom ONVIF port configuration, see How to change default ONVIF ports.

Internet access and port forwarding

For access from outside the local network, configure router port forwarding or UPnP carefully. Forward only the ports required for the specific camera that should be reachable externally.

For UPnP setup, see Configuring the Internet access to DeskCamera live feed with UPnP port mapping.

For security reasons, expose DeskCamera ports directly to the Internet only when required and only with strong camera credentials.

Troubleshooting

If an NVR/VMS cannot connect to DeskCamera:

1) Confirm DeskCamera is running and the camera is started
2) Confirm the NVR/VMS is using the current ONVIF address and RTSP URL
3) Check whether DeskCamera is in Shared or Per-user mode. See Camera Instance Mode and Lock Settings
4) Check whether custom ONVIF or static RTSP ports are configured
5) Check Windows Firewall, domain firewall policy, or third-party endpoint protection
6) Check that no other application is using the same ONVIF or RTSP port
7) If using Per-user mode, confirm the expected Windows user session is running the expected DeskCamera camera