Frequently Asked Question

This article explains how to use DeskCamera on a PC where more than one Windows user may sign in, including shared PCs, Fast User Switching, Remote Desktop, and terminal server environments.

DeskCamera can work in either Shared mode or Per-user mode. For a full explanation of these modes and Lock Settings, see Multi-user Mode and Lock Settings.

Choose the correct mode first

Use Shared mode when the PC should appear as one camera in the NVR/VMS. This is best when only one Windows user is active at a time.

Use Per-user mode when each Windows user should appear as a separate camera in the NVR/VMS. This is usually the better choice for Remote Desktop, terminal server, or shared-PC environments where several users may be active at the same time.

On systems where several users can be signed in at the same time, Shared mode may be refused. Use Per-user mode for those systems.

If the administrator wants each user to have a separate camera but the same DeskCamera media sources and application settings, use Per-user mode with Lock Settings. See Multi-user Mode and Lock Settings.

How it appears in the NVR/VMS

Shared mode: add one DeskCamera camera for the PC.

Per-user mode: add each Windows user/session as a separate ONVIF camera. The PC IP address may be the same, but each user can have different DeskCamera connection details and ports.

Setting up Per-user mode

1. Set DeskCamera to Per-user mode. See Multi-user Mode and Lock Settings.
2. Sign in to Windows as the first user.
3. Open DeskCamera and confirm that the required media source is streaming.
4. Add this DeskCamera instance to the NVR/VMS as an ONVIF camera.
5. Repeat the same steps for each Windows user who should have their own DeskCamera camera.

Ports and firewall

In Per-user mode, each user/session must be reachable by the NVR/VMS. Make sure Windows Firewall allows the ONVIF/RTSP ports used by DeskCamera.

For firewall details, see Ports used by DeskCamera and Configuring firewall rules.

If you need to change the ONVIF port manually, see How to change default ONVIF ports.

Managing multiple DeskCamera instances

If browser management is enabled, you can manage DeskCamera from another computer and check the DeskCamera cameras running on the PC. See Managing DeskCamera from a Web Browser.

Troubleshooting

The NVR/VMS sees only one DeskCamera camera.
This is expected in Shared mode. If each Windows user needs a separate camera, switch to Per-user mode and add each user/session separately.

A second Windows user cannot use the camera.
Check if DeskCamera is using Shared mode. Shared mode works best when only one Windows user is active. Use Per-user mode when multiple users need to stream at the same time.

The NVR/VMS cannot connect to one user/session.
Check that the correct ONVIF port is used for that user and that Windows Firewall allows inbound access to that port.

A user cannot change DeskCamera settings.
The settings may be locked by an administrator. See Multi-user Mode and Lock Settings.

Shared mode cannot be selected.
Use Per-user mode if this PC allows more than one Windows user session to be active at the same time, such as Remote Desktop or terminal server environments.

Camera settings changed after user switching.
Update DeskCamera to a newer version. This helps prevent a disconnected session from changing the saved camera settings of the active session.