ONVIF Compatibility with UniFi Protect: What You Need to Know

Hey tech enthusiasts! Juan David here, your Tech Support Lead and UniFi Certified Trainer at Flytec. Today, we’re diving deep into something that has been a hot topic in the world of surveillance: ONVIF compatibility with UniFi Protect cameras. If you’ve been wondering if UniFi cameras can now integrate with ONVIF systems or if it’s just the controller, you’re not alone. Let’s break down the latest updates and see what’s really going on.

What is ONVIF?

Before we dive into the UniFi Protect update, let’s first understand ONVIF. ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) is a global standard for IP-based security products. Essentially, it allows different surveillance cameras, even from different manufacturers, to work together seamlessly. For example, if you have a camera from Brand A and a Network Video Recorder (NVR) from Brand B, ONVIF ensures that these devices can communicate, making it easier to manage a mixed environment of security products.

With ONVIF, you get a common platform for IP cameras, allowing them to interact with various third-party systems like Video Management Software (VMS) or NVRs. This standard is important in the security industry because it promotes flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and future-proofing—since you’re not locked into using one specific brand or type of equipment.

ONVIF and UniFi Protect: What’s the Status?

Now, let’s zoom in on how this applies to UniFi Protect. UniFi Protect cameras, like the AI, G5, and G4 Series, do not natively support ONVIF. This means that these cameras are designed to work specifically with UniFi Protect's ecosystem, offering features like motion detection and AI event tracking that you won’t find in most ONVIF-compatible cameras.

However, UniFi Protect 5.0.3.3 introduced something new: ONVIF support at the controller level, meaning that you can now add third-party ONVIF cameras to the UniFi Protect platform. While this is a big step forward, it’s important to note that these third-party cameras come with limitations in UniFi Protect, such as lacking motion detection and AI features for now.

Setting Up an ONVIF Camera with UniFi Protect

Here’s where it gets fun—or maybe a little tricky, depending on your patience. If you have an ONVIF camera and you’re eager to bring it into the UniFi Protect ecosystem, here’s a walkthrough of how to do it:

1. Access the UniFi Protect Controller: Head over to your UNVR Pro (UNVR-Pro) dashboard. You’ll see an option to adopt third-party cameras. Select your ONVIF camera from the list.
2. Camera Credentials: This part can be tricky. Many ONVIF cameras come with a blank password by default. Unfortunately, the UniFi Protect controller doesn’t allow for blank passwords. You’ll need to go to the camera’s native interface, log in, and set a password. For example, with Reolink, the default username is ‘admin’ with a blank password. Change this to something simple like ‘test1234.’
3. Adopt the Camera: After setting the new password, go back to the UniFi Protect dashboard. Input the new password, click ‘Confirm,’ and voila! Your ONVIF camera is now part of your UniFi Protect system.

But wait—don’t expect to have all the bells and whistles just yet. Right now, you can only do basic continuous recording (no motion events). The UniFi Protect interface will still show key details like FPS, bitrate, and uptime, but motion and AI detection features are off the table for third-party cameras.

                                              

Why ONVIF Support Matters

You might be wondering, "Why should I care about ONVIF support?" Well, for businesses or users who are slowly migrating their camera systems to UniFi Protect, this is a big win. It allows for a smoother transition. If a company already has a few ONVIF cameras set up and doesn’t want to discard them immediately, this feature offers flexibility.

Think of it as a gateway. As a business grows and upgrades its security infrastructure, they can gradually replace old ONVIF cameras with more robust UniFi models without the need to overhaul their entire system in one go.

ONVIF: A Steppingstone to Full UniFi Protect

Right now, ONVIF support is still in its early stages for UniFi Protect. While you won’t get motion recording or AI event detection with third-party cameras just yet, the fact that they’re license-free and easy to integrate makes it a solid steppingstone. If your business or home is looking to adopt UniFi Protect but you’ve still got a few ONVIF cameras around, this update is for you.

Stay tuned for future updates—rumor has it that motion detection and more advanced features might be coming for ONVIF cameras soon. And when that happens, you can bet I’ll be here to walk you through it.

This ONVIF support update isn’t just about compatibility; it’s about flexibility. Whether you’re a business transitioning from older systems or a tech enthusiast like me who’s always looking for the latest and greatest in network surveillance, this is a promising start.

As always, we’re here to help you navigate these changes and make the most of your networked security system. What are your thoughts on UniFi Protect’s ONVIF capabilities? Feel free to reach out for personalized support!