Hikvision plugin doesn't work in Firefox

[Kieran]

Unfortunately, the time has finally arrived.

As of Mozilla Firefox v52.0 released on March 7th, NPAPI plugins are no longer supported. This means that, much like Google Chrome, Hikvision users will no longer be able to successfully install the web browser plugin required to view their cameras in Firefox.

This was announced in the Mozilla Future Releases blog post from October 8th 2015 and has now finally come into effect. Chrome discontinued support back in September 2015, and you can see the impact this had in our thread on the topic.

Fortunately, there is a workaround:
- Type about:config in the Firefox address bar – ignore the “are you sure you want to proceed?” page
- Right click anywhere. A context window should pop-up
- Select New >> Boolean
- Enter exactly plugin.load_flash_only
- Set the Boolean value to False
- Restart Firefox

For now, this should work as a temporary workaround to restore full functionality to your Hikvision system.

NB:
I have been unable to get this feature to work on the Firefox version of Mac OS X
This only works when using TCP transmission protocol - NOT UDP.

However, a similar fix was present in the first version of Google Chrome that removed NPAPI plugins, and this was subsequently patched out. I wouldn't expect this Firefox workaround to last forever unfortunately.

 

[Leecavturbo]

Are HV working a new method that will work across all platforms?

 

[Phil]

We would like to think so.

However, unfortunately, past experience does not serve to make us too optimistic.
They had at least 18 months prior warning of this (NPAPI) method coming to an end in Google's Chrome browser, and even a year later they do not yet have a resolution to offer for Chrome.

Of course, all of the vendors are very reliant upon the inherent technologies used by / acceptable to browsers; you can think of more common plug-ins such as Java and Flash that have caused many problems over the years.

Some manufacturers, such as Synology have developed their own client which can be installed on Windows or Mac, is not browser dependant, and therefore delivers an optimised performance - Surveillance 8.0 | Synology Inc.

As yet, we do not know what HikVision have planned.

 

[Nigel Hoar]

is there still no alternative

 

[Phil]

I'm afraid I'm not aware of any imminent solution from HikVision.
We will of course add something here as soon as we know.

A contact recently informed me that you can freeze at Firefox's Extended Support Release for Version 52 and it will work with video:
Firefox Extended Support Release FAQ
Firefox Extended Support Release — Notes (52.0esr)
Mozilla Firefox Web Browser — Download Firefox Extended Support Release in your language

NB - I have not tested / proven this yet.

 

[John Whitfield]

My firefox fix stopped working today, and while on the EZVIZ site trying to find a solution I was amazed to discover EZVIZ Studio - a custom windows application which works a treat, and can address remote cameras as well as local ones. Download it from the EZVIZ support page. No idea how long it's been there (and it doesn't say what it is !).

 

[Phil]

Hi John, HikVision caused some confusion by having a portal/cloud solution names EZVIZ, an App named EZVIZ, and then a separate product range named EZVIZ.
I know from your other Post in the forum that you have a 7604 and turret cameras, so NOT products from their EZVIZ range.
It would be interesting to test this EZVIZ Studio software with HikVision products, can you share a link to the software download please?
Thanks

 

[John Whitfield]

Hi Phil,
The page is EZVIZ - Security Camera Kits, Wi-Fi Cameras, and Action Cams and EZVIZ Studio is the last item on the page.

 

[proteus44]

Hi
it works with framafox (firefox portable)
need to modify about:config but otherwise it works without uninstalling firefox
Framakey : Portables => Framafox Portable

i use esr version.
https://framakey.org/Portables.FramafoxPortable?count=http://files.framakey.org/stable/main/apps/FramafoxPortable_38.5.1esr-fr-r01.fmk.zip

 

[Stephan]

Hello proteus44,

thank you so much for your post. Your solution work very well. I have succeed to see my cameras Hikvision set-up in the Framafox last version 38.5.1. You did my day!!! It solve the firefox and all browsers images viewer issue with Hikvision cams.

 

[proteus44]

Glad to see that helps
I'm not the guy who did this tool, however if each hikvision owner send a 'thank you' to him, it would be great. Donate is also possible :-D
I 've understood that he does not maintain it anymore.

I don't know for you but I did have to disable all plugins in this browser(adblock and so on, in the top right of the toolbar).
Enjoy, and if you know other hikvision forums, please share this information.

Have a good day

 

[CYBOPOB]

there is a way to get Chrome to work with Hikvision. instructions are in Russian, but a could translate if needed.
You ll need to install "IE tab" extension.

 

[Phil]

there is a way to get Chrome to work with Hikvision. instructions are in Russian, but a could translate if needed.
You ll need to install "IE tab" extension.

Hi, we've mentioned IEtabs before, I use it all day every day with Google's Chrome browser to work with HikVision cameras and NVRs:

Hikvision's plugin for Google Chrome is unsupported

 

[PeterL]

Hi
it works with framafox (firefox portable)
need to modify about:config but otherwise it works without uninstalling firefox
Framakey : Portables => Framafox Portable

i use esr version.
https://framakey.org/Portables.FramafoxPortable?count=http://files.framakey.org/stable/main/apps/FramafoxPortable_38.5.1esr-fr-r01.fmk.zip

Great suggestion. I downloaded the esr version and can now see video on my Hikvision 2CD2342WD.
I couldn't see any picture with Firefox, Chrome, Edge. Delighted!

 

[desolation]

Humm?

There must be some good reason HikVision is STILL sticking with this old, Netscape era, NPAPI interface. Let's investigate what that reason might be?

* First, the reason can't be for better portability, because they now only work with the Edge browser, and thus only on Windows. No support for Mac or Linux. No support for Firefox, Opera, Chrome, etc.

* Next, this can't be for better performance, because the newer FireFox's native NPAPI interface that they require was built to be faster and more secure. (Seems FireFox as of V52 abandoned this antique NetScape interface. Now FireFox is v61). Also Chrome is clearly faster and even earlier booted this older interface.

* And finally, it can't be that HikVision is technically incapable. Clearly, they are a huge company with advanced technical products.

So why does the HikVision web cam interface continue to require this old, what Firefox calls, buggy, slow, and insecure, NPAPI interface?


Why indeed? Sadly, I can come to only one conclusion. There must be some advantage to them. I can think of only one thing they might benefit from: Since this old interface is insecure their might be a backdoor security hole they want to keep open. If they were to upgrade to the more secure interface they would loose it. I don't come to this conclusion lightly. But there has to be a good reason they are dragging their feet on this.

So I've decided to find another camera supplier. I like their camera otherwise, but their software is antique, and thus apparently insecure. That's a pretty bad rap for a security product I think.

I purchased a single HikVision turret camera just to test it out before buying a whole bunch, but quickly ran into this old issue of it not working as described above.

From what I read Firefox recognized the issues with this plugin a long time ago, and so built the NPAPI features into FireFox natively to fix the issues. Now Firefox and before it Chrome has abandoned support for the older buggy and insecure plugin interface.

Only Edge (Windows Explorer) still supports the old Netscape interface.

For reasons of performance, security, and software freedom I've switched from using Windows to Linux. On Linux I have fully updated versions of Firefox and Chrome that both don't work w/ this HikVision camera. I was finally able to get the HikVision camera to work on Windows with Internet Explorer (Edge) after installing the NPAPI plugin. Picture looks nice, but not good enough to make up for the security hole left in the wake.

 

[Magic919]

Tin foil hat time.

 

[desolation]

As a workaround, until they update their web software, I noticed you can get a video stream in Linux from these HikVision cameras using VLC Media Player by pointing it to a network feed (Menu> Media> Network Stream) and using and address like this: rtsp://<your camera's ip address>/11 (or a Real Time Stream Protocol). Not sure what the /11 is for, but that's what seems to make it work.

This together with the fact that the controls still seem to work in the web interface, even if the video does not, means that you can use the HikVision w/ newer browsers and Linux, all be it with a little bit of hacking.