Milesight Camera Connection & Activation Guide

Applies to: Milesight Smart Tools v2.4 and current (as of 2025) Milesight IP cameras. More details on Smart Tools usage and in-depth camera configuration information can be found in this Milesight article.

On this page
  1. Overview
  2. Step 1 — Discover & Activate
  3. Step 2 — Change Camera IP (Preferred)
  4. Step 3 — Alternative: Add a Secondary IP to Your PC
  5. Step 4 — Enable DHCP (same subnet required)
  6. Note for 4G/5G Cellular Models
  7. Final Notes

Overview

Milesight Smart Tools can discover and activate cameras across different subnets ...

Step 1 — Discover & Activate Camera

  1. Launch Milesight Smart Tools → IPC Tools.
    (Watch the video below for a step-by-step guide.)
  2. Click Search/Refresh. Detected cameras will appear even if they are on a different subnet (e.g., camera 192.168.5.x vs. PC 192.168.1.x).
  3. If the camera is new, you must activate it by setting a strong admin password.
    Note: New Milesight models have no default password.
  4. After activation, you can modify its network settings.
▶️ Watch: Step-by-step video guide

Step 2 — Change Camera IP (Preferred Method)

It is recommended to place the camera into your LAN subnet for normal access:

1. In Smart Tools, select the camera and click Modify.
2. Set a new IP in your LAN’s subnet (e.g., if router is 192.168.1.1, choose 192.168.1.50).
3. Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0.
4. Gateway: your router’s IP (e.g., 192.168.1.1).
5. Save. The camera is now reachable via its new IP, and the web interface can be accessed
normally.

Important: Only when the camera is on the same subnet can you enable DHCP from the Smart
Tools Network tab.

Step 3 — Alternative: Add a Secondary IP to Your PC

If you don’t know available LAN IPs, temporarily assign your PC an IP in the camera’s subnet:

 

 

 

 

Step 4 — Enable DHCP (Same Subnet Required)

Once the camera is in the same subnet as your PC:
1. In Smart Tools, go to the Network tab.
2. Select your camera and enable DHCP, then apply changes.
3. Refresh/Search in Smart Tools and the camera’s new DHCP-assigned IP will be displayed
directly.
Note: No need to check your router; Smart Tools shows the updated address.

Note for 4G/5G Cellular Models

  • Initial Setup Still Required: All Milesight 4G/5G cameras must first be discovered and activated on LAN using Smart Tools, just like standard IP models.
  • Password Setup: You must complete activation and set an admin password locally before the camera can operate on cellular.
  • Cellular Configuration: Once activated and reachable on LAN, log into the camera’s web UI → Network → Cellular. Insert and configure the SIM (APN, PIN if required).
  • Standalone Cellular Use: After the SIM is configured and connected, the camera can function over 4G/5G only, without a LAN cable, but initial steps cannot be skipped.

Final Notes

  • Discovery and activation work across subnets via Smart Tools.
  • Full configuration, DHCP enablement, and web login require the camera and PC to share the same subnet.
  • No default credentials: New Milesight models require activation and a user-defined admin password on first use. Store it securely.
  • If the password is lost, a hardware reset and re-activation may be required.