BG-COMMANDER-JR Troubleshooting Guide

This guide walks through the most common issues encountered when setting up or operating the BG-COMMANDER-JR and provides step-by-step solutions to help restore proper camera discovery and control.

1. Camera Is Found, but No Control

If the camera appears in the controller but does not respond to commands:

• Confirm the control protocol (VISCA over IP, ONVIF, etc.) is correctly selected.
• Verify the control port number matches the camera’s configuration.
• Double-check that the camera model supports the selected protocol.
• Ensure the camera firmware is up to date.

2. No Cameras Found on the Network

If the controller does not detect any cameras:

• Verify the Ethernet connection between the controller, camera, and network switch.
• Check for link/activity lights on the Ethernet ports at both ends.
• Confirm the network cable is functional and properly seated.
• Make sure your PC, controller, and camera are connected to the same network.

3. Managed Network Switch Considerations

When using a managed switch, the following settings are critical:

• The Ethernet port on the BG-COMMANDER-JR operates at 100 Mbps.
• If the switch is set to auto-negotiation, it may fail to communicate with the controller.
  • Disable auto-negotiation on the switch port.
  • Manually set the port speed to 100 Mbps.
• Ensure all devices are on the same VLAN.
• Confirm you are connected to the correct Ethernet ports on the switch.

4. Network Stability Checks

If the connection is unstable or intermittent:

• Try a different Ethernet cable (CAT6 recommended).
• Test other ports on the network switch.
• If issues persist, bypass the switch and try a direct Ethernet connection between the controller and the camera.
• Avoid mixing PoE and non-PoE ports incorrectly, if applicable.

5. Restart and Reset Procedures

If the network connection is stable but problems continue:

1. Power-cycle the controller and the camera.
2. Perform a factory reset on the BG-COMMANDER-JR.
3. Re-add the camera to the controller from scratch.

6. Network Verification

• Confirm you can ping both the controller and the camera from a PC on the same network.
• Open the Web GUI for both devices to verify network access and IP settings.
• Ensure there are no IP conflicts on the network.

7. Advanced Troubleshooting Steps

If standard steps do not resolve the issue:

• Change the camera’s IP address.
• Assign a static IP address to the controller.
• Manually add the camera using its IP address and control port.
• Verify subnet mask and gateway settings are consistent across all devices.

8. Exposure and Image Parameter Adjustments

If exposure or image settings are difficult to fine-tune:

• Use the camera’s Web GUI for precise image adjustments.
• The controller’s incremental controls may be too coarse for very specific exposure, gain, or color settings.
• Once configured in the Web GUI, use the controller for general operational control.