Hikvision Camera Default Password and IP Address

If you’re trying to access a Hikvision camera and don’t know the password or IP address, the answer depends heavily on the camera’s firmware generation.

Modern Hikvision cameras do not have a universal default password. Cameras using Hikvision’s secure activation process are supplied in an inactive state and require an administrator password to be created during activation.

Older cameras are different. Hikvision confirms that cameras running firmware v5.2 or earlier did not require activation and used 12345 as the default password. Hikvision introduced secure activation for its relevant IP camera ranges with firmware v5.3.0.

The IP address also depends on the firmware:

For a camera you have legitimately inherited or are deploying, don’t start by guessing the IP address. The quickest approach is normally to discover the camera with Hikvision’s device-management software.

The quickest way to find a Hikvision camera

Hikvision’s device discovery tools can find cameras on the local network and show information including the device IP address, firmware version and activation status.

Historically, this has been done with SADP (Search Active Device Protocol).

That has changed. Hikvision states that SADP no longer receives updates from April 2026 and recommends migrating to HiTools Delivery, which covers device discovery, network configuration and password reset, along with batch upgrades and scenario-based configuration across a wider range of device types.

You can find both in Hikvision’s HiTools library.

If you’re working on a new deployment, use HiTools Delivery rather than building a process around the older SADP application. SADP still works, but it isn’t being maintained.

The computer running the discovery software normally needs to be on the same physical network or subnet as the camera.

Once the camera appears, you can see its:

• IP address
• firmware version
• device type
• activation status
• serial number
• network information

This is much easier than trying to work out which default IP applies to an unknown camera.

Hikvision camera activation

If the device appears as Inactive, it has not yet been activated.

Select the camera in HiTools Delivery and use the activation option to create the administrator password.

The username is normally:

admin

The important difference is that you create the password yourself. There is no universal password such as 12345 on modern cameras using secure activation.

Use a unique password for each device rather than reusing the same administrator password across an entire camera deployment.

Once the device is activated, you can configure its network settings.

Hikvision default IP address

There are two Hikvision IP addresses commonly encountered on older and newer camera firmware.

Firmware v5.2 or earlier

The documented default IP is:

192.0.0.64

Firmware v5.3 or later

The documented default IP for IP cameras is:

192.168.1.64

This is why simply telling someone that every Hikvision camera uses 192.0.0.64 is misleading. Plenty of articles still do.

Use the discovery tool instead

If you don’t know which firmware the camera is running, there is little reason to guess.

Use HiTools Delivery to find the camera and then modify its network configuration.

This is particularly useful when you’re handed a camera that has already been configured by another installer or has been factory reset.

Older Hikvision cameras and the 12345 password

If you’re dealing with an old Hikvision camera, the admin / 12345 combination may still be relevant.

Hikvision states that cameras running firmware v5.2.0 and lower did not require activation. After a factory reset, the password on those cameras is 12345. Hikvision recommends upgrading these cameras to newer firmware where firmware is available, or at minimum changing the default password if an upgrade isn’t possible.

That means an old camera may present a very different experience from a modern Hikvision device.

If you encounter one, check the firmware version before assuming the activation process is broken.

A camera still running firmware from this era should also be treated as a legacy device. Before putting it into production, check whether current firmware is available for the exact model and region. A device that predates secure activation is old enough that its other security characteristics deserve a look as well.

What about admin / 123456 or admin / admin?

You will find various combinations listed on older websites, including:

admin / 123456
admin / admin

These shouldn’t be treated as universal Hikvision defaults.

Hikvision’s documentation is much more specific about the firmware generations that used 12345, and modern devices use secure activation rather than a universal factory password.

If you have an unknown camera, identifying the model and firmware is more useful than working through a list of passwords.

Resetting a lost Hikvision password

If the camera is already active but nobody knows the administrator password, use Hikvision’s supported password-recovery process rather than trying to bypass the device.

With SADP or the corresponding functionality in HiTools Delivery, the general process is:

1. Connect the computer and camera to the same local network.
2. Discover the camera.
3. Select the device.
4. Choose Forgot Password or the password-reset option.
5. Follow the recovery method presented for that device.
6. Complete the verification process and set a new administrator password.

The available reset method depends on the device. Hikvision also documents self-service password recovery on supported devices using methods such as a reserved email address and Hik-Connect, though availability depends on model and firmware.

For devices that require a reset request file or dealer-assisted recovery, expect to provide information proving that you are authorised to administer the device. That’s an appropriate security control for a device that could otherwise be reset by anyone who can reach it on the network.

Factory resetting a Hikvision camera

A physical reset is another option, but there isn’t a single reset-button procedure that applies to every Hikvision camera.

The location of the reset button and the procedure vary by model. Some Hikvision documentation describes holding the reset button for around 10 seconds while the camera is powering on or rebooting, but that is model-specific rather than a universal rule.

Before using the reset button, check the manual for the exact camera model.

A factory reset can remove configuration such as:

• IP address and network settings
• administrator password
• camera configuration
• motion and analytics settings
• other device-specific configuration

Hikvision’s documentation also distinguishes a full default operation from a restore, with a default operation able to erase the configured IP address, password and other settings.

If the camera is part of an existing surveillance system, document the configuration before resetting it.

Securing Hikvision cameras after deployment

Getting access to the camera is only the first step.

A camera is another network-connected endpoint, so I would treat it like any other infrastructure device.

Keep cameras on their own network

Where practical, put cameras on a dedicated VLAN rather than placing them directly on the user LAN.

For example:

Users VLAN
    |
    |       Firewall
    |----------|
               |
          Camera VLAN
          10.50.20.0/24
             |
       +-----+-----+
       |           |
    Camera 1    Camera 2

The camera VLAN should only be allowed to communicate with the systems that actually need access to it, such as the NVR, VMS or management workstation.

This also limits lateral movement if a camera is compromised.

Don’t expose cameras directly to the internet

Avoid forwarding the camera’s management interface directly from the internet.

Remote administration should go through an appropriate secure access mechanism, such as a VPN or another controlled remote-access solution.

Hikvision devices can provide internet-connected services such as Hik-Connect, so review whether those services are actually required in your environment before enabling them.

Disable services you don’t need

Review the camera’s network and integration settings and disable services that aren’t required.

In particular, check:

• UPnP
• unused remote management services
• unused integration protocols
• unnecessary internet-connected services

Don’t simply change a password and consider the camera secured.

Keep firmware current

Check the exact model and region before installing firmware. Hikvision warns that firmware can be region-specific, so don’t assume that a firmware file found on another regional support site is appropriate for your device.

For older cameras, this is particularly important. If the device is running firmware from the pre-secure-activation era, investigate whether a supported firmware upgrade exists before deploying it.

Use unique administrator credentials

Don’t use the same administrator password on every camera.

If someone obtains the password from one camera, you don’t want that credential to provide access to the entire surveillance network.

For larger deployments, consider how the credentials will be stored and managed rather than relying on a spreadsheet containing every camera password.

Troubleshooting when the camera doesn’t appear

If HiTools Delivery or SADP doesn’t find the camera, check the basics first.

The discovery computer and camera generally need to be on the same physical network or subnet for the discovery process to work.

I’d work through:

1. Confirm the camera has power.
2. Check the Ethernet link.
3. Connect the computer to the same switch or network segment.
4. Check that the camera appears in HiTools Delivery.
5. Temporarily connect the camera directly to the management PC if necessary.
6. Check whether the device appears with an unexpected IP address.
7. Check the firmware version and activation status.
8. Only then consider a factory reset.

If the camera appears in the discovery tool but you cannot access it through the browser, that is usually a network configuration or credential problem rather than a discovery problem.

Hikvision default password and IP address: quick reference

For an older camera:

Firmware: v5.2 or earlier
IP:       192.0.0.64
Username: admin
Password: 12345

For a modern camera using secure activation:

Firmware: v5.3 or later
IP:       192.168.1.64
Username: admin
Password: Created during activation

These are useful starting points, but device discovery is the better approach when you don’t know the camera’s firmware or current configuration.

HiTools Delivery can discover the device, activate it, configure its network settings and perform password resets, which makes it the most useful starting point for a new deployment or an unknown camera.

For a systems administrator, the important distinction is that admin / 12345 is a legacy Hikvision configuration, not a universal current default. If you’re working with a modern device, find it with the management tool and activate it properly rather than working through old default credentials.

References

• Hikvision HiTools library, including HiTools Delivery and SADP

Daniel Lutton

From my early days on the helpdesk through roles as a service desk manager, systems administrator, and network engineer, I’ve spent more than 25 years in the IT world. As I transition into cyber security, my goal is to make tech a little less confusing by sharing what I’ve learned and helping others wherever I can.