Looks like BlueIris is not renewing their certificate with Apple for BlueIris 4.
So no more app push notifications unless you upgrade to 5.

SMS messages are a pain with AT&T as it is never a consistent number and is a pain when receiving texts.
I guess I can set my instant alerts to a dedicated email from BlueIris.
But the iOS notifications were best as you just clicked on the notification and the app opened right up.

Guess I will just suck it up and upgrade to 5. Sure hope the migration from 4 to 5 is simple.

I upgraded to 5. It's awesome. No regrets. Just save your configuration file and you are GTG.

The problems people had when 5 came out are gone now. no issues.

I don't mind paying the support fee because I like the Software enough to support them each year. Heck I spend more on pizza on a single Friday night than the cost of the support fee each year.

The way my life goes is anytime I try to make a change for the better that change creates some sort of issue that I have to spend weeks correcting.

4 has been running beautifully for me for quite some time now.
I switch to 5 it will get all jacked up some how.

No trouble since upgrading to 5. I also pay for support. Haven't needed it but I really like the product and support is reasonable. The product has performed flawlessly for me over 4 years.

I had been running BI4 for a year or so then bought one of these...



and BI didn't like it so had to revert to IVMS-4200.

quote:

Looks like BlueIris is not renewing their certificate with Apple for BlueIris 4.
So no more app push notifications unless you upgrade to 5.

Black, you touched on something that I don't understand. I think you are saying that the iOS app for Blue Iris has a notification feature such that you don't need to use text messages for camera alerts. Is that correct?

I never bothered with the BI iOS app. Is it worthwhile? I just use the text messages and called it a day. With the iOS app, do you have to open ports on your home router????, something I am against doing for security reasons. Or does it have another way to communicate with the app which does not use open ports?

Correct. The app uses Push Notification just like most other iOS apps.
You get the little banner click the banner it goes straight to the camera.

As for using an open port I can only presume as much. When you download the app you type in your license key to the PC program you purchased and it links right up in the app.

I know very little about networking and the like so I have no clue how it actually works.

How do you live view your cameras remotely if you are not using the app?
I am not good at this stuff so I really have no clue about a lot of this stuff.

When I had a T-Mobile phone it would send the SMS alerts from the same number so I just added that to my contact list easy to turn on and off the notifications by just clicking that contact and hiding alerts when I wanted them off but did not want all my texts shut off.

When I switched to AT&T they send the SMS from random digit strings and there was no way to just shut off the camera messages.
I started using the app push notifications and just go to settings - notifications and shut off BlueIris notifications.
Guess I’ll just upgrade to 5 and keep my fingers crossed I don’t screw anything up.

quote:

How do you live view your cameras remotely if you are not using the app?

Excellent question..

I VPN to my home using OPEN VPN. Several parts to this ---

1] my home router is an Asus with OpenVPN capability.
2] On my iPhone 8, I have an app call "OpenVPN" which securely gets me into my home network.
3] Also on my iPhone, I have an app called IPCamViewer

I simply hit one button to start the VPN to my home, and then one more to open the Viewer app.

I have the added bonus of a VPN to my home, which I can use at coffee shops and airport public wifi, and not have to worry about hackers seeing what I'm doing. When I travel internationally, I VPN home with my laptop, and it appears as if I'm still in the USA, which is important for some internet sites depending on where you travel.

I guess I need to learn a out OpenVPN for security purposes.

I have an ASUS router as well that I believe supports it.

Any suggested reading or sites for me to learn a bit more?

Head on over to https://ipcamtalk.com/forums/blue-iris.30/

They are very good with BI.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
I guess I need to learn a out OpenVPN for security purposes.

I have an ASUS router as well that I believe supports it.

Any suggested reading or sites for me to learn a bit more?

This is where I learned about it only problem is it's a 66 page thread. but you only need to look for the OpenVPN info.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
I guess I need to learn a out OpenVPN for security purposes.

I have an ASUS router as well that I believe supports it.

Any suggested reading or sites for me to learn a bit more?

Not that I am discouraging a VPN but can't you forward ports and use a static IP or dynamic DNS to serve your purpose?

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
I guess I need to learn a out OpenVPN for security purposes.

I have an ASUS router as well that I believe supports it.

Any suggested reading or sites for me to learn a bit more?

Not that I am discouraging a VPN but can't you forward ports and use a static IP or dynamic DNS to serve your purpose?

The problem with forwarding ports is it can open one up to security breaches. In particular with some cameras where they can be hacked into with the open port. Behind a firewall, with no open ports, is much better. VPN is as far as I know, still pretty secure.

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
I guess I need to learn a out OpenVPN for security purposes.

I have an ASUS router as well that I believe supports it.

Any suggested reading or sites for me to learn a bit more?

Not that I am discouraging a VPN but can't you forward ports and use a static IP or dynamic DNS to serve your purpose?

The problem with forwarding ports is it can open one up to security breaches. In particular with some cameras where they can be hacked into with the open port. Behind a firewall, with no open ports, is much better. VPN is as far as I know, still pretty secure.

Sure it is more secure no doubt but is there a real risk? and vpn's do require more bandwidth both up and down as well as a required client app or configuration but security point well taken.

Why can’t folks just leave well enough alone?
Everything was running nicely had had been for a while.
The lack of notifications in 4 was frustrating so I went ahead and hit the bullet and paid to upgrade to 5.
Saved all my settings and have 5 up and running on the PC but now my iOS app will not connect whatsoever!!!

Dang, I don't have any help to offer sorry. Any thoughts on 5 vs 4? Things you like or don't? If I am going to do it might as well be now since I have to reconfigure everything.

I got the app working with 5. You have to make sure to remove 4 completely then reassign 5 in the settings panel.

But still learning little quirks.
In 4 you would go to camera properties then the alerts tab to configure you SMS, and email alert info.
I can’t figure out where they moved the alerts configuration settings to.
Aside from that it is not too terribly different that I have found.

Ok if there is nothing ground breaking I will stick with 4, thanks!