23  Troubleshooting

When a malfunction occurs, it may not be serious and can be corrected easily. The following describes the most common problems and solutions. Please refer to the following before calling Lorex technical support:

Error

Possible Causes

Solutions
  • System is not receiving power, or is not powering up.
  • Cable from power adapter is loose or is unplugged.
  • Confirm that all cables are connected correctly.
  • Confirm that the power adapter is securely connected to the back of the unit.
  • Cables are connected, but system is not receiving sufficient power.
  • Confirm that the system is powered on (LED indicators on the front should be ON).
  • If the unit is connected through a power bar or surge protector, try bypassing the bar and connecting the power directly to the wall outlet.
  • Confirm that there is power at the outlet:
    • Connect the power cable to another outlet.
    • Test the outlet with another device (such as a lamp or phone charger).
  • Hard drive is not detected by the system.
  • Hard drive cables are loose or not properly connected.
  • Remove the housing and check that hard drive cables are firmly connected.
  • There is no hard drive in the system.
  • Open the housing and install compatible hard drive. Make sure to format the drive after installing. For details, see 21 Replacing the Hard Drive .
  • Hard drive is full (0%) and the unit is no longer recording.
  • Overwrite is not enabled.
  • There is no picture on monitor/TV after connecting it to the system.
  • Monitor/TV not detected by system.
  • Power off the monitor/TV and system. Power on the monitor/TV, and then power on the system.
  • Input channel for system not selected on monitor/TV.
  • On the monitor/TV, select the input channel the system is connected to.
  • Video cable is loose or has become disconnected.
  • Check the video cable connection to the system and monitor/TV.
Camera is not compatible with the recorder.
Visit and navigate to N882 Series for a list of all compatible cameras.
  • Mouse not detected by system.
  • Mouse cable is not firmly connected to the system.
    Mouse is not connected to the system.
  • Firmly connect the mouse cable to one of the USB ports.
  • System needs to be reset
  • Power off the system (disconnect power cable). Firmly connect a USB mouse to one of the USB ports. Reconnect the power cable to the DC 12V port on the rear panel.
  • There is no picture on selected channels / camera picture is not being displayed.
  • Camera cables are loose or have become disconnected.
  • Check the camera video cable and connections.
  • Disconnect and reconnect the cable at the system and at the camera.
  • Try moving the camera to another channel or use another cable.
Camera is not compatible with the recorder.
Visit and navigate to N882 Series for a list of all compatible cameras.
Power output of the recorder’s PoE switch is being exceeded.
If you have multiple PTZ cameras connected to the recorder’s PoE ports, the camera power requirement may surpass the recorder’s power output. Lorex PTZ cameras come with a power adapter, which you can use to power the camera instead of the recorder’s PoE ports. See for full instructions.
  • The system beeps at startup.
 
  • The beep at startup is normal.
  • The system beeps during motion detection.
  • Motion detection is enabled and the alarm buzzer is activated.
  • I am not receiving email notifications.
  • Email notification is disabled.
  • Send Email setting not enabled in Event menu.
  • Make sure that Send Email is checked for any events you want to be notified of.

23.1  Top Reasons Your Lorex Camera May Lose Video or Go Black

There are a multitude of reasons why your security camera may lose video or go black. The following list of potential issues will walk you through the process of identifying the root cause and do a quick fix on the issue.

23.1.1  Going over PoE budget will result in video loss

Graphic
Our recorders use technology to deliver power to IP cameras and the same PoE is used to transmit video back to the recorder.
Known as Maximum Power Consumption (wattage), each IP camera requires a specific amount of power to operate and function efficiently. You will find the Max Power Consumption on the camera's specification sheet in the Download section of the camera's product page.
Our Network Video Recorders (NVR) have a total power output or PoE budget of between 80 and 220 watts. When adding additional cameras to your recorder, please ensure that you do not exceed the PoE budget. If you go over your PoE budget, the system will shut down or drop a camera as it does not have enough power to supply to the camera, resulting in video loss.
When adding cameras to your recorder, please make sure you are within your wattage allowance. Please refer to the image below to get an idea on how to calculate your PoE budget.
Graphic
Graphic

23.1.2  When to use a PoE Switch?

If you find that your recorder does not have enough power to support the camera(s) you have added, you have the option of using a to increase the power to the recorder and extend the range of your cameras at the same time. To purchase a PoE Switch, check out our 8 or 16-channel PoE Switches .

23.1.3  Not enough power or total loss of it

Loss of power is the most common reason why security cameras go black. It happens when power adapter is disconnected and cable that connect the camera to the recorder and monitor becomes loose and faulty.
To fix the issue, we recommend that you check any point of contact on your camera, recorder, and monitor.

23.1.4  Power surge and interference

Graphic
A power surge can burn your camera’s circuit board and other components. Power surge is even more hazardous to metal cameras installed on vertical pole as there’s a great likelihood of it getting hit by lighting strikes.
A quick fix would be to use power or lightning surge protectors. It’s also a wise idea to screw the camera onto a block of wood and then attach the wood to the pole.

23.1.5  Not supported display output

Before of your recorder to higher resolution (e.g., 4K), please make sure that your monitor can support the higher resolution output of your recorder. If your monitor cannot support the higher resolution of your recorder, it will lose video signal and will turn black. Please before changing the display output of your recorder.

23.1.6  Twisted, bent or damaged cables

Graphic
The great advantage of using a wired security system is the reliability of the cables that came with the system. Unfortunately, cables get twisted, bent and damaged as you run them around tight corners of your property. As they get twisted and damaged, there is great likelihood that video signal will get cut off. Being extra careful in running the cable and personally checking its condition may help prevent video loss. To replace a damaged cable, check out our extensive collection of cables .

23.1.7  Outdated firmware and hardware

Graphic
We always release to patch up vulnerabilities and fix compatibility issues on our recorders. If you have ruled out all possible causes but still experience video loss, then it may be time to upgrade the firmware of your recorder. To check if you have the latest firmware, please see our guide .

23.1.8  Issue with compatibility

All of our cameras are paired with specific recorders, apps, and software. If you pair your camera with the wrong recorder, app, or software, there is a great likelihood that you will encounter a compatibility issue along the way. To know if your Lorex product will work with other lineup, please see our .

23.1.9  Low internet bandwidth

Your internet plan plays a major role in your camera’s ability to connect to the internet. Low internet bandwidth creates hiccups that often lead to disconnection. If you are experiencing video loss, it may be good to check with your ISP and make sure your plan can support multiple devices. If you have gone through all the steps above and still experience disconnection or video loss, please connect with our Tech Support at 1.888.425.6739. We are more than happy to help you.
If you have gone through all the steps above and still experience disconnection or video loss, please connect with our at 1.888.425.6739. We are more than happy to help you.