Following a Core update or network configuration changes, Reolink cameras sometimes fail to display in Home Assistant. The logs often show the error Camera not found, even though the camera’s web interface responds without issue via its IP address. In most cases, the problem does not lie with the camera itself, but with hanging network connections on the host system.
What You Need
- A working Home Assistant installation. If you run your system virtualized, check out the guide on installing Home Assistant as an LXC container in Proxmox.
- An integrated Reolink camera (such as the RLC-510A or other models) with a static IP address.
- A local Reolink device account with administrator privileges.
- Time required: approx. 5 minutes.
1. Verify Camera Accessibility in the Browser
Ensure the hardware is running and receiving network traffic. Enter the camera’s static IP address directly into your browser. Log in using your local administrator account and verify that the live stream loads. If browser access succeeds, the camera hardware and power supply are working properly.
2. Fully Reboot the Home Assistant Host
A simple restart of Home Assistant is often insufficient when dealing with connection issues in the Reolink integration. The entire host system should be restarted to re-establish the connection.
Perform a complete reboot of the host system (not just a restart of Home Assistant) and wait until the system has fully booted back up.
3. Restart the Camera via the Reolink App (Alternative)
If rebooting the host does not resolve the issue or is temporarily not an option, restarting the cameras via the Reolink app frequently helps.
- Open the Reolink app.
- Restart the affected camera through the app.
Is It Working?
Once Home Assistant and the camera have resynchronized, the entity (for example, camera.driveway) will switch from an error state back to the live stream on your dashboard. The Camera not found (home_assistant_error) entry should no longer appear in the logs.
Troubleshooting Further Issues
- Browser cache issues: Test your dashboard in a private browsing window or using another browser to rule out outdated session data.
- Special characters in password: Home Assistant requires standard characters for Reolink devices; certain special characters can prevent streaming connections from establishing.
- Blocked ports: Check the Reolink camera’s network settings to confirm that services such as HTTP, HTTPS, ONVIF, or RTSP are enabled and not blocked by a firewall.
- Factory reset as a last resort: If the camera stops responding entirely, reset it to factory defaults via the Reolink app or web client under System > Maintenance > Restore; your recordings will be preserved.
Once your video feed is reliably restored, you can use the Reolink integration’s motion detection directly as a trigger for smart outdoor lighting and push notifications.
Sources: Forum: Simon42 – Forum, reolink.com, support.reolink.com