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How to Add an Axis Cloud Camera

Onboard an axis Camera to Cloud directly to Genea Video, generate the installer, install it on the camera, and configure stream settings.

Written by Anmol Gupta

Cam2Cloud connects a camera directly to Genea Video with no requirement of a Gateway. Instead of streaming through gateway hardware, a small Genea app is installed onto the camera itself, and the camera records to its own SD card.

This article walks through the full onboarding flow, from adding the camera to getting live video.

Before you begin

  • A supported Axis cloud camera

  • An SD card installed in the camera. Cam2Cloud records to the camera's SD card, so this is required

  • An available Cam2Cloud licence in your account

  • Administrator access to the axis camera's own web interface

  • The camera's MAC address - this is the key field and cannot be changed later

  • Make sure you have the latest Axis firmware, Axis OS 12 lts or above.

💡 If you're using gateway cameras instead, see How to Add a Camera on Gateway - Manual/Scan Network/CSV Bulk Import

Step 1: Add the camera in Genea

  1. Go to Video Management → Device Management → Cameras

  2. Click + Add and select Add Manually

  3. Under Connection Type, select Cam2Cloud

  1. Fill in the camera details:

    • Camera Name (required) - a descriptive name, unique within your account

    • Description (optional)

    • MAC Address (required) - the camera's MAC address. This is what pairs the installer to this specific camera, so check it carefully

    • IP Address, Model, Manufacturer

  2. Select the Cam2Cloud licence

  3. Click Save

Step 2: Wait for the installer to generate

After saving, Genea generates an installer file (.eap) that is matched to this specific camera.

This takes 1-2 minutes. You can retrieve it any time from the camera's detail page so you don't need to wait on this screen.

Step 3: Download the installer

  1. Open your camera details page from Device Management

  2. Click EAP File in the top-right corner to download the installer

⚠️ The installer is specific to this camera. It's tied to the MAC address you entered, so you cannot reuse one camera's file on another. Each Cam2Cloud camera needs its own.

Step 4: Install the app on the camera

This step happens in the camera's own web interface, not in Genea.

  1. Open the camera's web interface in a browser and sign in as administrator

  2. Go to the Apps section

  3. Enable Allow unsigned apps if it isn't already on

  4. Click + Add app

  5. Select the .eap file you downloaded from Genea

  6. Wait for the installation to complete, then confirm the Genea app is enabled

Note: Make sure you have the latest Axis firmware, Axis OS 12 lts or above.
That's everything required on the camera. You can close the camera's interface now.

Step 5: Confirm the camera comes online

Return to the camera's detail page in Genea. Within 1–2 minutes, the status indicator changes to Online.

Live streaming and playback may take a further 1–2 minutes to become available after the camera first comes online. If the player is empty immediately after connection, give it a moment and refresh.

[Screenshot: Camera detail page showing the camera online with connection details]

Step 6: Configure stream settings

Once the camera is online, it reports back everything it supports - the resolutions, bit rates, and frame rates available on that specific model. You can then pick from those.

  1. On the camera's detail page, find the Diagnostics & Storage section

  2. Click Edit

  3. Choose your values:

    • Resolution

    • Bit Rate

    • FPS

    • Codec - currently fixed at H.264, infuture we will support more codecs

  4. Click Save

Your selection is sent to the camera and applied there. The options available differ from camera to camera, since they come from that camera's own capabilities - a higher-end model will offer more choices than an entry-level one.

How these settings affect your recording time

With Cam2Cloud, footage is stored on your own SD card - not in Genea's cloud. That means stream settings directly control how much history you keep.

Raising resolution, bit rate, or FPS fills the SD card faster and shortens how many days of footage you hold. A camera at 1080p/12fps will retain considerably more history than the same camera at full resolution and frame rate.

If you need both high quality and long retention, use a larger SD card.

About the codec

The codec is currently fixed at H.264. Support for additional codecs is coming, and when it arrives you'll be able to change it here alongside the other settings.

You're set up

Your Cam2Cloud camera now behaves like any other camera in Genea Video. From here you can:

Troubleshooting

Issue

What to check

Installer file didn't download

Generation takes 1-2 minutes. Open the camera's detail page and use the EAP File button to download it manually

Camera won't accept the app

Confirm Allow unsigned apps is enabled in the camera's Apps settings, and that the camera model is supported

App installed but camera stays offline

Verify the MAC address entered in Genea matches the camera exactly, and that the Genea app is enabled rather than just installed. Also confirm the camera has internet access

Camera online but no video

Allow 1–2 minutes after the camera comes online, then refresh. Confirm an SD card is installed and recording

Fewer stream options than expected

The list comes from the camera's own capabilities, so it varies by model. If it's empty, the camera may not have finished reporting - refresh after a minute

Running out of recorded history too quickly

Lower the resolution, bit rate, or FPS, or fit a larger SD card. Switching to Motion Only recording also extends retention significantly

Wrong MAC address entered

The installer is tied to the MAC address. Delete the camera, re-add it with the correct address, and install the new installer file

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