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How to Connect to Axis IP Camera in C# .NET

Video Capture SDK .Net Media Blocks SDK .Net

Brand Overview

Axis Communications is a Swedish manufacturer widely regarded as the pioneer of network cameras, having created the world's first IP camera in 1996. Headquartered in Lund, Sweden and now a subsidiary of Canon, Axis produces premium IP cameras, encoders, and network audio products primarily for the professional and enterprise surveillance market.

Key facts:

  • Product lines: M-series (compact/mini), P-series (fixed), Q-series (professional), F-series (modular), V-series (vandal-resistant), PTZ cameras
  • Protocol support: ONVIF Profile S/G/T, RTSP, VAPIX (Axis proprietary HTTP API), HTTP/MJPEG
  • Default RTSP port: 554
  • Default credentials: root / (set during initial setup; older firmware: root / pass)
  • ONVIF support: Full -- Axis was a founding member of ONVIF
  • Video codecs: H.264, H.265 (newer models), MJPEG
  • Unique features: VAPIX HTTP API for comprehensive camera control, ACAP (Axis Camera Application Platform)

RTSP URL Patterns

Axis cameras use the axis-media/media.amp RTSP path with optional parameters for resolution and codec control.

URL Format

rtsp://[USERNAME]:[PASSWORD]@[IP]:[PORT]/axis-media/media.amp

Primary RTSP URLs

Model Series RTSP URL Codec Audio
All modern models rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp H.264 (default) Possible
All modern models rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?videocodec=h264 H.264 (explicit) Possible
All modern models rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?videocodec=h265 H.265 Possible
ONVIF profile rtsp://IP:554/onvif-media/media.amp H.264 Yes
Legacy models rtsp://IP:554/mpeg4/media.amp MPEG-4 Possible

Stream Profile Selection

Axis cameras support named stream profiles that can be selected via URL parameter:

URL Pattern Notes
rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?streamprofile=Quality High quality profile
rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?streamprofile=Balanced Balanced profile
rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?streamprofile=Bandwidth Low bandwidth profile
rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?resolution=1920x1080 Explicit resolution
rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?resolution=640x480 Lower resolution
rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?fps=15 Frame rate limit

Multi-Channel Models (Encoders, Multi-Sensor)

For multi-channel devices like video encoders (M7001, P7214) and multi-sensor cameras:

Device RTSP URL Channel
Channel 1 rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?camera=1 1
Channel 2 rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?camera=2 2
Channel 3 rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?camera=3 3
Channel 4 rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?camera=4 4

Legacy URL Formats

Older Axis cameras (200-series, early 1000-series) may require these formats:

URL Pattern Models Notes
rtsp://IP:554/mpeg4/media.amp 200, 205, 206, 207 MPEG-4 stream
http://IP/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi All models MJPEG over HTTP
http://IP/mjpg/video.mjpg 200-series Direct MJPEG stream
http://IP/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?camera=1 Multi-channel Specific channel
http://IP/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?resolution=640x480 All models Resolution-specific

Connecting with VisioForge SDK

Use your Axis camera's RTSP URL with any of the three SDK approaches shown in the Quick Start Guide:

// Axis camera, H.264 main stream
var uri = new Uri("rtsp://192.168.1.50:554/axis-media/media.amp");
var username = "root";
var password = "YourPassword";

For sub-stream access, add ?resolution=640x480 parameter.

ONVIF Discovery

Axis was a founding member of ONVIF and has industry-leading ONVIF compliance. See the ONVIF integration guide for discovery code examples.

Snapshot and MJPEG URLs (VAPIX API)

Axis cameras provide the VAPIX HTTP API, which is more feature-rich than most other brands:

Type URL Pattern Notes
JPEG Snapshot http://IP/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi Current frame
Snapshot (sized) http://IP/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?resolution=1920x1080 Specific resolution
Snapshot (with overlay) http://IP/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?date=1&clock=1 Date/time overlay
Snapshot (camera select) http://IP/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?camera=1 Multi-channel device
Simple snapshot http://IP/jpg/image.jpg Basic JPEG capture
Sized snapshot http://IP/jpg/image.jpg?size=3 Predefined size (1-5)
MJPEG stream http://IP/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi Continuous MJPEG
MJPEG (resolution) http://IP/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?resolution=640x480 Sized MJPEG
MJPEG (direct) http://IP/mjpg/video.mjpg Direct MJPEG (legacy)

Troubleshooting

Audio "Possible" vs "Yes"

Axis marks audio support as "Possible" on many RTSP streams because audio availability depends on the camera model having a built-in microphone or external audio input. The RTSP URL is the same whether audio is present or not -- the SDK will automatically detect and use audio if available.

"401 Unauthorized" errors

  • Axis cameras default to digest authentication for RTSP
  • Ensure you're using the correct credentials (default username is root, not admin)
  • On newer firmware, password must meet complexity requirements (minimum 8 characters)

MPEG-4 stream not available on newer models

Modern Axis cameras (firmware 5.x+) have dropped MPEG-4 support. Use /axis-media/media.amp (H.264) instead of /mpeg4/media.amp.

Resolution not matching expected output

Axis cameras negotiate resolution dynamically. To force a specific resolution, add the resolution parameter: rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?resolution=1920x1080

Multi-channel encoder connections

When connecting to an Axis encoder (M7001, P7214, etc.), you must specify the camera/channel parameter. Without it, you get channel 1 by default.

FAQ

What is the default RTSP URL for Axis cameras?

The standard URL is rtsp://root:password@CAMERA_IP:554/axis-media/media.amp. This works for virtually all modern Axis cameras (M, P, Q, F, V series). The default username is root (not admin like most other brands).

How do I switch between H.264 and H.265 on Axis cameras?

Add the videocodec parameter to the RTSP URL: rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?videocodec=h265 for H.265, or videocodec=h264 for H.264. Note that H.265 is only available on newer Axis models with Artpec-7 or newer chipsets.

Can I control stream quality via the RTSP URL?

Yes. Axis supports several URL parameters: resolution (e.g., 1920x1080), fps (frame rate), compression (0-100), and streamprofile (named profiles configured in the camera). Example: rtsp://IP:554/axis-media/media.amp?resolution=1280x720&fps=15.

Why does Axis use "root" as the default username instead of "admin"?

Axis cameras run embedded Linux, and following Unix conventions, the administrative user is named root. This is different from most other camera brands that use admin.