Fixing "Connection Refused" and "401 Unauthorized" in RTSP Streams
Comprehensive troubleshooting steps to resolve authentication failures, port blocks, and socket timeouts.
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#1Step 1: Check Digest vs Basic Authentication
Many modern IP cameras (Hikvision, Dahua, Axis) disable Basic Authentication by default and require Digest Auth. Ensure your client library (e.g. FFmpeg, OpenCV) is compiled with libavformat capable of HTTP/RTSP Digest handshakes.
#2Step 2: Verify Port 554 Reachability
Test TCP socket connectivity from your terminal:
nc -zv 192.168.1.64 554Ready to test your live RTSP video stream?
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