Once linked, you can stream video, control the camera (PTZ, image settings, etc.), and manage the device from anywhere through the Hive interface.
This article covers how to link a Hive Linked camera to your Studio, what to expect during the process, and how to troubleshoot if something goes wrong.
What You'll Need
A Hive account — If you don't have one yet, sign up at ptzoptics.com.
The Hive Desktop App installed and running — Download it from ptzoptics.com if you haven't already. Discovery of Hive Linked cameras requires the desktop app (it doesn't work from a browser).
A Hive Linked camera powered on and connected to the same local network as your computer via Ethernet.
Your camera's device credentials — The username and password you use to access the camera's web interface (the admin panel you reach by typing the camera's IP address into a browser). These are separate from your Hive account login.
A Studio in your Hive account to link the camera to.
Plan capacity — Your plan must allow additional video sources. If you've hit your limit, you'll need to upgrade or remove an existing source before linking a new camera.
How to Link Your Camera
There are two ways to link a Hive Linked camera. Either works — pick whichever is more convenient.
Option A: Through the Camera's Web Interface
Find your camera's IP address. Check your camera's documentation, or use a third-party IP scanning tool like LANScan or Angry IP Scanner to locate it on your network. (Hive is not affiliated with these tools.)
Open the camera's web UI. Type the IP address into a web browser to access the admin interface.
Start the Hive linking flow. Look for the Hive logo in the camera's web UI — it functions as a link to begin the process. Click it.
Sign in with your Hive account. Enter your Hive email and password when prompted. This tells the system which account and Studios are available.
Hive account login — Your Hive email and password (identifies your account and Studios)
Device credentials — The username and password for the camera's web interface (authorizes the device connection)
Select your Studio. Choose the Studio you want to link the camera to.
Complete the linking process. Follow any remaining on-screen instructions.
If the camera is already linked to another Studio, you'll see a confirmation dialog warning that it will be unlinked from that Studio. Confirm to proceed, or cancel to back out.
Option B: Through the Hive Desktop App (Source Discovery)
Open your Studio in the Hive desktop app.
Click Add Source to add a new video source.
Hive automatically scans your local network for available devices. Hive Linked cameras appear in the discovery list with a "Hive" connection type and a "Hive enabled device" badge.
Select the camera and click Continue.
An "Authenticate Source" dialog appears. Enter your device credentials — the username and password you use to access the camera's web interface (not your Hive account login). A note in the dialog reminds you of this.
Click Authenticate and Continue.
If the credentials are correct, the camera links to your Studio. You'll see a "Connecting to device..." message, and then the app refreshes to show the camera in your source list.
If something goes wrong during authentication:
Wrong credentials: You'll see "Failed to authenticate with device. Invalid credentials." Re-enter and try again.
Too many failed attempts: The camera will temporarily lock you out. A countdown timer shows how long to wait before trying again.
If the camera is already linked to another Studio, you'll see a confirmation: "This device is currently linked to another Studio. By continuing, it will be unlinked from the existing Studio and linked with this one." Confirm or cancel.
After Linking
Once linked, the camera appears as a video source in your Studio. You can control it (PTZ, image settings, etc.) through the Hive interface — either from the desktop app or a web browser.
Network flexibility after linking: The initial link needs to happen on the same local network. But once linked, the camera no longer needs to stay on that network. As long as it has an internet connection, it will appear in your Studio and be accessible from anywhere. After a successful link through the desktop app, the app refreshes automatically to reflect the new camera. This is expected behavior — not a crash or error.
Unlinking a Camera
If you need to disconnect a camera from your Studio:
From the Bridge panel:
Open the Bridge panel in your Studio.
Select the camera you want to unlink.
Click Unlink.
Confirm in the dialog. All video and audio sources from that camera will be disconnected.
By re-linking to a different Studio: You can also unlink a camera by simply linking it to a new Studio. During the linking process, you'll be prompted that it will be removed from the current Studio.
To verify the camera has been unlinked, go to the camera's web UI and click the Hive button. If it shows it's ready to link, the camera has been successfully removed.
Tips and Best Practices
Know the difference between your two sets of credentials. Your Hive account login (email + password) is for signing into Hive. Your device credentials (username + password) are for the camera's web interface. Mixing them up is the most common linking issue.
Rename your Studio and Bridge to something recognizable (e.g., "Edit Bay 1" or "Studio NYC") — it helps when managing multiple devices or locations.
Check your plan capacity before linking. If you've hit your source limit, the Continue button will be disabled.
If you can't find your camera's IP address, use a third-party scanner like LANScan or Angry IP Scanner. (Hive is not affiliated with these tools.)
Troubleshooting
What's happening | Likely cause | What to do |
Camera doesn't appear in the discovery list | Camera not on the same network, not powered on, or not Hive Linked | Make sure the camera is on, connected to the same local network, and is a Hive Linked camera model. Click "Search Again." |
"Failed to authenticate with device" | Wrong device credentials | Double-check the username and password for the camera's web interface — not your Hive account login. |
"The device is now locked" | Too many failed login attempts | Wait for the countdown timer to expire, then try again with the correct credentials. |
"You have reached your plan's limit for sources" | Plan source limit hit | Remove an existing source or upgrade in Settings > Billing. |
Camera disappears from the discovery list | Device hasn't been seen recently (30-second timeout) | Click "Search Again" to refresh. |
Camera doesn't show the Hive logo in its web UI | Camera may not be Hive Linked, or firmware needs updating | Check the Supported Cameras article. "Certified" cameras are Hive Linked. Contact [email protected] if it's listed but the logo is missing. |
Studio not appearing in the camera's UI dropdown | Bridge isn't running, or devices aren't on the same network | Make sure the desktop app is running and both devices are on the same local network. |
App refreshes unexpectedly after linking | Normal behavior | The app refreshes after a successful link to show the new camera. |
FAQs
What is a Hive Linked camera? It's a camera with Hive software built in. It connects to your Studio directly — no separate Bridge computer needed.
What credentials do I enter when linking? It depends on the flow. Through the camera's web UI, you'll enter your Hive account email and password (and possibly device credentials). Through the Hive desktop app's Add Source panel, you'll enter the device credentials — the username and password for the camera's web interface. These are two different things.
Can the same camera be linked to two Studios at once? No. A camera can only link to one Studio at a time. Linking it to a new Studio automatically unlinks it from the previous one.
How many cameras can I link? Depends on your plan. Each tier (Free, Standard, Pro, Enterprise) has a different source limit. Check Settings > Billing.
Does the desktop app need to be running all the time? The Bridge needs to stay active for real-time communication with devices. If you close the app, the Bridge goes offline.
Does the camera need to stay on the same network after linking? No. The initial link happens on the local network, but after that the camera works over any internet connection.
Will linking change any internal camera settings? Linking itself doesn't alter settings on the camera. However, once linked, you can adjust settings through Hive's Advanced Settings panel — those changes are intentional and sent to the camera by you.
Can I reassign a camera to a different Studio? Yes. Either repeat the linking process and select the new Studio, or unlink from the Bridge panel and re-link.
What if I don't know my camera's IP address? Use a third-party IP scanning tool like LANScan or Angry IP Scanner. Hive is not affiliated with these tools.
My camera doesn't show the Hive logo — what should I do? Check the Supported Cameras article. Cameras labeled "Certified" are Hive Linked. If it's listed but the logo is missing, contact [email protected].
Can I use a mobile device to link cameras? No. The Hive Desktop App is required for discovery and runs on macOS or Windows only. Once cameras are linked, you can manage your Studio through the Hive web application on any device.
Related Articles
What Is a Hive Bridge? — Overview of Desktop Bridges and Hive Linked cameras.
Hive Bridge and Hive Linked Cameras — Setup, troubleshooting, and detailed Bridge behavior.
Supported Camera Models — Full list of compatible devices.
Advanced Settings — Configure device-specific camera parameters after linking.