AXIS Camera Manager (axiscam)

A powerful CLI tool for managing AXIS cameras, recorders, intercoms, and speakers via the VAPIX API. Designed for network administrators and integrators who need efficient device management and diagnostics.

Features

Multi-Device Support: Cameras, recorders (NVR), intercoms, and speakers
Comprehensive Device Info: Serial numbers, firmware, capabilities
Stream Diagnostics: RTSP/RTP configuration, stream profiles - essential for third-party integration
Network Discovery: LLDP neighbor discovery for switch port mapping
Log Retrieval: System, access, and audit logs with severity filtering
Device Reports: Generate comprehensive JSON/YAML configuration reports
Diagnostic Downloads: Server reports and debug archives for AXIS support
Security Configuration: Firewall, SSH, certificates, SNMP, NTP
Authentication: Digest (default) and Basic authentication support
Async Operations: Efficient parallel communication with multiple devices
Configuration Management: YAML config with environment variable interpolation
Legacy Support: Automatic migration from ~/.config/axis/ to ~/.config/axiscam/

Installation

Using uv (Recommended)

# Install as a tool
uv tool install .

# Or install in a virtual environment
uv venv
uv sync
source .venv/bin/activate

Using pip

pip install .

Using pipx (isolated environment)

pipx install .

Quick Start

# 1. Initialize configuration
axiscam init

# 2. Edit ~/.config/axiscam/config.yaml with your devices

# 3. List configured devices
axiscam devices

# 4. Get device info
axiscam info --device front_camera

# 5. Generate a report
axiscam report --device front_camera --format json

Configuration

Configuration File Location

Primary: ~/.config/axiscam/config.yaml
Legacy (auto-detected): ~/.config/axis/config.yaml
Override via environment: AXIS_CONFIG_DIR

Configuration Format

# ~/.config/axiscam/config.yaml
default_device: front_camera
timeout: 30.0

devices:
  front_camera:
    name: "Front Door Camera"
    vendor: axis
    model: M3216-LVE
    type: camera
    address: 192.168.1.10
    port: 443
    username: ${AXIS_ROOT_USER_NAME}
    password: ${AXIS_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD}
    ssl_verify: false

  main_nvr:
    name: "Main Recorder"
    vendor: axis
    model: S3008
    type: recorder
    address: 192.168.1.100
    port: 443
    username: ${AXIS_ROOT_USER_NAME}
    password: ${AXIS_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD}
    ssl_verify: false

  front_intercom:
    name: "Front Door"
    vendor: axis
    model: I8016-LVE
    type: intercom
    address: 192.168.1.12
    port: 443
    username: ${AXIS_ROOT_USER_NAME}
    password: ${AXIS_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD}
    ssl_verify: false

  office_speaker:
    name: "Office"
    vendor: axis
    model: C1410
    type: speaker
    address: 192.168.1.45
    port: 443
    username: ${AXIS_ROOT_USER_NAME}
    password: ${AXIS_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD}
    ssl_verify: false

Legacy List Format (Auto-Converted)

The tool also supports the legacy list format used in ~/.config/axis/config.yaml:

devices:
  - name: 'Front Camera'
    vendor: AXIS
    model: "M3216-LVE"
    type: "Dome Camera"
    address: 192.168.1.10
    port: 80
    username: '${AXIS_ROOT_USER_NAME}'
    password: '${AXIS_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD}'

This format is automatically converted to the dict format internally.

Environment Variables

# Credentials (recommended: use .env file)
export AXIS_ROOT_USER_NAME=root
export AXIS_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD=your_secure_password

# Config override
export AXIS_CONFIG_DIR=/custom/path

# Direct device connection (bypasses config)
export AXIS_HOST=192.168.1.10
export AXIS_USERNAME=root
export AXIS_PASSWORD=password
export AXIS_PORT=443

Secrets Management

Store credentials in ~/.config/axiscam/.env:

# ~/.config/axiscam/.env
AXIS_ROOT_USER_NAME=root
AXIS_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD=your_secure_password

Source before running:

source ~/.config/axiscam/.env
axiscam info --device front_camera

CLI Reference

Global Options

Option	Short	Description
`--device`	`-d`	Device name from config or IP address
`--host`	`-H`	Device IP (overrides --device)
`--username`	`-u`	Authentication username
`--password`	`-p`	Authentication password
`--port`	`-P`	Port number (default: 443)
`--digest/--no-digest`		Authentication mode (default: digest)
`--json`	`-j`	Output as JSON

Note: Digest authentication is enabled by default as most AXIS devices require it. Use --no-digest for devices that only support Basic authentication.

Core Commands

# Show device information
axiscam info --device camera1

# Check device connectivity
axiscam status --device camera1

# List available VAPIX APIs
axiscam apis --device camera1

# List device parameters
axiscam params --device camera1 --group Network

# Export all parameters as JSON
axiscam params --device camera1 --export --output params.json

# Show LLDP neighbors (switch port discovery)
axiscam lldp --device camera1

# Generate device report
axiscam report --device camera1 --format json --output report.json

# Generate full report with all configurations
axiscam report --device camera1 --full --output full_report.json

Report Command Options

Option	Short	Description
`--device`	`-d`	Device name or IP address
`--output`	`-o`	Output file path
`--format`	`-f`	Output format: `json` (default), `yaml`, `text`
`--full`		Include all configurations (SSH, SNMP, certs, MQTT, actions, recording, storage, geolocation, analytics, OIDC, OAuth, crypto policy)

Download Commands

Download diagnostic reports and debug archives from AXIS devices.

# Download server report (ZIP with snapshot image)
axiscam download report --device camera1 --output ~/report.zip

# Download server report as plain text
axiscam download report --device camera1 --format text --output ~/report.txt

# Download server report as ZIP without image
axiscam download report --device camera1 --format zip --output ~/report.zip

# Download debug archive (comprehensive diagnostics for AXIS support)
axiscam download debug --device camera1 --output ~/debug.tgz

# With extended timeout for large archives
axiscam download debug --device camera1 --output ~/debug.tgz --timeout 300

Server Report Options (`axiscam download report`)

Option	Short	Description
`--device`	`-d`	Device name or IP address
`--output`	`-o`	Output file (auto-generates if not specified)
`--format`	`-f`	Report format: `zip_with_image` (default), `zip`, `text`
`--timeout`	`-t`	Download timeout in seconds (default: 60)
`--digest/--no-digest`		Authentication mode (default: digest)

Debug Archive Options (`axiscam download debug`)

Option	Short	Description
`--device`	`-d`	Device name or IP address
`--output`	`-o`	Output file (auto-generates if not specified)
`--timeout`	`-t`	Download timeout in seconds (default: 120)
`--digest/--no-digest`		Authentication mode (default: digest)

Note: Debug archives can be large (10+ MB) and take time to generate. Use extended timeouts for slower devices or large configurations.

Stream Diagnostics

Essential for troubleshooting third-party integration (e.g., UniFi AI Port):

# Show RTSP, RTP, and stream profile configuration
axiscam stream show --device camera1

# Output as JSON for scripting
axiscam stream show --device camera1 --json

Output includes:

RTSP port and authentication
RTP port range and multicast settings
Stream profiles (codec, resolution, FPS, bitrate, GOP)

Log Commands

# System logs
axiscam logs system --device camera1 --lines 50

# Access logs (HTTP requests)
axiscam logs access --device camera1 --lines 20

# Audit logs (configuration changes)
axiscam logs audit --device camera1

# All logs combined
axiscam logs all --device camera1 --lines 100

Network Commands

# Show network configuration
axiscam network show --device camera1

# Show DNS settings
axiscam network dns --device camera1

# Show interface details
axiscam network interface --device camera1

Security Commands

# Firewall status and rules
axiscam security firewall --device camera1

# SSH configuration
axiscam security ssh --device camera1

# Certificate information
axiscam security cert --device camera1

Service Commands

# SNMP configuration
axiscam services snmp --device camera1

# NTP configuration
axiscam services ntp --device camera1

Configuration Commands

# Show current configuration
axiscam config

# Initialize config with template
axiscam init

# Force overwrite existing config
axiscam init --force

# Migrate from legacy path (~/.config/axis/)
axiscam migrate

# List all configured devices
axiscam devices

Device Types

Camera (`type: camera`)

Full support for:

Video streaming (RTSP, RTP, MJPEG)
PTZ control (if equipped)
Video analytics
Snapshots
Recording profiles

Recorder (`type: recorder`)

Support for NVRs like AXIS S3008:

Recording status
Storage management
Connected camera management
Playback configuration

Intercom (`type: intercom`)

Support for door stations like AXIS I8016-LVE:

SIP configuration
Audio/video calls
I/O ports (door lock, etc.)
Event handling

Speaker (`type: speaker`)

Support for network speakers like AXIS C1410:

Audio streaming
Multicast configuration
Zone management
Audio clips

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

# Test basic connectivity
axiscam status --device camera1

# Check if HTTPS is required
axiscam status --host 192.168.1.10 --port 80 -u admin -p pass

# Try Basic auth if Digest fails (rare)
axiscam info --device camera1 --no-digest

Authentication Errors

Verify credentials are correct
Check if account is locked (too many failed attempts)
Digest authentication is default; try --no-digest for older devices
Verify user has admin privileges

SSL Certificate Errors

The default ssl_verify: false bypasses certificate verification. For production:

devices:
  secure_camera:
    address: camera.example.com
    port: 443
    ssl_verify: true  # Requires valid certificate

Port 80 vs 443

Port 443 (HTTPS): Default, recommended for security
Port 80 (HTTP): Legacy, sends credentials in clear text

devices:
  legacy_camera:
    address: 192.168.1.10
    port: 80  # HTTP - not recommended

Config Migration

If using legacy ~/.config/axis/ path:

# Auto-migrate to new path
axiscam migrate

# Or manually copy
cp -r ~/.config/axis/* ~/.config/axiscam/

Debug Information

# Get comprehensive device configuration report
axiscam report --device camera1 --full --output config_report.json

# Download server report (diagnostic info + snapshot)
axiscam download report --device camera1 --output server_report.zip

# Download debug archive (comprehensive logs for AXIS support)
axiscam download debug --device camera1 --output debug.tgz --timeout 180

Common Error Messages

Error	Solution
`Connection refused`	Check IP/port, device may be offline
`401 Unauthorized`	Verify username/password
`SSL certificate verify failed`	Set `ssl_verify: false` or install cert
`No device specified`	Use `--device` or `--host` option
`Device not found in config`	Check device name in config.yaml

API Coverage

This tool covers the following AXIS VAPIX APIs:

API	Description	Status
basic-device-info	Device identification	Full
param	Device parameters	Full
time	Time/timezone/NTP	Full
network-settings	Network configuration	Full
lldp	Neighbor discovery	Full
log	System/access/audit logs	Full
firewall	Firewall rules	Full
ssh	SSH configuration	Full
snmp	SNMP configuration	Full
cert	Certificate management	Full
ntp	NTP synchronization	Full
action	Action rules	Full
mqtt	Event bridge	Full
recording	Recording profiles	Full
storage	Remote storage	Full
geolocation	GPS/location	Full
analytics	Video analytics	Full
snapshot	Best snapshot	Full
audio-multicast	Audio streaming	Full
stream	RTSP/RTP/profiles	Full
serverreport	Diagnostic reports & debug archives	Full
oidc	OpenID Connect authentication	Full
oauth	OAuth 2.0 client credentials	Full
virtualhost	Virtual host configuration	Full
crypto-policy	TLS/cipher configuration	Full
network-pairing	Device pairing	Full

Development

Setup

# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/axis.git
cd axis

# Install dependencies with uv
uv sync --dev

Testing

# Run all tests
uv run pytest

# With coverage
uv run pytest --cov=src/axis_cam --cov-report=term-missing

# Specific test file
uv run pytest tests/test_api_stream.py -v

Code Quality

# Lint
uv run ruff check src/ tests/

# Format
uv run ruff format src/ tests/

# Type check
uv run mypy src/

Project Structure

axis/
├── src/axis_cam/
│   ├── __init__.py          # Package exports
│   ├── cli.py               # Typer CLI (~2200 lines)
│   ├── client.py            # VapixClient HTTP client
│   ├── config.py            # Configuration management
│   ├── models.py            # Pydantic models (~2000 lines)
│   ├── exceptions.py        # Exception hierarchy
│   ├── api/                  # VAPIX API modules
│   │   ├── base.py          # BaseAPI abstract class
│   │   ├── device_info.py   # Basic device info
│   │   ├── param.py         # Parameters
│   │   ├── stream.py        # Stream diagnostics
│   │   ├── logs.py          # Log retrieval
│   │   ├── network.py       # Network settings
│   │   └── ... (30 modules)
│   └── devices/
│       ├── base.py          # AxisDevice abstract base
│       ├── camera.py        # AxisCamera
│       ├── recorder.py      # AxisRecorder
│       ├── intercom.py      # AxisIntercom
│       └── speaker.py       # AxisSpeaker
├── specs/                    # Device API specifications
│   ├── m3216-lve.json       # Dome camera
│   ├── s3008.json           # NVR
│   ├── i8016-lve.json       # Intercom
│   └── c1410.json           # Speaker
├── tests/                    # Comprehensive test suite
└── pyproject.toml           # Project configuration

License

MIT

Contributing

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch
Make your changes
Run tests and linting
Submit a pull request

Support

Report issues on GitHub
Check existing issues before creating new ones
Include device model and firmware version in bug reports

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 5 Commits
docs		docs
src		src
tests		tests
.gitignore		.gitignore
.pre-commit-config.yaml		.pre-commit-config.yaml
.secrets.baseline		.secrets.baseline
LICENSE.md		LICENSE.md
README.md		README.md
pyproject.toml		pyproject.toml
uv.lock		uv.lock

License

NetDevAutomate/axiscam

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AXIS Camera Manager (axiscam)

Features

Installation

Using uv (Recommended)

Using pip

Using pipx (isolated environment)

Quick Start

Configuration

Configuration File Location

Configuration Format

Legacy List Format (Auto-Converted)

Environment Variables

Secrets Management

CLI Reference

Global Options

Core Commands

Report Command Options

Download Commands

Server Report Options (axiscam download report)

Debug Archive Options (axiscam download debug)

Stream Diagnostics

Log Commands

Network Commands

Security Commands

Service Commands

Configuration Commands

Device Types

Camera (type: camera)

Recorder (type: recorder)

Intercom (type: intercom)

Speaker (type: speaker)

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

Authentication Errors

SSL Certificate Errors

Port 80 vs 443

Config Migration

Debug Information

Common Error Messages

API Coverage

Development

Setup

Testing

Code Quality

Project Structure

License

Contributing

Support

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Server Report Options (`axiscam download report`)

Debug Archive Options (`axiscam download debug`)

Camera (`type: camera`)

Recorder (`type: recorder`)

Intercom (`type: intercom`)

Speaker (`type: speaker`)

Packages