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Installation Guide

This guide covers the installation of Anava for your Axis camera deployment. Anava uses a web-based installer that configures cloud infrastructure and provisions cameras automatically.

Prerequisites​

Before installing Anava, ensure you have the following:

Hardware Requirements​

ComponentRequirement
CamerasAxis cameras with ACAP 4.0+ support (firmware 11.0 or later)
NetworkCameras must have outbound HTTPS (443) and MQTTS (8883) access
SpeakerOptional: Built-in or connected speaker for TTS announcements

Camera Compatibility​

Anava works with Axis cameras that support:

  • Edge Vault (TPM) for secure certificate storage (IEEE 802.1AR)
  • ACAP 4.0 runtime for the Anava agent application
  • Native MQTT client for cloud communication

Most Axis cameras manufactured after 2020 meet these requirements. Check your camera's product page for "ACAP" and "Edge Vault" support.

Network Requirements​

Anava cameras require outbound-only connectivity. No inbound ports need to be opened on your firewall.

Network firewall requirements showing outbound ports from cameras to cloud

Required Outbound Ports​

DestinationPortProtocolPurpose
broker.anava.ai8883TCP/TLS (MQTTS)Device communication, commands, events
*.googleapis.com443TCP/TLS (HTTPS)Video upload (signed URLs), AI analysis
*.anava.ai443TCP/TLS (HTTPS)Web interface, API
*.firebaseapp.com443TCP/TLS (HTTPS)Authentication services

Standard Network Ports (typically already open)​

DestinationPortProtocolPurpose
DNS servers53UDP/TCPDomain name resolution
NTP servers123UDPTime synchronization
Key Takeaways
  • Cameras are outbound-only — they initiate all connections to the cloud
  • No inbound NAT/port forwarding required — cameras connect out through your firewall
  • Port 8883 is critical — this is the primary MQTT channel for all device communication
  • Port 443 for uploads — video clips are uploaded via signed URLs to Google Cloud Storage

Firewall Configuration​

Minimum Required Rules:

# Outbound from camera VLAN to Internet
ALLOW TCP dst-port 8883 to broker.anava.ai     # MQTT (required)
ALLOW TCP dst-port 443 to *.googleapis.com     # Video upload (required)
ALLOW TCP dst-port 443 to *.anava.ai           # Dashboard/API
ALLOW TCP dst-port 443 to *.firebaseapp.com    # Auth
Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)

If your network uses SSL/TLS inspection (DPI), you must either:

  1. Bypass inspection for camera traffic to broker.anava.ai:8883, OR
  2. Allow mTLS certificates — Anava uses IEEE 802.1AR device identity certificates for mutual TLS authentication. DPI systems must allow the camera's factory-installed certificate chain.

Blocking or modifying the mTLS handshake will prevent cameras from connecting.

Static IP Requirements​

Cameras do not require static IP addresses. DHCP is fully supported. The MQTT broker identifies cameras by their device certificate, not IP address.

Account Requirements​

  • Google account for Anava dashboard access
  • Browser with Chrome extension support (Chrome, Edge, Brave)
  • Admin access to camera web interface

Deployment Options​

The web installer handles all infrastructure provisioning automatically:

  1. Navigate to https://anava.ai/install
  2. Sign in with your Google account
  3. Install the Anava browser extension when prompted
  4. Add cameras using the extension's scan feature

Option 2: Manual Installation​

For environments where the browser extension cannot be used:

  1. Download the ACAP package from your Anava dashboard
  2. Upload the .eap file to each camera via AXIS Camera Station or camera web interface
  3. Configure the MQTT broker endpoint in the ACAP settings
  4. Approve cameras in the Anava dashboard as they connect

Device Provisioning Flow​

The following diagram illustrates how cameras are discovered, provisioned, and connected to Anava:

Device onboarding sequence from discovery through approval and configuration

Step-by-Step Web Installation​

Step 1: Create Your Account​

  1. Go to https://anava.ai
  2. Click Get Started
  3. Sign in with your Google account
  4. Accept the Terms of Service

Step 2: Install the Browser Extension​

The Anava Extension bridges your browser to cameras on your local network:

  1. Click Install Extension when prompted
  2. Add the extension to Chrome/Edge
  3. Pin the extension to your toolbar for easy access

Step 3: Discover Cameras​

  1. Click the Anava Extension icon in your browser
  2. Click Scan Network to discover cameras
  3. Select cameras to add to Anava
  4. Enter camera credentials when prompted

Step 4: Create Your First Group​

Groups organize cameras that share the same detection configurations:

  1. Navigate to Groups in the dashboard
  2. Click Create Group
  3. Name your group (e.g., "Warehouse Entrance")
  4. Assign cameras to the group

Step 5: Verify Installation​

After installation, verify each camera shows:

  • Status: Online
  • MQTT: Connected
  • ACAP: Running
First-Time Setup

New cameras may take 2-3 minutes to complete initial certificate provisioning and MQTT connection.

Post-Installation​

After installation, proceed to:

  1. Initial Setup - Configure your first detection
  2. Core Concepts: Event Flow - Understand how Anava processes events
  3. VMS Integration - Connect to your video management system

Troubleshooting​

Camera Not Discovered​

  • Ensure you're on the same network as the cameras
  • Verify cameras have HTTPS enabled (port 443)
  • Check that the extension has permission to access the camera's IP range

MQTT Connection Failed​

  • Verify outbound port 8883 is open
  • Check camera firmware is 11.0 or later
  • Ensure camera has Edge Vault enabled

Extension Not Working​

  • Use Chrome or Edge (Safari not supported)
  • Disable conflicting security extensions temporarily
  • Try incognito mode to rule out extension conflicts

For additional help, see the Troubleshooting Guide or contact support at support@anava.ai.