Axis Communications Integration Guide

Supported Protocols

Connection Options

Axis cameras are known for their excellent protocol support and open API architecture. In addition to standard RTSP and ONVIF, the VAPIX API provides advanced programmatic access for snapshots, events, and camera management.

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RTSP Streaming

H.264/H.265 real-time streaming with configurable stream profiles for resolution, framerate, and compression.

🔍

ONVIF Profile S/T

Full ONVIF compliance on port 80. Axis is a founding member of ONVIF — expect first-class support.

⚙

VAPIX API

Axis-proprietary HTTP/HTTPS API for MJPEG streams, snapshots, PTZ, event handling, and device management.

🌐

MJPEG over HTTP

Motion JPEG streaming via HTTP for compatibility with legacy systems. Higher bandwidth than H.264.

Prerequisites

Before You Begin

✅

Camera on Network

Axis camera must be accessible from the AgenticEye agent. Use AXIS IP Utility or AXIS Device Manager for initial discovery.

✅

Admin Access

Root or administrator credentials for the camera's web interface. First-time setup requires creating a root password.

✅

AXIS OS 10.0+

We recommend AXIS OS 10.0 or newer (LTS track preferred) for optimal ONVIF and streaming performance.

✅

AgenticEye Account

An active AgenticEye account with available camera slots. VAPIX integration may require API keys from the dashboard.

RTSP URL Format

Axis RTSP URL Pattern

RTSP Stream (H.264/H.265) rtsp://[username]:[password]@[ip]/axis-media/media.amp

VAPIX MJPEG Stream (HTTP) http://[username]:[password]@[ip]/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi

Note: Axis uses a clean URL structure without port numbers for the default configuration (RTSP on 554, HTTP on 80). Stream profile selection is done via URL parameters rather than different paths.

RTSP URL Variants

# Default RTSP stream (uses camera's default profile)
rtsp://root:[email protected]/axis-media/media.amp

# Specific stream profile
rtsp://root:[email protected]/axis-media/media.amp?streamprofile=Quality

# With resolution and framerate parameters
rtsp://root:[email protected]/axis-media/media.amp?resolution=1920x1080&fps=15

# H.264 only (force codec)
rtsp://root:[email protected]/axis-media/media.amp?videocodec=h264

# H.265 (if supported by camera)
rtsp://root:[email protected]/axis-media/media.amp?videocodec=h265

VAPIX API Endpoints

# MJPEG continuous stream
http://root:[email protected]/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi

# MJPEG with resolution parameter
http://root:[email protected]/axis-cgi/mjpg/video.cgi?resolution=1280x720

# Single JPEG snapshot
http://root:[email protected]/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi

# Snapshot with quality and resolution
http://root:[email protected]/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?resolution=1920x1080&compression=25

Integration Guide

Step-by-Step Setup

Access the Camera Web Interface

Open a browser and navigate to the camera's IP address. Axis cameras use HTTPS by default on newer firmware.

        Access URLs
        # Modern Axis cameras (AXIS OS 10+)
https://192.168.1.90

# Older firmware may use HTTP
http://192.168.1.90
      

If this is a new camera, you will be prompted to create a root password. Use a strong, unique password. If your browser shows a certificate warning, this is expected for self-signed certificates on the camera.

Enable and Configure RTSP

RTSP is enabled by default on Axis cameras, but you should verify the settings and configure a stream profile for AgenticEye.

Go to Settings → System → Plain Config → Network (or System → Network → Protocols)
Verify RTSP is enabled and the port is 554
For RTSP authentication, go to Settings → System → Users and ensure authentication is set to Digest

Tip: Axis cameras support anonymous viewer access. For security, ensure this is disabled under Settings → System → Users → Anonymous Viewer Login.

Create a Stream Profile

Axis stream profiles let you define presets for resolution, codec, and quality. Create a dedicated profile for AgenticEye.

Go to Settings → Stream → Stream Profiles
Click Create to add a new profile
Name it AgenticEye
Configure the profile settings:

        Stream Profile — AgenticEye
        Name:          AgenticEye
Encoder:       H.264
Resolution:    1920x1080
Frame Rate:    15 fps
Compression:   30 (lower = higher quality)
Zipstream:     Medium (Axis dynamic compression)
GOV Length:    32
Bitrate Control: Average (ABR)
Target Bitrate: 4000 Kbps
      

The RTSP URL for this profile becomes:

rtsp://root:[email protected]/axis-media/media.amp?streamprofile=AgenticEye

ONVIF Configuration

Axis cameras have ONVIF support enabled by default. Verify the configuration for AgenticEye auto-discovery.

Go to Settings → System → ONVIF
Verify ONVIF is enabled
The ONVIF port is 80 (same as the web interface)
Create an ONVIF media user if one does not exist:

        ONVIF Service URL
        http://192.168.1.90:80/onvif/device_service
      

On AXIS OS 10+, ONVIF users are managed alongside system users. Go to Settings → System → Users and ensure the user has the Media privilege. In AgenticEye, use Cameras → Auto-Discover to find Axis cameras on your network.

VAPIX API Integration

The VAPIX API provides an HTTP-based alternative to RTSP, particularly useful for snapshot-based monitoring or when RTSP is blocked by network policies.

        VAPIX Snapshot Integration
        # Capture a single snapshot via VAPIX
curl -u root:SecurePass \
  "http://192.168.1.90/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?resolution=1920x1080" \
  -o snapshot.jpg

# Capture with custom compression (0-100, lower = better quality)
curl -u root:SecurePass \
  "http://192.168.1.90/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?compression=25" \
  -o snapshot_hq.jpg
      

To use VAPIX with AgenticEye:

Go to Cameras → Add Camera in AgenticEye
Select HTTP Snapshot as the connection type
Enter the VAPIX snapshot URL
Set the polling interval (e.g., every 2 seconds)

        AgenticEye VAPIX Configuration
        Name:            Warehouse-Axis-P1385
Connection Type: HTTP Snapshot
Snapshot URL:    http://192.168.1.90/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi?resolution=1920x1080
Auth Type:       Digest
Username:        agenticeye
Password:        [password]
Poll Interval:   2 seconds
      

Add Camera to AgenticEye via RTSP

For the best real-time monitoring experience, connect via RTSP using the stream profile you created.

        AgenticEye RTSP Configuration
        Name:            Warehouse-Axis-P1385
Brand:           Axis Communications
Connection Type: RTSP
RTSP URL:        rtsp://agenticeye:[email protected]/axis-media/media.amp?streamprofile=AgenticEye
Transport:       TCP
Frame Interval:  1
      

Click Test Connection to verify the feed, then Save.

AXIS Camera Station Integration

If you manage cameras through AXIS Camera Station (ACS), you can still connect individual cameras to AgenticEye directly. ACS does not block RTSP access to cameras.

Cameras managed by ACS remain accessible via their individual IP addresses
RTSP and ONVIF are available regardless of ACS management
For large deployments, use AgenticEye's ONVIF network scan to discover all Axis cameras at once
ACS recordings and AgenticEye AI analysis can run simultaneously without conflict

Bandwidth consideration: When both ACS and AgenticEye consume streams from the same camera, ensure your network can handle the additional bandwidth. Consider using Axis Zipstream compression or directing AgenticEye to the sub stream profile to reduce load.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Fixes

⚠ HTTPS Certificate Errors

AgenticEye cannot connect via RTSP or VAPIX due to SSL/TLS certificate validation failures.

Fix: Axis cameras ship with self-signed certificates. In AgenticEye camera settings, enable Skip TLS Verification for this camera. Alternatively, install a trusted certificate on the camera under Settings → System → Security → Certificates. For RTSP, certificate issues typically only apply if RTSPS (RTSP over TLS) is enforced.

⚠ Stream Profile Not Found

RTSP connection fails with "profile not found" when specifying a stream profile in the URL.

Fix: Verify the profile name matches exactly (case-sensitive). Go to Settings → Stream → Stream Profiles in the camera's web interface and confirm the profile name. If using the default profile, remove the ?streamprofile= parameter from the URL entirely.

⚠ VAPIX Authentication Failure

HTTP 401 errors when accessing VAPIX endpoints, despite correct username and password.

Fix: Axis cameras default to digest authentication. Ensure your HTTP client (or AgenticEye) supports digest auth. If connecting over HTTPS, try HTTP first to rule out certificate issues. Also check that the user has Viewer or Operator privileges under Settings → System → Users.

⚠ High Latency or Buffering

The RTSP stream has 3-5 seconds of delay, making real-time monitoring ineffective.

Fix: Reduce the GOV length (Group of Video) in the stream profile to 16 or lower. Enable Axis Zipstream to reduce bandwidth without sacrificing quality. In AgenticEye, set transport to TCP and reduce the frame buffer size. Ensure no VPN or proxy is adding latency between the agent and camera.

⚠ Camera Not Found via ONVIF Discovery

AgenticEye's network scan does not detect the Axis camera.

Fix: ONVIF discovery uses WS-Discovery multicast (UDP port 3702). Ensure multicast is not blocked by your network switches or VLANs. If the camera is on a different subnet, use manual ONVIF connection by entering the camera's IP and ONVIF service URL directly: http://[ip]:80/onvif/device_service.

Connection Options

RTSP Streaming

ONVIF Profile S/T

VAPIX API

MJPEG over HTTP

Before You Begin

Camera on Network

Admin Access

AXIS OS 10.0+

AgenticEye Account

Axis RTSP URL Pattern

Step-by-Step Setup

Access the Camera Web Interface

Enable and Configure RTSP

Create a Stream Profile

ONVIF Configuration

VAPIX API Integration

Add Camera to AgenticEye via RTSP

AXIS Camera Station Integration

Common Issues & Fixes

⚠ HTTPS Certificate Errors

⚠ Stream Profile Not Found

⚠ VAPIX Authentication Failure

⚠ High Latency or Buffering

⚠ Camera Not Found via ONVIF Discovery

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