Wisenet Viewer is Hanwha Vision's desktop application for viewing compatible NVRs and DVRs, playing their recordings and exporting clips. Add the recorder, then select its camera channels.
Check your recorder first. Hanwha's compatibility guidance says Wisenet Viewer cannot connect directly to an independent camera. Local-IP support and P2P support are also separate checks, especially for older recorders.
Official product pages and documentation checked November 14, 2026. Steps follow the Wisenet Viewer v1.05 manual and Hanwha support guidance; no software installation or connection to a physical recorder was tested for this article.
Choose the right Hanwha software
Several Hanwha products have similar names. Downloading a different client can leave you following the wrong setup procedure.
| Product | Main role | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Wisenet Viewer | Desktop viewing and playback from compatible NVRs/DVRs | Recorder model, firmware, connection method and computer requirements. |
| Wisenet WAVE | A separate video management system with server and client software | Server setup, camera integrations and recording-license requirements. Viewer instructions are not WAVE instructions. |
| SmartViewer | An older, separate desktop monitoring client | Its own device support and operating-system requirements; it is not another name for Wisenet Viewer. |
| Wisenet Device Manager | Device discovery and configuration | Useful for supported installation tasks; not the Viewer playback workflow. |
| Wisenet mobile | Mobile viewing for compatible devices | Mobile compatibility does not automatically establish desktop P2P compatibility. |
If your system records to a WAVE server, start with Wisenet WAVE. For an embedded recorder supported by Viewer, continue below.
Check recorder and connection support
Find the exact model and firmware version in the recorder’s system information. Compare the model with Hanwha’s Devices Compatible with Wisenet Viewer, updated November 11, 2026 when checked. Use the list itself rather than assuming that an entire series, every Samsung-branded recorder or every ONVIF device works.
Connect to the recorder, not directly to its cameras. A camera that works with an NVR can appear as that recorder’s channel in Viewer; that does not mean Viewer can add the same camera independently.
For remote setup, also check Hanwha’s list of recorders without Viewer P2P support. For example, its legacy list includes QRN-410S and XRN-2011. The article distinguishes local-IP use from unsupported desktop P2P. A successful mobile P2P connection is not enough to establish Viewer P2P support.
Start on the recorder’s local network when possible. It makes it easier to confirm the address, credentials and channel access before diagnosing remote connectivity.
Download and install on Windows or Mac
Open the official Wisenet Viewer product page and use Downloads. The global page listed v1.05.00 packages for Windows, Mac and Ubuntu, plus the v1.05 English manual when checked. The installer filenames contain a 2023 build date, while the manual filename is dated August 20, 2024. A more recent website “Last Update” date does not by itself establish a newer software build.
The manual linked from that page lists these environments:
| Platform | Documented OS versions | Practical boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 8.1 / 10 / 11, 64-bit | These are the manual’s entries, not a recommendation to use an OS outside its security-support lifecycle. Choose a supported Windows environment. |
| macOS | macOS 11 / 12 / 13 | The manual mentions Apple M1 and requires Rosetta 2 for that setup. This does not establish native Apple-silicon support or compatibility with every later Mac/macOS release. |
| Ubuntu | Ubuntu 20.04 LTS / 22.04 LTS | Use the Linux package and its documented requirements, not the Windows installer. |
The same requirements table lists at least 4 GB RAM, an Intel i3 or Apple M1, and OpenGL 2.1 graphics support; it recommends 16 GB RAM for a stronger system. It also lists 200 GB HDD capacity. Treat the complete vendor table as the reference rather than confusing that disk requirement with the size of the installer or a retention guarantee.
On Windows, extract the official archive and follow the installer. On Mac, extract the Mac archive, open the supplied disk image and follow the package instructions. Review any license and system prompts yourself. If your OS or hardware is outside the documented list, ask Hanwha support about the package you intend to use before treating it as compatible.
Create the Viewer login
Launch Viewer and select the interface language. On first use, create and confirm its administrator password according to the displayed rules, then sign in.
This is the local Wisenet Viewer login. You will separately need the recorder’s ID and password when adding a device. An export may also have its own password. Label these credentials clearly in your password manager so you can tell them apart.
Keep the Viewer administrator password safely. The v1.05 manual states that a forgotten Viewer password cannot be reset through the normal interface and describes reinstallation as the recovery route. Consult the current support procedure and protect any needed configuration before reinstalling; this is separate from resetting an NVR password.
Add your recorder
Automatic discovery on the local network
- Connect the computer to the same authorized LAN as the recorder. Confirm the NVR/DVR is powered and has completed its own initial setup.
- Open the gear / Setup control, then Device > Device list > Add, or use Add device on the Setup home page.
- In Add device, use the automatic search and select the correct recorder. Match the model and address rather than choosing a similarly named device.
- Enter the recorder’s authorized ID and Password, then choose Register.
- Check the result: the manual describes Success in the Status column. Resolve any error before continuing, then close the setup view.
Hanwha’s NVR registration walkthrough illustrates discovery, registration and dragging channels into the viewing area. Exact button grouping can vary by release.
Manual registration by IP
If discovery fails but the recorder is reachable, open the Manual tab in Add device. Select the appropriate IP type, enter the recorder address, its configured service port and the recorder credentials, then register it.
Do not substitute a guessed camera RTSP port for the port requested by this form. Use the recorder’s documented connection settings. A manual address does not create network access across an isolated VLAN or recorder PoE network.
DDNS / P2P registration
Where the recorder supports it, use DDNS & P2P register or the corresponding DDNS/P2P IP type. Obtain the Product ID from the recorder and enter it with the recorder’s ID/password. Check the recorder’s DDNS/P2P configuration and network status first.
Hanwha documents this route in its P2P setup guidance. Check the separate legacy exclusion list before spending time troubleshooting a model that lacks desktop P2P support.
Watch live video and save a layout
After registering the recorder, expand it in the Resource tree. Drag a channel into the viewing area. Start with one channel and confirm that the picture and channel name match, then add the others you need.
Arrange tiles into a useful layout and save it using the layout controls. A saved layout is a viewing arrangement; it is not a new recording schedule. PTZ, audio, fisheye and event features depend on the recorder, channel, permissions and supported functions.
If several high-resolution channels overload the computer, reduce the number of tiles and use an available lower-bandwidth live profile. Check the computer’s graphics support and the recorder’s transmission limits before assuming a network or camera fault.
- Register the recorderConfirm a successful connection and channel permissions.
- Open a channelDrag a recorder channel into a live-view tile.
- Review or exportSwitch to Playback, select a recorded period, then save the required clip.
Find and play recordings
Select the desired channel, then switch the timeline from Live to Playback. Open its calendar, choose a date containing recordings and click the required period on the timeline. In the documented interface, dates with video are highlighted in orange.
Use timeline zoom and playback controls to locate the event. A record-type filter can narrow the search, but clear it if it hides footage you expect to see. Event and AI search availability varies by hardware and recorded metadata.
If there is no timeline data, confirm the channel, date, recorder time zone and daylight-saving setting. Then check whether that recorder actually recorded the period and whether your user can play it. Installing Viewer does not recreate overwritten video or recover a period that was never recorded.
Export a recorded clip
- In Playback, locate the required channel and period. Right-click the timeline and select Export video. You can select a time section first.
- Complete the password prompt if Viewer requests re-authentication. Your user must have the required access.
- Choose Single channel or Multi channel, check the start and end date/time, and select the relevant channels. For multichannel exports, check the complete selection before saving.
- Choose the format offered by your version. In the v1.05 manual, WNM enables optional digital signature and encryption. Do not assume that every export is MP4 or that every player can read WNM.
- Choose a destination with enough space. Media file folder uses the location under Setup > System > Local settings; Select later lets you choose a folder.
- Start the export and wait for the progress window to finish. Open the saved clip and check its beginning, end, channels and audio if relevant.
The manual notes that Wisenet Player is saved with the exported video and can play WNM, SEC and other supported media. Keep the required player and folder structure with a multichannel export. Store an encryption password separately and ensure the recipient can open the clip.
Canceling or closing an export early can leave a partial file. A file appearing in the destination is therefore not enough: confirm completion and play it back before relying on it.
Troubleshoot common problems
| Problem | First checks |
|---|---|
| A camera cannot be added directly | Add its compatible NVR/DVR. Hanwha’s Viewer guidance excludes direct camera connections. |
| Auto discovery finds nothing | Same LAN, correct adapter, power/link, network isolation and application firewall permission. Try Manual only if the recorder address is reachable. |
| Device login fails | Use recorder credentials, not the local Viewer administrator password. Check the device user and its channel permissions. |
| Local IP works but P2P fails | Check the model against the desktop P2P exclusion list, then check Product ID and the recorder’s DDNS/P2P status. |
| Live video works but recordings are absent | Correct channel/date/time zone, recording schedule and retention, timeline filters and playback permissions. |
| Viewing is choppy or the app has display problems | Documented OS/OpenGL requirements, current supported graphics driver, fewer tiles, suitable stream profile and recorder/network bandwidth. |
| Export fails or is incomplete | Export permission, re-authentication, selected time/channel data, destination capacity and progress status. Test the resulting file with the appropriate player. |
Is Wisenet Viewer free to download?
The official product page provides the Viewer packages. Review its applicable license terms. Optional features can have separate requirements; for example, the manual describes a separate license for video masking. Do not confuse Viewer availability with WAVE recording licenses.
Can Viewer record all my cameras onto the computer?
Its recorder-viewing and export workflows do not make the computer a replacement NVR. Plan ongoing recording in the recorder or a suitable VMS such as WAVE, according to that product’s supported configuration.
To plan recording capacity from your stream’s average bitrate, use the CCTV storage calculator.
Official references and related guides
- Wisenet Viewer global product page: official v1.05.00 platform packages and documentation.
- Wisenet Viewer v1.05 manual linked by Hanwha: requirements and setup; registration on pages 29–38; recorded-video search/export on pages 143–148.
- Compatible recorders and desktop P2P exclusions: check the exact model and connection method.
- Hanwha NVR registration walkthrough and DDNS/P2P guidance: official illustrated connection steps.
For independent ONVIF discovery, read ONVIF Device Manager. For another brand’s computer client, see Hik-Connect / iVMS-4200 or DMSS / SmartPSS Lite. Network service roles are explained in RTSP and ONVIF ports.