Quick start

This is the short path from a fresh install to recorded cameras with S.I. alerts. Each step links to the full instructions.

1. Install Sentinel. Run the installer from J&J Technical Services on a Windows 10/11 Pro PC. See the Install guide.
2. Sign in and set your password. Open http://localhost:8000/, sign in with the administrator account your installer gave you, and choose your own password when asked. See First sign-in.
3. Enter your license key. On the License page, paste the key from J&J Technical Services and choose Install key. See Your license key.
4. Set up your site. Open Sites & Compliance. Check the state, set Video retention (30 days by default) and click Apply preset. The state preset fills in sensible privacy settings for face and plate data. It's a setup aid, not legal advice.
5. Add your cameras. Open Cameras and click Search for cameras. Sentinel lists every camera and recorder that answers, with brand, model, IP address, MAC address, firmware and driver. Click Add (or Add selected), enter the camera's login if asked, and Sentinel tests it with one live frame before adding it. For a recorder (NVR), pick its channels to import. If a camera doesn't show up, pick its model from the list at the top of the Cameras page and type its address, or see Camera not found.
6. Check live view. Open Live, pick a layout and make sure every tile shows a picture. Double-click a tile for full screen. See Live view.
7. Choose how each camera records. On the Cameras page, click the Rec: button next to a camera. Motion is the default for new cameras (5 seconds before and 10 seconds after motion). You can also pick Continuous or Off, and use Schedule for a weekly plan.
8. Turn on the detection you need. S.I. detection is on for each camera by default. Turn it off for cameras that only need to record, which frees up the processor. Open Industry packs to turn on the pack for your type of site and apply it to cameras.
9. Quiet the trouble spots. If a flag, shadow or parked object keeps raising false alerts, draw a Masked Area over it or click Mask this spot on the event.
10. Set up alerts and check the system. Work through new alerts in Alert Review. Ask us to set up email alerts if you want them (see Alerts). Check Health for cameras that aren't recording, set your maintenance window on the Updates page, and set up Remote Access for viewing away from the site.