Install your system

The Single Computer option installs all server and client components on the current computer.

You can install a free version of XProtect Essential+. This version provides you with limited capabilities of the XProtect VMS for a limited number of cameras. You must have internet connection to install XProtect Essential+.

The recording server scans your network for hardware. Discovered devices are added automatically to your system. Cameras are preconfigured in views, and a default operator role is created. After installation, XProtect Smart Client opens and is ready for use.

If you upgrade from a previous version of the product, the system does not scan for cameras, or create new views and operator roles.

  1. Download the software from the internet (https://www.milestonesys.com/downloads/) and run the Milestone XProtect VMS Products 2023 R3 System Installer.exe file.
  2. The installation files unpack. Depending on the security settings, one or more Windows® security warnings appear. Accept these and the unpacking continues.
  3. When done, the Milestone XProtect VMS installation wizard appears.
    1. Select the Language to use during the installation (this is not the language that your system uses once installed; this is selected later). Click Continue.
    2. Read the Milestone End-user License Agreement. Select the I accept the terms in the license agreement check box and click Continue.
    3. On the Privacy settings page, select whether you want to share usage data, and click Continue.

      4. You must not enable data collection if you want the system to have an EU GDPR-compliant installation. For more information about data protection and the usage data collection, see the GDPR privacy guide.

      You can always change your privacy setting later. See also System settings (Options dialog box).

    4. In the Enter or browse to the location of the license file, enter your license file from your XProtect provider. Alternatively, browse to locate it or click the XProtect Essential+ link to download a free license file. The system verifies your license file before you can continue. Click Continue.

      5. If you do not have a valid license file you can get one for free. Click the XProtect Essential+ link to download a free license file. The free license file is downloaded and appears in the Enter or browse to the location of the license file field.

  4. Select Single computer.

    A list of components to install appears (you cannot edit this list). Click Continue.

  5. In the Specify recording server settings window, do the following:
    1. In the Recording server name field, enter the name of the recording server. The default is the name of the computer.
    2. The Management server address field shows the address and port number of the management server: localhost:80.
    3. In the Select your media database location field, select the location where you want to save your video recording. Milestone recommends that you save your video recordings in a separate location from where you install the software and not on the system drive. The default location is the drive with the most space available.
    4. In Retention time for video recordings, define for how long you want to save the video recordings. You can enter from between 1 and 999 days, where 7 days is the default retention time.
    5. Click Continue.
  6. In the Select file location and product language window, do the following:
    1. In the File location field, select the location where you want to install the software.
    2. In Product language, select the language in which to install your XProtect product.
    3. Click Install.

      The software now installs. If not already installed on the computer, Microsoft® SQL Server® Express and Microsoft IIS are automatically installed during the installation.

      You may be prompted to restart the computer. After restarting your computer, depending on the security settings, one or more Windows security warnings may appear. Accept these and the installation completes.

  7. When the installation completes, a list shows the components that are installed on the computer.

    Click Continue to add hardware and users to the system.

    If you click Close now, you bypass the configuration wizard and XProtect Management Client opens. You can configure the system, for example add hardware and users to the system, in Management Client.

  8. In the Enter user names and passwords for hardware window, enter the user names and passwords for hardware that you have changed from the manufacturer defaults.

    The installer scans the network for these hardware as well as hardware with manufacturer default credentials.

    Click Continue.

  9. In the Select the hardware to add to the system window, select the hardware that you want to add to the system. Click Continue.
  10. In the Configure the devices window, you can give the hardware useful names by clicking the edit icon next to the hardware name. This name is then prefixed to the hardware devices.

    Expand the hardware node to enable or disable the hardware devices, such as cameras, speakers, and microphones.

    Cameras are enabled by default, and speakers and microphones are disabled by default.

    Click Continue.

  11. In the Add users window, you can add Windows users and basic users. These users can have either the Administrators role or the Operators role.

    Define the user and click Add.

    When you are done adding users, click Continue.

When the installation and initial configuration are done, the Configuration is complete window appears, where you see:

  • A list of cameras and devices that are added to the system
  • A list of users who are added to the system
  • Addresses to XProtect Web Client and the mobile server, which you can copy and share with your users

When you click Close, XProtect Smart Client opens and is ready to use.