Camera is not visible
The gateway is not connected
Open the ViewBridge portal and check the gateway status. If it is offline, confirm that the computer running the gateway is powered on and connected to the same network as the camera. If the gateway key was rotated, enter the new key on the local gateway setup page.
The camera does not appear after saving
Check the camera URL, username, and password on the gateway page. The address must be the camera’s local RTSP URL, not an HTTP web page or a cloud URL. Confirm that the camera is powered on and that the gateway can reach its IP address.
Use an H.264 video profile. H.265/HEVC, MJPEG, and camera-only cloud streams are not compatible with the current ViewBridge camera profile.
Alexa finds no new devices
Make sure the ViewBridge skill or add-on is enabled in the same Amazon account that owns the gateway. Complete account linking, then start device discovery again. Confirm that your Alexa marketplace, language, and skill region are supported; see Supported devices & locations.
Alexa cannot start the stream
The Echo cannot reach the gateway
The Echo Show and gateway must be able to reach one another on the home network. Check that:
- The gateway hostname resolves to the gateway’s current private LAN address.
- The Echo and gateway are not isolated on guest Wi-Fi networks.
- The gateway firewall allows TCP
443from the home network. - The router has no port-forward requirement or conflicting reverse proxy.
If your router blocks DNS names that resolve to private addresses, configure its documented local DNS override or hostname allowlist. Do not expose the camera or gateway publicly to work around this.
Alexa reports an unsupported device or stream
Use an Echo Show or another display device that is known to support camera streaming. Screenless Echo devices cannot show a video stream. Check the camera profile as well: RTSP, H.264, and no audio are the safest settings.
Alexa asks you to link the account again
Complete account linking with the Amazon account that owns the ViewBridge gateway. If you changed Amazon marketplaces or languages, the skill may be associated with a different Alexa region. See Supported devices & locations and repeat discovery after linking.
Video is black or stops
The camera is reachable but no picture appears
Check the camera’s H.264 stream profile and keyframe settings. Disable camera audio for the first test. If the camera provides a lower-resolution H.264 substream, try that profile after confirming which resolution the configured Alexa endpoint expects.
The stream stops after starting
Check Wi-Fi signal and power-saving behavior on the camera and Echo. Make sure the gateway is not restarting for certificate renewal or configuration changes. A camera that disconnects locally will also stop in Alexa; test the camera from the local gateway page before changing Alexa settings.
The certificate or hostname is rejected
The gateway must serve a publicly trusted certificate for its exact hostname, while DNS must resolve that hostname to the gateway’s private LAN address. Check the host clock, the current gateway address, and the complete certificate chain. Do not disable certificate validation.
Gateway setup page is unavailable
The local setup page is normally available at the gateway’s private address on port 8443. Confirm that the gateway is powered on and that you are connected to the same LAN. If setup was already completed, the page may have been disabled intentionally; ask the gateway owner to re-enable it temporarily.
The page is separate from camera playback. A disabled setup page does not disable the media endpoint, certificate renewal, or the gateway’s portal connection.
When you think you found a problem
Please open a GitHub issue and include the following information without sharing secrets:
- Echo Show model and Alexa language/marketplace.
- Camera make/model and whether its stream is H.264.
- The gateway status shown in the portal.
- The camera name and configured path, and the RTSP URL without any credentials.
- The exact Alexa error and the approximate time it occurred.