Back up Reolink cameras and NVRs to the cloud

Reolink's wired cameras and NVRs upload motion clips (.mp4) and snapshots to an FTP server from the app, the Client, or the web interface. Reolink is the best-behaved family here — clips are named after the camera, so Guardian files them by name.

Applies to: Reolink PoE and Wi-Fi cameras (RLC, Duo, TrackMix) and NVRs (RLN-series). Battery cameras (Argus, Go) support FTP only on some hardware versions — check the spec sheet. menu labels move between firmware versions — verify the exact wording on your device.

1 · Get your login card

CloudBox dashboard → Cameras → add a site, write down the 24-word recovery kit:

Field on the recorder	What to enter
Server / Host / Server Address	`ingest.cloudbox.biz`
Port	`21`
User name	the site's `site_…` login from your Cameras tab
Password	the password shown once when you created the site (issue a new one from the site card if you lost it)
Directory / Remote path	leave it empty, or a simple name such as your site. Never a leading or trailing slash — Reolink silently stops uploading on `/`. Whatever folders the recorder then creates are fine.
Mode	Passive (PASV), if asked. No inbound ports are opened on your network.
Encryption	FTPS / explicit TLS if your model offers it; otherwise plain FTP

2 · Enter it on the FTP screen

In the Reolink app: device → settings gear → Device Settings → FTP (the app has no Surveillance level). Reolink Client / web interface: Device Settings → Surveillance → FTP.

Turn FTP Upload on.
Server Address ingest.cloudbox.biz · Port 21 · Username/Password from the card.
Remote Directory: leave blank, or a simple name like your site. Forward slashes only, and NO leading or trailing slash — a stray slash makes Reolink accept the settings and silently upload nothing.
Transfer protocol: FTPS if offered (SFTP is not supported), else FTP. Passive if asked.
Upload: Video (and Picture if you want stills). Record: Motion. Set the schedule.

Press Test → Success, then Save.

NoteReolink names clips after the camera — Front Door_00_20260909143000.mp4 — so Guardian files them under front-door. “Generate subfolder by” is date-only; there is no per-camera folder option, and none is needed.

Heads upVideo upload is occasionally flaky on Reolink (0 KB files, or Test passes but nothing lands). If clips don’t appear: check the FTP schedule covers now, remove any slash at the start or end of Remote Directory, try a lower-resolution stream, update the firmware — or set Upload to Picture; a snapshot backup still works.

3 · Confirm

Walk in front of the camera; the clip uploads when the motion event ends. Press Test connection on the site card, then Decrypt & save one clip to confirm your recovery kit opens it.

If something does not work

Test fails: check the device's DNS (Settings → Network) and that outbound port 21 is open.
Test passes, nothing arrives: a slash at the start or end of Remote Directory, no FTP or Motion schedule covering now, or a bandwidth/firmware issue — try Picture or a lower-resolution stream, and update the firmware.
More in troubleshooting.

Questions

Which Reolink devices support FTP upload?

Wired PoE and Wi-Fi cameras (RLC-series, Duo, TrackMix and similar) and Reolink NVRs (RLN-series). Battery-powered cameras (Argus, Go, Eco) support FTP only on some hardware versions — check your model's spec sheet before relying on it.

Where is the FTP setting?

In the app: open the device → the settings gear → Device Settings → FTP (the app has no Surveillance level). The Reolink Client and the web interface: Device Settings → Surveillance → FTP. On a Reolink NVR's local monitor menu the New UI shows Surveillance → FTP — menu labels move between firmware versions — verify the exact wording on your device.

What is the Remote Directory format — my uploads silently stop.

Forward slashes only, and NO leading or trailing slash: use reolink/site or leave it blank, not /reolink/ or reolink/. A mistyped slash makes Reolink accept the settings but never upload. Set Remote Directory to empty or a simple name like your site.

Video or snapshots, and which format?

Both are available (Upload → Video and/or Picture). Video is .mp4 named __, so Guardian files it under the camera's own name. Note: video upload can be flaky on some models/firmware (0 KB files, or Test passes but nothing lands) — many sites end up snapshot-only. If video won't upload: check the FTP schedule is enabled and covers now, remove any leading or trailing slash from Remote Directory, try Upload → Picture or a lower-resolution stream to rule out bandwidth, and update the firmware.

Can I use FTPS? What about SFTP?

FTPS (explicit TLS) is supported on newer firmware — choose it as the transfer protocol if offered. SFTP is NOT supported (it is SSH, a different protocol). Plain FTP is fine otherwise.

Can I make Reolink put each camera in its own folder?

Not by camera. Reolink's 'Generate subfolder by' is date-only (Off / YYYY-MM / YYYY-MM-DD). That is fine — Guardian reads the camera from the filename's leading name token, not the folder.