Troubleshooting Avigilon IFTTT Integration Failures
Integrating your professional-grade Avigilon security system with IFTTT (If This Then That) opens up powerful automation possibilities, allowing you to connect video analytic events to a vast ecosystem of smart devices and services. When this integration fails, it's typically due to a specific breakdown in the communication chain. This guide will help you diagnose and resolve issues with Avigilon IFTTT applets not working.
## How the Avigilon to IFTTT Trigger Works
Unlike simpler smart home cameras, Avigilon does not have a direct, pre-built service on IFTTT. The integration almost always works via an intermediary, typically IFTTT's 'Webhooks' service. The process is as follows:
- Event Detection: An Avigilon camera detects a specific analytic event (e.g., 'person crossing a beam').
- Rule Trigger: In the Avigilon Control Center (ACC) software, a rule or alarm linked to this event is triggered.
- External Notification: This rule is configured to send an 'External Notification' in the form of an HTTP web request (a webhook) to a unique IFTTT URL.
- IFTTT Applet Execution: IFTTT receives the webhook and runs the 'That' part of your applet (e.g., 'turn on a Philips Hue light').
A failure at any of these stages will prevent your automation from working.
## Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Avigilon IFTTT Issues
Follow these steps logically to find the point of failure.
### 1. Verify the Avigilon Analytic Event and Rule
First, ensure the trigger event is happening correctly within the Avigilon ecosystem.
- Check Event Logs: Open the ACC client and review the event logs for the camera in question. Can you see the specific analytic event (e.g., 'Motion Detected', 'Object Enters Area') being logged at the time you tested it? If not, the issue is with your camera's analytic configuration, not IFTTT.
- Review the Rule: Go to the 'Rules' or 'Alarms' section of your site setup. Find the rule that is supposed to trigger IFTTT.
- Is the rule enabled?
- Is it linked to the correct camera and analytic event?
- Is the schedule for the rule set correctly?
### 2. Examine the External Notification (Webhook) Action
This is the most common point of failure.
- Check the Action: Within your rule, open the 'Action' tab. It should be configured to 'Send External Notification'.
- Verify the URL: Double-check the HTTP URL you have entered. This should be your unique IFTTT Webhooks URL. A single typo will cause the entire process to fail. Log in to IFTTT, go to the Webhooks service, and click 'Documentation' to find your correct URL and key.
- Check Content Type: Ensure the content type is set correctly, usually to 'application/json' if you are sending data.
### 3. Test the IFTTT Webhook Directly
You can bypass the Avigilon system to test if IFTTT is working correctly.
- From the Webhooks documentation page in IFTTT, you can test your event.
- Enter the event name you've specified in your applet.
- Click the 'Test It' button.
- Check your IFTTT activity log. Did the applet run? If yes, IFTTT is working fine, and the problem lies in the Avigilon system or the network path between them. If no, the problem is with your IFTTT applet configuration.
### 4. Investigate Network and Firewall Issues
The Avigilon server must be able to send an outbound HTTPS request to maker.ifttt.com.
- Firewall Rules: Check any firewalls between your Avigilon server and the internet. Ensure that outbound traffic on port 443 (HTTPS) is permitted.
- Proxy Servers: If your network uses a proxy server for internet access, you may need to configure the ACC server's network settings to use it.
- DNS Resolution: Ensure the server can resolve the
maker.ifttt.comdomain name.
By methodically checking the Avigilon event, the rule, the external notification URL, and the network path, you can pinpoint the exact reason your Avigilon IFTTT integration is failing and get your advanced automations back online.