diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 9dc93e6..ee4f261 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ module github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru
 go 1.18
 
 require (
+	github.com/SumeruCCTV/go-onvif v1.0.7-0.20220710204443-43ab317ee846
 	github.com/SumeruCCTV/transcoder v1.2.0
 	github.com/bytedance/sonic v1.3.3
 	github.com/go-redis/redis/v8 v8.11.5
@@ -21,7 +22,9 @@ require (
 	github.com/andybalholm/brotli v1.0.4 // indirect
 	github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.1.2 // indirect
 	github.com/chenzhuoyu/base64x v0.0.0-20220526154910-8bf9453eb81a // indirect
+	github.com/clbanning/mxj v1.8.4 // indirect
 	github.com/dgryski/go-rendezvous v0.0.0-20200823014737-9f7001d12a5f // indirect
+	github.com/google/uuid v1.3.0 // indirect
 	github.com/jackc/chunkreader/v2 v2.0.1 // indirect
 	github.com/jackc/pgio v1.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/jackc/pgpassfile v1.0.0 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index b9c9b9b..79fe3ed 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 github.com/BurntSushi/toml v0.3.1/go.mod h1:xHWCNGjB5oqiDr8zfno3MHue2Ht5sIBksp03qcyfWMU=
 github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3 v3.1.1 h1:hLg3sBzpNErnxhQtUy/mmLR2I9foDujNK030IGemrRc=
 github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3 v3.1.1/go.mod h1:VPu/7SZ7ePZ3QOrcuXROw5FAcLl4a0cBrbBpGY/8hQs=
+github.com/SumeruCCTV/go-onvif v1.0.7-0.20220710204443-43ab317ee846 h1:hThJe79pI4K+NGBnY41oGHAyKf9HqsFUhDKiJm1Hd7I=
+github.com/SumeruCCTV/go-onvif v1.0.7-0.20220710204443-43ab317ee846/go.mod h1:t0R1GtnbvjwyZ5KtvJkl5lkM8x8UCxFhhbBakw35sew=
 github.com/SumeruCCTV/transcoder v1.2.0 h1:B81Afhfjajc8gZcBX3xIPZUqgSZVU/1LJzacTZGdvDc=
 github.com/SumeruCCTV/transcoder v1.2.0/go.mod h1:Ux5TH3YT5/lNQ3blm+LkqlnO2ZAKZSovIA0GLmLg93Y=
 github.com/andybalholm/brotli v1.0.4 h1:V7DdXeJtZscaqfNuAdSRuRFzuiKlHSC/Zh3zl9qY3JY=
@@ -14,6 +16,8 @@ github.com/cespare/xxhash/v2 v2.1.2/go.mod h1:VGX0DQ3Q6kWi7AoAeZDth3/j3BFtOZR5XL
 github.com/chenzhuoyu/base64x v0.0.0-20211019084208-fb5309c8db06/go.mod h1:DH46F32mSOjUmXrMHnKwZdA8wcEefY7UVqBKYGjpdQY=
 github.com/chenzhuoyu/base64x v0.0.0-20220526154910-8bf9453eb81a h1:lmGPzuocwDxoPAMr9h16zoJY/USZR9jIh99nrmKk1uI=
 github.com/chenzhuoyu/base64x v0.0.0-20220526154910-8bf9453eb81a/go.mod h1:DH46F32mSOjUmXrMHnKwZdA8wcEefY7UVqBKYGjpdQY=
+github.com/clbanning/mxj v1.8.4 h1:HuhwZtbyvyOw+3Z1AowPkU87JkJUSv751ELWaiTpj8I=
+github.com/clbanning/mxj v1.8.4/go.mod h1:BVjHeAH+rl9rs6f+QIpeRl0tfu10SXn1pUSa5PVGJng=
 github.com/cockroachdb/apd v1.1.0 h1:3LFP3629v+1aKXU5Q37mxmRxX/pIu1nijXydLShEq5I=
 github.com/cockroachdb/apd v1.1.0/go.mod h1:8Sl8LxpKi29FqWXR16WEFZRNSz3SoPzUzeMeY4+DwBQ=
 github.com/coreos/go-systemd v0.0.0-20190321100706-95778dfbb74e/go.mod h1:F5haX7vjVVG0kc13fIWeqUViNPyEJxv/OmvnBo0Yme4=
@@ -40,6 +44,9 @@ github.com/gofrs/uuid v4.0.0+incompatible h1:1SD/1F5pU8p29ybwgQSwpQk+mwdRrXCYuPh
 github.com/gofrs/uuid v4.0.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:b2aQJv3Z4Fp6yNu3cdSllBxTCLRxnplIgP/c0N/04lM=
 github.com/google/gofuzz v1.0.0/go.mod h1:dBl0BpW6vV/+mYPU4Po3pmUjxk6FQPldtuIdl/M65Eg=
 github.com/google/renameio v0.1.0/go.mod h1:KWCgfxg9yswjAJkECMjeO8J8rahYeXnNhOm40UhjYkI=
+github.com/google/uuid v1.2.0/go.mod h1:TIyPZe4MgqvfeYDBFedMoGGpEw/LqOeaOT+nhxU+yHo=
+github.com/google/uuid v1.3.0 h1:t6JiXgmwXMjEs8VusXIJk2BXHsn+wx8BZdTaoZ5fu7I=
+github.com/google/uuid v1.3.0/go.mod h1:TIyPZe4MgqvfeYDBFedMoGGpEw/LqOeaOT+nhxU+yHo=
 github.com/jackc/chunkreader v1.0.0/go.mod h1:RT6O25fNZIuasFJRyZ4R/Y2BbhasbmZXF9QQ7T3kePo=
 github.com/jackc/chunkreader/v2 v2.0.0/go.mod h1:odVSm741yZoC3dpHEUXIqA9tQRhFrgOHwnPIn9lDKlk=
 github.com/jackc/chunkreader/v2 v2.0.1 h1:i+RDz65UE+mmpjTfyz0MoVTnzeYxroil2G82ki7MGG8=
diff --git a/service/camera/camera.go b/service/camera/camera.go
index ef4f750..067adc0 100644
--- a/service/camera/camera.go
+++ b/service/camera/camera.go
@@ -2,10 +2,21 @@ package camera
 
 import (
 	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/pkg/svcstat"
-	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/transcoder/ffmpeg"
+	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/pkg/utils"
+	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/service/database"
+	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/service/database/models"
 )
 
 type Service struct {
+	log      *utils.Logger
+	database *database.Service
+
+	// queue to add cameras
+	q      chan *models.Camera
+	closed bool
+
+	// map of currently active cameras by uuid
+	cameras map[string]Connector
 }
 
 func (Service) Name() string {
@@ -13,15 +24,37 @@ func (Service) Name() string {
 }
 
 func (svc *Service) Start() error {
-	_ = ffmpeg.Config{}
+	svc.q = make(chan *models.Camera)
+	go svc.startQueue()
 
+	svc.cameras = make(map[string]Connector)
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (svc *Service) Stop() error {
+	close(svc.q)
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (svc *Service) Status() svcstat.Status {
-	return svcstat.StatusHealthy
+	if !svc.closed {
+		return svcstat.StatusHealthy
+	}
+	return svcstat.StatusUnhealthy
+}
+
+func (svc *Service) AddCamera(cam *models.Camera) {
+	svc.q <- cam
+}
+
+func (svc *Service) startQueue() {
+	svc.closed = false
+	for {
+		cam, ok := <-svc.q
+		if !ok {
+			svc.closed = true
+			return
+		}
+		go svc.accept(cam)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/service/camera/connector.go b/service/camera/connector.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed23f37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/service/camera/connector.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package camera
+
+import "github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/service/database/models"
+
+type Connector interface {
+	TestConnection() error
+}
+
+type ConnectorData struct {
+	uuid        string
+	ipAddress   string
+	port        int
+	credentials models.CameraCredentials
+}
+
+func NewConnector(cameraType models.CameraType, svc *Service, data *ConnectorData) Connector {
+	switch cameraType {
+	case models.CameraTypeONVIF:
+		return NewONVIFConnector(svc, data)
+	case models.CameraTypeRTSP:
+		return NewRTSPConnector(svc, data)
+	default:
+		return nil
+	}
+}
diff --git a/service/camera/handler.go b/service/camera/handler.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e45c5d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/service/camera/handler.go
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package camera
+
+import (
+	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/service/database/models"
+	"go.uber.org/zap"
+)
+
+func (svc *Service) accept(cam *models.Camera) {
+	svc.log.Debugw("adding camera", zap.String("uuid", cam.Uuid))
+	c := NewConnector(cam.Type, svc, &ConnectorData{
+		uuid:        cam.Uuid,
+		ipAddress:   cam.IPAddress,
+		port:        cam.Port,
+		credentials: cam.Credentials,
+	})
+	if c == nil {
+		return // invalid camera type?
+	}
+	if err := c.TestConnection(); err != nil {
+		svc.log.Debugw("failed to test connection for camera", zap.String("uuid", cam.Uuid), zap.Error(err))
+		if cam.Status != models.CameraStatusInvalid {
+			if err := svc.database.UpdateCameraStatus(cam.Uuid, models.CameraStatusInvalid); err != nil {
+				svc.log.Warnw("failed to update camera status", zap.String("uuid", cam.Uuid), zap.Error(err))
+			}
+		}
+		return
+	}
+	svc.cameras[cam.Uuid] = c
+	if err := svc.database.UpdateCameraStatus(cam.Uuid, models.CameraStatusDisconnected); err != nil {
+		svc.log.Warnw("failed to update camera status", zap.String("uuid", cam.Uuid), zap.Error(err))
+		return
+	}
+}
diff --git a/service/camera/onvif.go b/service/camera/onvif.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..680a64c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/service/camera/onvif.go
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+package camera
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/go-onvif"
+	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/pkg/utils"
+)
+
+// maybe switch to https://github.com/videonext/onvif
+// go-onvif is a mess
+
+const protocol = "http"
+
+type ONVIFConnector struct {
+	svc *Service
+	log *utils.Logger
+
+	data *ConnectorData
+	rtsp *RTSPConnector
+}
+
+func (c *ONVIFConnector) TestConnection() error {
+	dvc := c.device()
+	if _, err := dvc.GetInformation(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *ONVIFConnector) device() *onvif.Device {
+	return &onvif.Device{
+		XAddr:    fmt.Sprintf("%s://%s:%d/onvif/services", protocol, c.data.ipAddress, c.data.port),
+		User:     c.data.credentials.Username,
+		Password: c.data.credentials.Password,
+	}
+}
+
+func NewONVIFConnector(svc *Service, data *ConnectorData) *ONVIFConnector {
+	return &ONVIFConnector{
+		svc:  svc,
+		log:  svc.log.Named("onvif"),
+		data: data,
+	}
+}
diff --git a/service/camera/rtsp.go b/service/camera/rtsp.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..983124b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/service/camera/rtsp.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package camera
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/pkg/utils"
+	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/transcoder/ffmpeg"
+	"net"
+)
+
+// TODO: see https://github.com/andrewlfw/joy4/tree/main/format/rtspv2
+// maybe use this instead of ffmpeg?
+
+type RTSPConnector struct {
+	svc *Service
+	log *utils.Logger
+
+	data *ConnectorData
+}
+
+func (c *RTSPConnector) TestConnection() error {
+	conn, err := net.Dial("tcp", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", c.data.ipAddress, c.data.port))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_ = conn.Close()
+
+	_ = ffmpeg.Config{}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func NewRTSPConnector(svc *Service, data *ConnectorData) *RTSPConnector {
+	return &RTSPConnector{
+		svc:  svc,
+		log:  svc.log.Named("rtsp"),
+		data: data,
+	}
+}
diff --git a/service/database/db/cameras.go b/service/database/db/cameras.go
index 1d546dc..e9a14ac 100644
--- a/service/database/db/cameras.go
+++ b/service/database/db/cameras.go
@@ -4,15 +4,16 @@ import (
 	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/service/database/models"
 )
 
-func (db *Database) AddCameraByUuid(accountUuid, cameraName, cameraAddr string, cameraPort int, cameraType models.CameraType) (*models.Camera, error) {
-	uuid := db.GenerateUuid()
-	camera := &models.Camera{
-		Uuid:      uuid,
-		Name:      cameraName,
-		OwnerUuid: accountUuid,
-		IPAddress: cameraAddr,
-		Port:      cameraPort,
-		Type:      cameraType,
-	}
+func (db *Database) AddCameraByUuid(camera *models.Camera) (*models.Camera, error) {
+	camera.Uuid = db.GenerateUuid()
+	camera.Status = models.CameraStatusInvalid
 	return camera, db.Create(camera).Error
 }
+
+func (db *Database) UpdateCameraStatus(uuid string, status models.CameraStatus) error {
+	// should we create the model only once?
+	return db.Model(&models.Camera{}).
+		Where("uuid = ?", uuid).
+		Update("status", status).
+		Error
+}
diff --git a/service/database/models/cameras.go b/service/database/models/cameras.go
index 0fca9f1..8add193 100644
--- a/service/database/models/cameras.go
+++ b/service/database/models/cameras.go
@@ -7,10 +7,11 @@ type Camera struct {
 	OwnerUuid string `gorm:"uniqueIndex:idx_owner_uuid_name" json:"ownerUuid"`
 	Name      string `gorm:"uniqueIndex:idx_owner_uuid_name" json:"name"`
 
-	IPAddress string       `gorm:"not null" json:"addr"`
-	Port      int          `gorm:"not null" json:"port"`
-	Type      CameraType   `gorm:"not null" json:"type"`
-	Status    CameraStatus `gorm:"not null" json:"status"`
+	IPAddress   string            `gorm:"not null" json:"addr"`
+	Port        int               `gorm:"not null" json:"port"`
+	Type        CameraType        `gorm:"not null" json:"type"`
+	Status      CameraStatus      `gorm:"not null" json:"status"`
+	Credentials CameraCredentials `gorm:"not null;embedded;embeddedPrefix:camera_" json:"credentials"`
 
 	CreatedAt int64 `json:"-"`
 }
@@ -18,15 +19,19 @@ type Camera struct {
 type CameraType int
 
 const (
-	CameraTypeUnknown CameraType = iota
-	CameraTypeONVIF
+	CameraTypeONVIF CameraType = iota
 	CameraTypeRTSP
 )
 
 type CameraStatus int
 
 const (
-	CameraStatusInvalid CameraType = iota
+	CameraStatusInvalid CameraStatus = iota
 	CameraStatusDisconnected
 	CameraStatusConnected
 )
+
+type CameraCredentials struct {
+	Username string `gorm:"not null" json:"username"`
+	Password string `gorm:"not null" json:"password"`
+}
diff --git a/service/web/routes/r_camera/post_camera.go b/service/web/routes/r_camera/post_camera.go
index b0f9531..bd47cac 100644
--- a/service/web/routes/r_camera/post_camera.go
+++ b/service/web/routes/r_camera/post_camera.go
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ import (
 
 func init() {
 	type requestBody struct {
-		Name string            `json:"name"`
-		Addr string            `json:"addr"`
-		Port int               `json:"port"`
-		Type models.CameraType `json:"type"`
+		Name        string                   `json:"name"`
+		Addr        string                   `json:"addr"`
+		Port        int                      `json:"port"`
+		Type        models.CameraType        `json:"type"`
+		Credentials models.CameraCredentials `json:"credentials"`
 	}
 
 	type responseBody struct {
@@ -41,6 +42,9 @@ func init() {
 		if err = utils.ValidCameraType(body.Type, ctx); err != nil {
 			return
 		}
+		if err = utils.ValidBody(ctx, body.Credentials.Username, body.Credentials.Password); err != nil {
+			return
+		}
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -55,7 +59,14 @@ func init() {
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			camera, err := svc.DB().AddCameraByUuid(uuid, body.Name, body.Addr, body.Port, body.Type)
+			cam, err := svc.DB().AddCameraByUuid(&models.Camera{
+				OwnerUuid:   uuid,
+				Name:        body.Name,
+				IPAddress:   body.Addr,
+				Port:        body.Port,
+				Type:        body.Type,
+				Credentials: body.Credentials,
+			})
 			if err != nil {
 				if errors.IsPgErr(err, errors.PgErrDuplicateEntry) {
 					ctx.Status(fiber.StatusConflict)
@@ -67,8 +78,9 @@ func init() {
 				).Errorf("error adding camera to db: %v", err)
 				return errors.ErrorAddingCamera
 			}
+			svc.CameraSvc().AddCamera(cam)
 			ctx.Status(fiber.StatusCreated)
-			return ctx.JSON(responseBody{Uuid: camera.Uuid})
+			return ctx.JSON(responseBody{Uuid: cam.Uuid})
 		})
 	})
 }
diff --git a/service/web/utils/validate.go b/service/web/utils/validate.go
index 7e88db4..535813a 100644
--- a/service/web/utils/validate.go
+++ b/service/web/utils/validate.go
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ func ValidCameraPort(port int, ctx *fiber.Ctx) error {
 }
 
 func ValidCameraType(cameraType models.CameraType, ctx *fiber.Ctx) error {
-	if cameraType < models.CameraTypeUnknown || cameraType > models.CameraTypeRTSP {
+	// can be either ONVIF or RTSP
+	if cameraType < models.CameraTypeONVIF || cameraType > models.CameraTypeRTSP {
 		ctx.Status(fiber.StatusBadRequest)
 		return errors.InvalidCameraType
 	}
diff --git a/service/web/web.go b/service/web/web.go
index e48a287..2d09feb 100644
--- a/service/web/web.go
+++ b/service/web/web.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/pkg/json"
 	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/pkg/svcstat"
 	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/pkg/utils"
+	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/service/camera"
 	"github.com/SumeruCCTV/sumeru/service/database"
 	"github.com/bytedance/sonic"
 	"github.com/gofiber/fiber/v2"
@@ -17,16 +18,16 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gofiber/fiber/v2/middleware/recover"
 	"github.com/gofiber/fiber/v2/middleware/requestid"
 	"github.com/gofiber/helmet/v2"
-	"go.uber.org/atomic"
 )
 
 type Service struct {
 	cfg      *config.Config
 	log      *utils.Logger
 	database *database.Service
+	camera   *camera.Service
 
 	app     *fiber.App
-	running atomic.Bool
+	running bool
 }
 
 func (Service) Name() string {
@@ -66,9 +67,9 @@ func (svc *Service) Start() error {
 		// todo: return error
 		port := svc.cfg.Web.Port
 		svc.log.Infof("Starting web server on port %d", port)
-		svc.running.Store(true)
+		svc.running = true
 		_ = svc.app.Listen(fmt.Sprintf(":%d", port))
-		svc.running.Store(false)
+		svc.running = false
 	}()
 	return nil
 }
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ func (svc *Service) Stop() error {
 }
 
 func (svc *Service) Status() svcstat.Status {
-	if svc.app != nil && svc.database != nil && svc.running.Load() {
+	if svc.app != nil && svc.database != nil && svc.running {
 		return svcstat.StatusHealthy
 	}
 	return svcstat.StatusUnhealthy
@@ -92,6 +93,10 @@ func (svc *Service) DB() *database.Service {
 	return svc.database
 }
 
+func (svc *Service) CameraSvc() *camera.Service {
+	return svc.camera
+}
+
 var errorHandler = func(ctx *fiber.Ctx, _e error) error {
 	if ctx.Response().StatusCode() == fiber.StatusOK {
 		ctx.Status(fiber.StatusInternalServerError)