Setting up CCcam on Dreambox: complete guide 2026

If you have a Dreambox receiver based on Enigma2 and you want to set up dream cccam as a client to connect to the servercard sharing — this instruction is for you. Not general words about what cardsharing is, but specific steps: where to place the binary, how to write the C-line, and why channels may not open even with the correct config.

I went through typical pitfalls — incorrect paths to the config, access rights that reset after a reboot, conflicts with OScam. All of this is below.

What is CCcam on Dreambox and how the protocol works

CCcam is a softcam, meaning a software module for accessing conditional encryption. On Dreambox, it works either as a client (connecting to a remote server with a card) or as a server (distributing keys to other clients on the local network). For most users, the client mode is relevant.

The role of CCcam client and CCcam server

As a client, CCcam sends an ECM request to the server and receives a CW (Control Word) in response — a key for decrypting the stream. The server holds the physical card or a chain from another server (cascade). The difference is important: if you only have a C-line from the provider — you are a client, period.

In server mode, CCcam listens for incoming connections on F-lines. This is necessary for those who want to distribute sharing within the home network or to several receivers simultaneously.

CCcam protocol and default port (12000)

The CCcam protocol operates over TCP. The standard port is 12000. This is the one you will see in the C-line provided by the server:C: host 12000 username password. Sometimes providers use non-standard ports (for example, 11000 or 15000) — this is normal, just make sure to specify it correctly in the config.

The CCcam web interface by default resides on port 16001. Through it, you can check the status of C-lines, the number of cards, and hops — very convenient for diagnostics.

Compatibility with Enigma2 firmware (OpenPLi, OpenATV, VTi)

CCcam works on all major Enigma2 images: OpenPLi, OpenATV, VTi. The difference lies in the paths to the config and the method of managing the softcam. On OpenPLi and OpenATV, the plugin is managed through the SoftCam Panel, in VTi — similarly, but the interface is slightly different. The binary is the same, the config is the same, but the path to it may differ — more on this in the installation section.

Installing the CCcam plugin on Dreambox

There are two ways: install the ipk package through the plugin manager or upload the binary manually via FTP. The second method is more reliable because you know exactly which version is installed and where the config is located.

Uploading the CCcam binary to /usr/bin

Connect to the receiver via FTP (FileZilla or WinSCP, address from the receiver menu, login root, password usually dreambox or empty). Download the CCcam binary for the required architecture — for most Dreambox it is mipsel. Versions 2.1.4 and 2.3.0 are the most common stable builds.

If the receiver is on arm architecture (some Dreambox Two, DM900, DM7080) — the mipsel binary simply will not run, there will be an "Exec format error". Check the architecture with the commanduname -m in telnet.

Upload the file to/usr/bin/CCcam. The file name must be exactlyCCcam with a capital letter — SoftCam Panel looks for it by this name.

Setting access rights (chmod 755)

After uploading, the file will not be executable. Go to telnet (port 23, the same login root) and execute:

chmod 755 /usr/bin/CCcam

There is an unpleasant nuance: on some images, the SoftCam Panel reinstalls the softcam from its cache upon reboot and overwrites the rights. If CCcam stops running after a reboot — check the rights again. Solution: addchmod 755 /usr/bin/CCcam to the autostart script/etc/rc.local or/etc/init.d/softcam.

Launch via SoftCam Panel or ipk package

Go to the receiver menu → Plugins → SoftCam Panel. Select CCcam from the list and press OK to start. If CCcam does not appear in the list — the binary is either missing or the file name is incorrect.

Alternative via telnet — start directly:

/usr/bin/CCcam&

The ampersand is important — without it, the process will take the terminal.

Check the CCcam version via telnet

After starting, make sure the process is running:

ps | grep CCcam

There should be a line with the path/usr/bin/CCcam. If it is not there — the process has crashed. Check the log:tail -f /tmp/CCcam.log ortail -f /var/log/CCcam.log — depends on the version. The version can be viewed through the web interface on port 16001 or with the command/usr/bin/CCcam -v.

CCcam.cfg configuration: C-lines, F-lines, and parameters

The configuration file is the heart of the entire dream cccam setup. One incorrect character, extra space, or incorrect path — and nothing works. Let's break it down line by line.

Where the config is located: on OpenATV and most images —/etc/CCcam.cfg. On some builds of OpenPLi and VTi —/var/etc/CCcam.cfg. If there is no file in/etc, try/var/etc. You can check what a specific build is looking for with the commandstrings /usr/bin/CCcam | grep cfg — it will output all paths that are hardcoded in the binary.

C-line syntax for connecting to the server

Basic format of the C-line:

C: server.example.com 12000 myuser mypassword

Extended version with parameters:

C: server.example.com 12000 myuser mypassword no { 0:0:2 }

Hereno — do not use encryption on the connection (usually this is what is needed),{ 0:0:2 } — filter by CAID:provider:hops. If the filter is not needed — just leaveno without curly braces. Each C-line is a separate line. Multiple C-lines can be written consecutively, CCcam will use them by priority.

Important: if you have multiple C-lines with the same priority (hops), CCcam may start "pulling" several servers for one ECM request — this creates load and can lead to blocking on the server side. Spread the priorities through the hops parameter in the filter.

Setting up the F-line for server mode

If you want to share to other receivers on the local network — add F-lines:

F: localuser localpass 1 0 0 { 0:0:0 }

Parameters after the password: the first — allow card sharing (1=yes), the second — allow cascade (0=no), the third — encryption level (0=no). Curly braces — filter by CAID. For unlimited access:{ 0:0:0 }.

Parameters SERVER LISTEN PORT and WEBINFO

Add to the config:

SERVER LISTEN PORT : 12000

Note the format: the colon and spaces are mandatory in this form. After starting, the web interface is available at the addresshttp://<receiver IP>:16001. If the web interface does not open — check if the router is blocking port 16001. On some home routers, the firewall blocks non-standard ports even for the local network.

Caching and the CCCAM RECONNECT TIMEOUT parameter

Two useful parameters for stability:

CCCAM RECONNECT TIMEOUT : 5

The first — time in seconds before attempting to reconnect after a disconnection. It is not advisable to set it below 5 — it will flood connections. The second — time for caching ECM responses. Helps with an unstable channel, but with a large value, there may be problems with live keys on some channels.

If you have a dynamic IP from the provider — the server may block the connection when the address changes. Solution: use a DynDNS service for your IP or inform the server administrator to add your range of addresses to the whitelist. CCcam will simply reconnect throughRECONNECT TIMEOUT.

Diagnostics and troubleshooting common errors

Channels do not open — first, go to the web interface on port 16001 and check the status of C-lines. You can immediately see: online/offline, number of cards (shares), hops. This is faster than any other diagnostic method.

Channel does not open: checking ECM and FreezeFrame

FreezeFrame (the picture is frozen) with a signal present — almost always an ECM problem: the decryption key did not arrive on time. Reasons: high ping to the server, server overloaded, or a specific channel (CAID/provider) is not supported on the server.

In telnet, view the log in real time:

tail -f /tmp/CCcam.log

Look for lines withECM and response time. If you seeno card orcan't decode — the server does not have the required card. If you see timeouts — there is a problem with ping or load on the server.

Line status offline in the web interface

C-line offline — a standard situation when data is incorrect or the server is unavailable. Verification algorithm:

1. Ping the host from telnet:ping server.example.com. No response — the problem is in DNS or routing.
2. Check the port:telnet server.example.com 12000. No connection — the port is closed or the server is not listening.
3. Recheck the login/password in the C-line — typos happen more often than one would like to admit.
4. Check if the access period has expired on the server side.

If the ping goes through, the port opens, the data is correct, and the status is still offline — the server may be blocking your IP. This is a common issue with dynamic IPs: you received a new address from the provider, but the server only remembers the old one.

Conflict of multiple softcams (CCcam and OScam simultaneously)

Running CCcam and OScam simultaneously — possible, but you need to know what you're doing. If both listen on the same port (e.g., 12000) — one of them will crash on startup. Separate the ports: OScam on 12000, CCcam on 12001, or vice versa.

The second conflict — competition for ECM. SoftCam Panel sends the ECM request to the active softcam. If both are active — the behavior is unpredictable. Set one as the primary in SoftCam Panel, start the second only when necessary.

A scheme that actually works: OScam as a server (listening on port 12000), CCcam as a client to this OScam server. Then OScam manages the cards and protocols, while CCcam receives ECM through it. Flexible and stable.

Reading CCcam logs via telnet

CCcam logs are by default written to/tmp/CCcam.log. On some images, the path is different —/var/log/CCcam.log. If the file is completely missing — add toCCcam.cfg:

DEBUG : 1

Do not keep DEBUG enabled constantly — the log will grow very quickly and may fill up the /tmp partition (usually a RAM disk with limited capacity). Enable it only during diagnostics.

CCcam or OScam: which to choose on Dreambox

Honest answer: for a beginner who just needs to connect to one server via C-line — CCcam is simpler. The config is minimal, and it's hard to make a mistake. But CCcam has a fundamental downside: the project has not been updated for many years. The last active versions are 2.1.4 and 2.3.0. There are no new releases.

Strengths of CCcam: ease of setup

Dream CCcam can be set up in 10 minutes: upload the binary, write the C-line, start it. The web interface on 16001 provides basic diagnostics without additional tools. For simple use — this is sufficient.

Another plus: CCcam is supported by a huge number of servers as a client protocol. Almost any sharing provider will give you a C-line — this is the de facto standard.

Advantages of OScam: flexibility and active support

OScam supports not only the CCcam protocol but also newcamd, camd35, cs378x, and others. The configs are separate:/etc/oscam/oscam.conf,/etc/oscam/oscam.server,/etc/oscam/oscam.user — this may seem daunting at first, but it provides precise control over each parameter.

OScam is actively developed, regularly receives updates for new encryption systems and bug fixes. If you have a non-standard card or need fine-tuning of filtering — only OScam.

CCcam-client + OScam-server bundle

A popular working scheme: OScam is set up as a local server on the receiver (or a separate device), reads the card or connects to the upstream, while several CCcam clients on other receivers connect to it via C-line. Inoscam.server it looks like this:

[reader]

This scheme is convenient when one OScam server serves several Dreambox devices in a home network — management is centralized, and clients work with simple CCcam without unnecessary settings.