How to Install A Security Photographic camera

Mindy Woodall

Managing Editor, Home Security & Smart Home

Read More

How much does installation cost?

If you lot install your security camera yourself, then installation won't price yous a penny. If you prefer to accept the pros exercise information technology for you, then you'll demand to drop some dollars on that service.

DIY security camera installation

If yous can install a camera yourself, then it'south pretty much free afterward yous pay for the equipment.

Virtually cameras these days are not simply like shooting fish in a barrel to install on your ain, only likewise designed to exist every bit pain-free every bit possible. Some you can assail a table, mountain on a wall, or attach to a magnetic surface. Yet, non everyone is comfy with drilling into their walls.

The easiest cameras to install on your own will be wire-free, battery-powered cameras similar the EufyCam 2 or the Reolink Argus three. If you have an indoor security photographic camera, then those are also quite easy to set up yourself. You just need to put the camera where you want it and plug in the power cord.

Professional installation

If you get one of the professionally installed Best Home Security Systems we've recommended (namely ADT or Vivint), y'all'll get an installation tech who will install everything for y'all, including your cameras. Vivint'south system installation fee is $49, only ADT's fees are significantly more than. You may pay as much as $199 for that pro installation.

If you lot want to get a whole network of home security cameras that integrate into your home security system, then information technology's much easier to have a professional install those cameras for you. It's as well easier to have the pros install video doorbells, and so you lot don't have to mess effectually with electrical wires.

Both ADT and Vivint offer professionally installed doorbell cameras.

Pro installation for standalone security cameras

If you lot're buying a camera yourself and want to have it professionally installed, then there are third-political party services similar HelloTech that are a bully fashion to find local professional person installation for security cameras. Plus it's actually a decent bang for your buck compared to higher prices from CCTV companies.

How much yous'll pay depends on what blazon of device you lot have and potentially other factors too, such as your location. Simply HelloTech does list starting prices for security cameras and video doorbells.

Smart security photographic camera installation price: starts at $129

Video doorbell installation price: starts at $99

HelloTech installs devices from several major smart home brands, including Ring and Google Nest.

How should y'all position your security camera?

Not anybody has to deal with thieves and suspension-ins (thank goodness). Some of us just want to check on deliveries or meet who visits our firm while we're away. Other people want a way to bank check on family members or pets.

Decide which purpose is most important to you and place your photographic camera where information technology volition best be able to see what yous want to keep an center on.

Indoors or outdoors?

The biggest difference between indoor and outdoor cameras is their power to endure the weather. The last thing you want is for your new camera to quit in the first blizzard of the year, especially since y'all've noticed your snow boots have gone missing, too.

Check the operating temperature and approved use for the photographic camera you lot want to purchase. In that location are some models, like the SimpliSafe SimpliCam, that tin exist modified to piece of work outside also as indoors.

Where to install an indoor security camera

Installing an indoor photographic camera tin can be every bit easy as finding the correct spot, plugging it in, turning information technology on, and syncing it with your mobile or desktop app. While some may require drilling, virtually indoor cameras we've come beyond won't crave anything more than a screwdriver.

A good indoor camera should have a decent field of view, which you lot can become with a higher corner or shelf. The best places volition accept a clear view of the room, a place to hide the camera from thieves, and very little foot traffic (to avert unplugging the camera or tripping on the string).

Where to install an outdoor security camera

The most popular places for an outdoor camera are above the garage door or looking over a front or dorsum porch. For a garage photographic camera, brand sure y'all take a large field of view. For a porch camera, make sure your photographic camera is mostly looking at a driveway or walkway to capture all the action possible with a smaller field of view. Yous may desire to consider a doorbell photographic camera similar the Nest Howdy, the Arlo Video Doorbell, or the RemoBell S.

Should you get a wired, wireless, or wire-free camera?

At that place are generally three power options for security cameras, although the terminology tin can get a bit confusing:

  1. Wired, which means the photographic camera relies on wires to connect to both power and your internet.
  2. Wireless, which means your camera can connect to the internet wirelessly only requires a power cord. Sometimes these cameras are still called "wired" since they require a cord.
  3. Wire-free, where the camera runs off a battery pack and doesn't demand any wires at all. Sometimes these cameras are chosen wireless since they run without power cords.

With wired installation, you lot're a little limited in terms of placement, but your connection will be more reliable and secure. Consider where you have to run the wire and how much length you need. You lot can ever buy longer extension cables.

Steps for installing a wired security photographic camera

  1. Detect a stable spot on the wall.
  2. Some cameras may require finding a stud, while others will come with drywall anchors.
  3. Bank check for existing wiring.
  4. Mark and drill the appropriate holes.
  5. Thread the wiring back through the wall to attach information technology to the monitoring source.

Just make certain the pigsty you lot drill is large enough to pull the wire through but not and so big that y'all can no longer mountain the camera.

A big do good of wire-gratuitous (sometimes still chosen wireless) cameras is beingness able to place them nearly anywhere. But you'll still want to make certain you're inside range of your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other wireless connections.

That said, if your outdoor camera needs a power cord, similar the Nest Cam Outdoor, you should be able to drill easily through denser materials similar brick or stucco if needed.

Make sure you place your security photographic camera out of accomplish then a thief or guilty child can't just catch it and leave. Tech installers recommend placing your cameras at least nine anxiety above footing—but but don't get and so high you can't see what'due south happening downward below.

Should you cull local or cloud storage?

Most cameras today offering cloud storage as a fashion to prevent thieves from just grabbing the evidence and running, just some people still adopt local storage for its privacy and convenience.

Local storage options vary by camera, only may include these options:

  • microSD cards
  • USB drives
  • Digital Video Recorders (DVRs)
  • Network Video Recorders (NVRs)

If y'all're going with local storage, you'll have to place your cameras out of harm's way, merely somewhere you tin access it when yous need information technology. However, if yous get cloud storage, you lot can view footage through your phone or desktop apps, and you tin can admission footage regardless of the camera's status.

If you're going with local storage, you'll take to place your cameras out of harm'southward way, but somewhere y'all can access information technology when you need it. However, if y'all get cloud storage, you tin can view footage through your phone or desktop apps, and you can access footage regardless of the camera'southward condition.

Epitomize: How to Install a Security Camera

For most cameras nosotros recommend, you tin can install them yourself. If not, at that place's always a professional who tin help— either from the security company itself or a 3rd-party provider like HelloTech.

If you are going for DIY installation and need more than specific instructions, some CCTV and surveillance companies have thorough walkthroughs and video tutorials on their websites:

  • Arlo
  • Google Nest
  • Ring
  • Reolink
  • Wyze
  • Eufy

For more than info on home security, and to compare cameras, cheque our our All-time Security Cameras and Best Dwelling house Security Systems reviews.

Pseudo Home Security in America

Security systems and cameras are crawly if you lot've ever been unsettled by a prowler in your neighborhood or suspicious noises at dark. But that stuff is expensive, and it seems like a hassle to set up up something new. And so what about imitation security cameras? If they look only as real, they must be just as good, right? Or are they?

We took a survey of 500 Americans to see how people feel about existent and fake home security measures, and if they think both are every bit constructive. Here are some of the most interesting things we establish.

  • 15% take used a fake security camera.
  • 25% accept used a fake or outdated security monitoring sign in their thou.
  • 24% have used a false or outdated security monitoring sticker in the window of their home.
  • 24% have hidden a fundamental in a fake rock.
  • 28% accept hidden a key under their doormat.
  • 17% have placed a fox delivery packet outside their house.

We asked America: How effective is fake domicile security?

  • one in 5 believe that fake dwelling security systems are simply every bit effective as an authentic organisation.
  • 1 in 4 believe that a fake home security camera is just as effective as an authentic security camera.
  • 17%  believe that a imitation security alert (audible) is more constructive than an authentic warning.
  • 17% believe that a fake security monitoring sticker is more effective than an authentic one.

Our takeaways

Plenty of people are using tactics like false security cameras and outdated one thousand signs to protect their homes, and many call back these measures are just as effective every bit the real affair.

But most people agree that the genuine article is meliorate than whatever faux. When information technology comes to defending your holding, the bulk opinion is that real security systems and real cameras offer better protection. And we agree. A real security camera, with a livestream y'all can view through a mobile app and two-way audio you tin utilise to yell at intruders, is always going to top some plastic replica.

Methodology

Nosotros conducted an anonymous survey of 500 Americans over the age of 18 regarding sentiments about their usage and perceived effectiveness of both pseudo and authentic home security measures. Using the responses from our survey, we have highlighted the most common answers in this report.

Mindy Woodall

Written by

Mindy Woodall

Mindy has been writing about technology for seven years. She covers all things smart domicile for Reviews.org, and keeps rails of the latest robot gadgets. Mindy attended the University of Utah and her piece of work has been featured on the likes of Parents.com, Digital Care, Hostfully, and more.

Related Articles