Front and back doors. Off-Street Windows Large common spaces (kitchen, living room etc. ) Driveways Porches Stairways[1] X Research source
Basic Home Security: Get a package with 2-3 outdoor cameras (to monitor doors), and a DVR with at least 3 days of recording time. Monitoring Valuables/Young Children: 1-3 indoor wireless cameras can cover a small room effectively and stream the footage right to your computer.
Wireless vs. Wired: Wireless cameras are easy to set-up without drilling or running cables through your house, but the quality can be sub-par the further they get away from the receiver. If you are covering a big area, go wired, but most houses find wireless an easier set-up process. Indoor or Outdoor: Cameras that are not made to be placed outside will quickly break when exposed to rain and humidity, so be sure to choose accordingly. Motion Sensing: Some cameras will only record when they notice motion, saving lots of space and energy while only capturing footage when someone is in the room. Remote Viewing: Many high-end cameras offer the ability to stream their footage to your phone or laptop anywhere in the world, making it possible to check out your house through a provided program or app. [2] X Research source
If you buy a complete surveillance set the DVR is usually included with the camera. Network Video Recorders (NVR) and analog recorders (VCRs), also available for purchase, work the same way as a DVR, using an internet signal (NVR) or blank tapes (VCR) to record instead of a digital hard-drive. The following installation tips will work here as well.
If you are mounting a camera outside, place it above 10ft so that it cannot be easily knocked down. [5] X Research source
Place the mount in its desired location. Using a sharpie, make marks on the wall where each screw should go. Drill a hole for each screw using an electric drill Hammer in any molding pins. Screw the mount into the wall. Position the camera to your desired angle. [6] X Research source
If your power adapter is missing or broken, contact your manufacturer.
Note which input you plug into – this is the input your DVR must be set to in order to view your camera’s video. If your cable does not have a BNC connection you can buy a simple BNC adapter online or at a hardware store. This will slip onto the end of your cable to make it BNC compatible. [7] X Research source
Some cameras have a small receiver that attaches to your computer through a USB port. Make sure this is properly attached. Write down your camera’s IP address (ex. 192. 168. 0. 5) if provided – this number can be typed into any web browser to view your camera remotely.
You can hook up as many cameras as your DVR has inputs – it will automatically record every camera you install. Note which input you plug into– this is the input you need to choose to see your cameras.
You should only need one DVR for all of your cameras.
The braided red and black side is for power. Red is positive and black is negative. The singular, cylindrical cable is for video. Each end will have either a BNC attachment or a coaxial cable.
Always attach the cameras before hooking the box to electricity. Make sure you buy a power supply box big enough to power each one of your cameras. They should list how many outlets they support on the box.
If you are not comfortable drilling into your walls and running cables through, call a professional carpenter or handyman to take care of the cabling. You can also secure cables to the walls or baseboards using a staple gun. Consider hiding cables under rugs, but tape them down so that no one accidentally trips.
ADT, LifeShield, Vivint, and SafeShield are larger, nationwide providers of home security systems.
