Home Security Cameras: Wired or Wireless?

Over the past year, the popularity of wireless home security cameras has been on the rise. The expanding options mean there is a surveillance system perfect for your home and lifestyle, but it can also make the choice more complicated. If you’re considering adding smart security cameras to your Alpine, NJ home, we want to help. In this blog, we will cover the pros and cons of wireless and wired IP camera systems to help you decide what’s right for you and your smart home. Read on to learn more. 

Wireless Cameras

The growing wireless market is easy to understand. These devices are easy to install and allow homeowners to keep track of their home remotely. Your cameras are connected to your home’s Wi-Fi and only need to be wired to a power source (or you can use batteries).

There are, however, a few disadvantages compared to their wired counterparts. We cover both the pros and cons below:

Pros:

• Easy to install: The process of adding wireless cameras to your home is relatively simple; there is often no drilling required. Because there is less construction involved, the camera will also make less impact on your home’s aesthetics.
• Flexible: Wireless cameras are also easier to move around your home after the installation. If you find there are some blind spots in your system, you can simply move or add cameras to better locations. The only limitation is your home’s wireless connection. Also, you can easily also easily bring your cameras with you if you move out of your current residence.

Cons:

• Reliability: Since your wireless cameras are connected to your home network via Wi-Fi, your home’s surveillance could be interrupted or lag more often than with their wired counterparts. There is also a greater risk of hacking.
• False Alarms: Wireless cameras have a higher frequency of false alarms. This is because a wireless camera typically detects motion based on changes in pixels, you could receive warnings based on innocuous changes. For instance, you could receive alerts if a cloud alters the lighting which could be seen as a change in pixels.

See Also: Is Smart Home Automation Right For You?

Wired Cameras

Wired cameras are a more traditional choice. Just as with wireless cameras, there are certain pros and cons to consider before adding these to your smart home system. Here are a few:

Pros:

• Better Picture: Overall, a wired system provides better picture quality than wireless cameras. When video is transferred via Wi-Fi, there is a danger that the picture will be interrupted or pixelated in the transfer. A wired camera has its own dedicated, low voltage wiring, which means the picture is uncompressed and is consistently clear.
• More Features: It is usually easier to find cameras with features like pan, zoom, tilt, night vision, and a wider field of view when looking at wired options. These features can be particularly important if you have a larger home or specific security concerns.

Cons:

• Less Flexible: Once your wired cameras have been installed, it is a fairly difficult process to move them. It is very important that you work with a professional installer to ensure that you are covering all ground.
• More of a Commitment: If you’re having wired cameras installed, you will probably want to hide the wires in the walls. This means the installation process is more difficult and involved than wireless. It will take a little more time to get your surveillance system up and running. It will also be more difficult to move cameras after they have been mounted.

Now, you can make the decision about your New Jersey surveillance system equipped with these pros and cons. If you’re ready to get started or have further questions about either wired or wireless camera options, then contact Connect Consulting today.