How to choose a home security camera

[Nham]

Home security cameras are a great way to protect and monitor your home.

Cameras can provide peace of mind by monitoring both indoor and outdoor areas, helping you keep an eye on unattended children or tracking unannounced visitors. They can also deter criminals who might be planning on damaging or stealing your property, especially when you are away from home. 

Here's a guide to choosing a home security camera that is perfect for your needs. Let us know if you have any questions, and we'd be happy to assist.

Determine your security needs  

There are now multiple types of home security cameras available in the market, including wireless systems that are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience and flexibility.  

A single wireless camera can cost less than $50 and is perfect for monitoring a single area of your home, like your front door. However, high-end cameras that need professional installation or those that are designed to monitor multiple areas, like your house and backyard, could cost more than $1000. It all depends on what you need.  Home security cameras can monitor indoor and outdoor areas

Thinking about why you need a home security camera and what you want to monitor goes a long way in determining the type and number of cameras you need.  

For example, if you only want to monitor the driveway, then you will need a single camera. If you want to monitor your whole house, then you might need three or four cameras. Most people begin by monitoring the front, back and side areas of their house. These cover most entry points into their home, and they can always add more cameras later. 

If you are living in a unit, we recommend installing a single camera over the front door.  

An important consideration when considering wired devices is access to power points. If you do not have accessible power points you will need to engage a licensed electrician. 

Different types of home security cameras

Once you have determined why you need video surveillance in your home and which areas you want to monitor, it is easy to shortlist the features you need in a home security camera. 

Below is a summary of the different types of cameras, features and what to consider before purchasing.

Wired home security cameras with local storage drive   

  

What: These cameras are wired directly into a recording device, like a hard drive. You can use your computer monitor to view the footage. Some models offer cloud backups that come with a fee. Most cameras use a single ethernet cable for power, audio and video.   

  

Why: Since these cameras do not rely on Wi-Fi to transmit recordings, chances of losing video signal are low. They are also harder to steal as they are typically attached to your home’s walls. As the captured footage is stored locally, there is no additional fee for storage. However, these cameras usually cost more as you will need to buy a set of cameras with a recording unit. 

Things to note: You will also need to run all the wires through your roof and connect them directly to the recording unit. Viewing of footage may be restricted to a monitor. However, some brands do have an app available for mobile devices.Home security camera system with hard drive  

  

Level of skill required for installation: Intermediate. You will need to run all the wires through the roof, then down a wall and through an outlet to connect to the recording device. These cameras are more suited for larger or rural homes with poor Wi-Fi coverage or users who want a reliable system with local storage and low maintenance.   

Wired home security cameras with cloud or internal storage  

What: Wired cameras with cloud storage units record and transmit all captured data to a cloud base server, instead of using a local hard drive. They connect to your home’s Wi-Fi network. Internal storage models typically come with a Secure Digital (SD) card, and they save all captured data in that card. The recordings are usually viewed through a paid mobile app. These cameras also need power and can be connected to a standard power point.   

Why: They are easy to install and are affordable. Since there are no data wires, these cameras can also be easily moved to another location. They also offer more flexibility for renters, who can take them when they move to another location. They are also easy to maintain and can be taken down and inspected as needed. Plus, since the data is stored in the cloud and not stored on a local device, captured recordings cannot be destroyed.  Wired home security camera

Things to note: These cameras are largely dependant on your home’s Wi-Fi signal. Most brands will charge a subscription fee for data storage. You will also need a mobile device such as a phone or tablet to access and manage your recordings. And you might need to engage the services of an electrician to install power points in suitable locations.    

  

Level of skill required for installation: Beginner. If they have suitable power points nearby, most people can set these cameras up within an hour as there are no other wires to connect. 

  

Wireless home security cameras  

  

What: These are powered by rechargeable batteries. The units are generally bigger due to the battery and can be positioned outdoors. Typically, wireless cameras can upload captured data to the cloud. Some models also come with an SD card for storage. 
 

Why: These cameras provide the best user flexibility. They can be placed anywhere, such as at the front door, attached to a tree or a caravan.  

Things to note: You will typically need to recharge the battery every few months. If you forget to recharge, the unit will not work. Some brands come with mini solar panels to charge the cameras. Unfortunately, these cameras are also easy to steal as they are not permanently fixed into any structure.   

Wireless home security camera

Level of skill required for installation: Beginner. All you need is to charge the battery and connect the camera to the app. 

How to set up smart home security 

Experienced Workshop member Adam has shared a detailed guide on how to set up smart security for your home. Check out this guide and let us know if you have any questions.

Need more help?

The Bunnings Workshop community is here to assist if you need a hand with selecting a new home security camera, or with using and maintaining one. Just hit the Start a discussion button and let us know what you need.

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[Remarka6le]

On the note of determining how many cameras you need, our process included using a diagram of our home and placing markers + their FOV (Field of View) to get a good idea of what they would be covering. We wanted every access point, including windows, to be covered and for every external security camera to be visible by at least one other camera (so one couldn't be tampered with without being seen by another). Our primary entrances inside are also covered (Laundry, side access, Front + Garage) in a non-intrusive way. In all, we have 16 cameras set up with a dedicated screen inside my office.

We now have 360° views of our home which for the most part have been used to just watch our dogs play in the backyard or eat our chilli bushes 😓. The main benefit we found has been for our neighbours or the police, we're very obviously "that house" and we often see our neighbours pointing at the cameras when reporting a crime in our street to police or other people with them. The police are well aware of our cameras and have gotten our footage a number of times to assist in our cases, while Neighbours have used them for their insurance claims. 

[CSParnell]

Hey @Nham great article into the world of security cameras.

It is worth noting a good wifi range is required for wifi cameras as this is the backbone for transmission even with local storage via SD cards wifi is required to view via the apps.

With applications not all companies charge for cloud storage it is best to read the different options on the boxes for an understanding of which products may occur an ongoing monthly or annual fee and even then it may just be for cloud storage but no cost for live view.

Talking to your in-house expert will certainly guide you through the options.

[R4addZ]

Hi @Nham 

Hate to be a party pooper here but you have to be careful regarding wired cameras as in most circumstances it is illegal to run the wires yourself where the cables run down inside a wall or even pass from one side of a cavity wall to the other (either brick or plasterboard). It even makes it illegal if you fix the cables in place with for example cable clips, you have to be a Registered Cabler to legally run these cables. Just a note here that an Electrician is not necessarily a Registered cabler. The wiring rules cover fixed or concealed cabling.

So is there a way round this? Well technically if you don't fix or conceal the cables you could be ok. Concealed is also a bit of a grey area as you can put the cables in ducting, you just can't pass through a void like going up or through a cavity. One awkward point is that the authorities consider a roof space to be a void however as you only pass through the single skin of the ceiling and can freely access the roof space you could argue the point. Also if you are going to try to cable this yourself, use long pre-made patch cords instead of running cable and terminating it yourself as "flexible" cables such as patch leads are allowed to be used by non registered people (or you wouldn't be allowed to connect your own equipment to the wall)!

[Nham]

Hi @R4addZ 

Thank you for the information. I wasn't aware that DIY wiring had those considerations. With these "plug and play" cameras, we connect them via USB-C at both ends, so the wires aren’t directly connected to a circuit. Do you know if this would qualify as an exemption?

[R4addZ]

Hey @Nham

The wiring rules  (AS/CA S009:2020 Link below) applies to network cabling, usually Cat5, 5e, 6 etc which most cameras use for POE. As for Usb-C the kicker here is the rules are based on the presumption that the cabling can be connected to a network (believe it or not this also relates to whether it connects to the network via optic fiber or even wirelessly) so without actually getting a ruling from the ACMA, you would have to work on the premise that if it is fixed, concealed or traverses a void, you have to be a registered cabler to run the cables. At one point they even wanted to bring FTA coax and even audio cables under the rules but that never got off the ground!

Australia is the most regulated country in the world when it comes to cabling and as they use safety considerations to justify it, I doubt it will ever change! Some try to argue that the cabling doesn't connect to a network but the answer to that is "is it capable of being connected to the network" (the internet is considered the network just as is the older telephone network). I am a registered cabler but I am not the network police, I happily advise people who want to DIY cable but in my official capacity I have to say, don't do it.

(Caution,,,pretty heavy reading in these links!)

S009_2020.pdf (commsalliance.com.au)

Actually, it may be getting even more draconian as in the linked document below, it would appear that HDMI cables now fall under the rules! 

https://commsalliance.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/85398/EoI22_002-Plug-terminated-customer-ca...

[Remarka6le]

I’m genuinely seeking clarification here as some may come across this forum and get confused. It’s important to note that the Communications Alliance doesn’t possess direct regulatory authority to impose fines or judge the work of individuals performing DIY tasks. Its primary role is to establish industry standards, codes of practice, and guidelines for its members to adhere to. So who is it Illegal for? I see the documents you post but I just keep coming back to "they're not a government body", that would be the ACMA. So which section of which act should people be concerned about, and on the back of that, if this is the case, there would most likely be a ton of workshop articles in need of moderation if one can no longer run a cord through a wall or roof space without a cabler. 

As someone fortunate enough to have personal connections within various trades, including a cabler, I’ve been informed that:

• In Queensland, a licensed cabler isn’t required for low-voltage cables such as HDMI.
• For security cameras that plug directly into a standard power outlet without needing connection to an external electrical panel, a licensed electrician or cabler isn’t necessary for installation.

My local council has confirmed this information, because along with QLD Police I informed them of my cameras and ensured my installation was sufficient. Maybe this is an instance for Bunnings to clarify a few things based on their knowledge so we can get a conclusive answer? It’s clear that in many instances, specific licensing requirements may not be necessary for low-voltage installations, and I don't think people would be impressed if they had to get a cabler to their home just to run a 1.5m HDMI cable up a wall 😅.

[Jason]

Thanks for your input Mark.

Given regulations can differ across Australia and New Zealand, we would always recommend readers get in touch with their local authority on any matter of compliance. We always recommend seeking professional assistance for tasks involving electrical work to ensure safety. Consulting a licensed electrician or cabler can provide both peace of mind and ensure the job is done correctly.

Thanks again,

Jason