One of the many decisions you have to make when installing an outdoor security camera system is whether you want to go wireless or stick with the traditional wired security camera. Today’s wireless cameras are incredibly advanced and hassle-free compared with the ones out just a few short years ago, and they by far hold the advantage on ease of use and installation and versatility. However, if you need reliability above everything else you just can’t beat the more conventional wired outdoor security cameras.
Advantages of Outdoor Wireless Security Cameras
The biggest advantage of buying a system based around wireless outdoor security cameras is that they are very easy to install. There’s no wires to run other than the power cord so all you have to do is place the camera where you want it, screw it in with a wall mount, and you’re good to go. Not only is it easy to install, you also can place the camera and the receiver almost anywhere within the wireless signal of the device. You won’t have to worry about drilling holes to run the chords or how you’re going to get them from the camera to the receiver.
On top of the ease of use and installation that an outdoor wireless security camera gives you, they are also incredibly versatile. If you need too , you can pick up and move the camera if the need arises or you realize you’ve placed it in a bad location. Without the wires, moving the system around to your liking becomes a snap.
Disadvantages
Unfortunately, the world of the wireless security outdoor camera isn’t all roses. The biggest problem with most cameras deals with the signal. If you are planning on buying an older or cheaper model of security camera, they are prone to interference from almost any other device that emits wireless signals, including microwaves, wireless routers, and cordless phones. This can degrade the picture and even make it unable to be seen depending on how bad the interference is. This makes the cameras much less reliable than their wired counterparts.
The signal also has a limited area where you can place the receiver. While you can place it anywhere within a certain radius, that radius is limited, so If you want to place your receiver further away than this, you’re out of luck. If you have a wired camera on the other hand, you can run the cables as far as you want.
Finally, if you’re not careful, the signal on your wireless camera can even be hacked by someone else that’s close enough to get your wireless signal. It’s not much harder to do than cracking normal wireless router signals, which are notoriously unsecure.
While these may seem like incredibly big disadvantages, if you spend more money on a newer camera, many of these issues have been addressed. The cameras can use signals other than the already crowded 2.4 GHz wavelength or modulate their packets to stop interference and even can create very secure connections. The only problem is that you’ll have to spend a little bit more on your camera if you want these benefits.
Final Verdict
The ease of use and installation for outdoor wireless security cameras makes them ideal for households or small businesses where their main focus is going to be deterring criminals just by simply being there. Even the cheap options that are prone to interference will keep your home safer and offer some information to the police if your house is robbed or vandalized. You won’t usually need a large reception area or a lot of different cameras so installation will be a snap and you usually will get a discount on your homeowner’s insurance as a result.
If, however, you have a large business or a lot of area to protect, wired outdoor security cameras are a better bet. You can run the wires to them as far as you want and still hook a lot of them to the system without too much hassle. They’re more reliable and will give you a clearer picture all the time, so you can make sure that you know at all times who’s on your property. For a large security system, you really can’t beat a wired system.
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Greg is a the owner and main contributor to Outdoor Security Camera Reviews. 
