Mistakes To Avoid With A Smart Home Security Camera

Cameras, cameras everywhere. Industry data estimates that security cameras produce around 5,000 to 6,000 petabytes of data every day worldwide. That's a lot of data, and it's clear that we like video. But when setting up security cameras, it's easy to make mistakes that make the video less useful than it could be, and sometimes make it disappear entirely.

There are a lot of reasons for this. The main ones seem to involve using the wrong equipment — cameras, power supplies, and networking gear — or configuring it poorly. Other issues revolve around security, privacy, installation, and where to put all that data. But there is one overarching idea you should seriously consider before designing your security camera network: over-dependence on cameras and the video they produce. You don't need to record or even see everything that happens in front of your camera lens. Most of the video, especially the stuff captured at the behest of motion detection algorithms, is utterly useless. 

Take the time to dial in sensitivity settings that fit your environment, filtering out trespassing cats and the neighbor's minivan. You might, for example, turn off recording indoors when someone's home and outdoors when no one is home. And don't let cameras take the place of actual security devices that can help you in the moment; DIY home security systems are also about devices like alarms and physical sensors. Cameras are only one of the nine basic parts of a home security system. Defense isn't just about proving that something happened, but also about trying to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Camera problems start with cameras. Different types of cameras have characteristics that differ in important ways. Depending on your security camera's location and use, it should be appropriately weatherproof, be of sufficient resolution, have night vision if necessary, and not be overly complex for the task at hand. Most importantly, for a smart home you probably want an IP camera rather than a traditional CCTV camera, which can be difficult or impossible to automate.

Your security cameras need power, and retrofitting them to the necessary locations and with the necessary power can be a challenge. For many, this problem is solved by cameras with replaceable or rechargeable batteries, but you must remember to do both. Many rechargeable batteries become less effective with age, so that must also be managed. Think about what happens during power outages, and consider a mains-voltage camera with an uninterruptible power supply. Another option is Power over Ethernet (PoE), by which both DC electricity and a network connection are supplied via an ethernet cable.

One other thing PoE does for you is provide a wired network connection. This is a good way to avoid common Wi-Fi problems like unstable network connections and interference from other devices on the same frequency your cameras use (usually 2.4 or 5 GHz). If you're stuck with Wi-Fi, plan the distance between access points and your cameras carefully, considering any physical barriers that might reduce or block your network access. And whether the network connection is wired or not, assign static IP addresses to your cameras to avoid conflicts with other devices on the network.

Smart home technology affords you no limit of potential trouble spots. Conflicts and misconfigurations easily arise between your cameras and your smart home controller, hubs, and bridges. Carefully design and test your system, eliminating unnecessary complexities and ensuring that your network infrastructure can handle what you're throwing at it. Avoid automations and routines that aren't strictly necessary. Make sure your video storage solution can handle the expected volume from your cameras, and decide if a cloud storage solution helps or hinders your efforts.

Security camera installation should follow your design closely, of course, and should be done with even more care. Buy (or make) good cables. Pay attention to camera placement; even the best-designed system doesn't always take into account potential problems with field of view, range of motion, proper camera height, and both daytime and nighttime lighting issues.

Finally, consider the security and privacy implications of every choice you make with your security camera system. Security should be a challenge; that's a big part of the point. Keep camera firmware updated and use strong passwords (and never leave default passwords active). Use end-to-end encryption whenever you can... and if you can't, ask why not. Keep your network and storage solutions secure as well. Privacy is closely related to security because a security breach necessarily compromises the privacy of everyone served by a security camera. Privacy is also a matter of legality and decency, so always take applicable laws into account and avoid capturing video of neighbors and other unknowing passers-by. And avoid cameras in sensitive areas like bedrooms and bathrooms.