After putting it off for so long we finally took the plunge and decided to set up some wireless security cameras to cover a couple of main areas of the compound. We started off by buying a system from Harbor Freight that included two wireless cameras and a 4 channel monitor. The system has an app that allowed you to access the system remotely like most of the wireless cameras out there nowadays. I mounted the cameras and commenced to set up the cameras on our wireless network, only to be let down when the system would not connect no matter what I tried. After fighting this thing all night I took everything down and packed it back up, returning it, let down by Harbor Freight again.
Next we went to Walmart and checked out their wares. They had a wireless standalone camera by the brand "Night Owl". These cameras were around $70 and had all the features of any decent wireless camera. They have the option to be a standalone unit, not needing a DVR, but can be set up with a cloud server to record footage. They utilize an app that allows remote viewing and initiation of recording as well as an intercom feature and two way audio. The cameras also have motion detection and facial recognition detection where the app will notify you whether it detected motion or detected a face or figure. When it detects a face it will take a still shot for you to look at before you actually bring up the cameras for live viewing. All in all these looked like some winners. And for two cameras it was cheaper than the two camera system from HFT. So as to not have a repeat of the HFT camera incident I set everything up on the floor and did the network side of the setup first. I downloaded the app on our phones and went through the procedure for the setup. I clicked on standalone camera and scanned the QR code on the back of each camera that ID's the camera on the app. After the cameras were set up on the app, I picked the wireless network I wanted everything to connect to and logged in. After logging in then naming the cameras, the app and the cameras were established on our network and ready to go. The setup took only a few minutes to do, easy peasy. Next was the setting up of the actual cameras. Since we're starting off with two cameras, I wanted to cover the front yard/driveway up to the main entry gate and the backyard/rear gate. Both of these cameras were mounted by our front door, aiming at their respective target areas. For the front yard camera I had an outdoor outlet already setup when we still had the porch and the dog house on the porch with the heater in it. Since all of that has been removed, the outlet was pressed into service as the power supply point for the front yard camera. I used wire straps to secure the wire from the camera down to the outlet, trying to keep everything nice and neat. The camera itself was mounted high on the wall above the front door and sealed with caulk. As for the rear camera I took advantage of the AC lines from the ductless AC system to help route the power cable to the camera. I mounted the camera above the point where the AC lines come from the wall and routed the power cable through the bundle of tubes and cables from the AC system down to a point below the living room window. Using wire straps I secured the wire along the bottom of the molding and routed the cable over to another outdoor outlet that I installed specifically for use in powering an outdoor camera. After getting the mounting taken care of on the cameras I aimed the cameras using the app and testing the units out, adjusting the settings in the app for sensitivity so as to prevent false alarms since at higher sensitivity the app would ping us more often than not, identifying tires and other objects as a face or figure. With both cameras set up and online, we can now rest a little easier knowing we can monitor the compound and be able to see when people come up to the door, be it delivery people or someone with other intentions. We can also monitor if any critters show up that may be a problem since we have the chicken yard full of birds. Eventually we will get more outdoor cameras to use for covering the chicken yard, outside the compound aiming at the driveway on either side of the entry gate, and other areas of the compound that cover entry points into the compound. We also plan on installing an indoor camera in order to monitor the dog and cat in the house when we're out and so as to make sure nothing is going on in the house that may require us to notify someone to check it out while we're away. We will set these cameras up on a cloud server that way we don't have to worry about securing a DVR and will be able to record footage as needed and be able to view footage at any time. All in all, these cameras were an astounding success.
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