How to install security cameras outside your home

Setting up a DIY security camera system is not as difficult as it may sound. Surely, you need to do some labor and configuration but nowadays the systems are almost completely plug and play.

Even viewing them on the phone involves scanning a QR code. Keep in mind the following suggestions when deciding where to install the camera:. Most of the time, each camera is shipped with a template that can help you drill the holes correctly.

Place the template on the wall, ceiling, or on any surface and drill the holes through it. Then place the camera over the holes and screw it in. Point and position the camera at the correct angle. Ensure that the angle provides the best motion detection position.

Security cameras come with various brackets or junction boxes that depend on the camera shape and model. Sometimes they are included in the package, sometimes you need to buy them separately. Welcome to the most difficult part of installing a security camera system: running the wires.

If you plan to install the cameras on hallways, basement, garage, entrances, etc, plan out where the wires will go from the attic, ceiling soffit, under the eave, etc. Most people place their NVRs in the utility room in the basement.

Drill a hole on the wall, insert the network cable, snake it down and push it on the other side. Depending on the installation, you may attach the cable to a snake rod and it will make things easier. Some practical tips for your reference:. Once the wiring is done and the runs are terminated to RJ45 connectors, then you can connect all the devices together and power on the system. For other camera setups you may check the links below which provide detailed technical information:.

The last step is bringing the cameras on the live mode. Once the cameras are plugged into the NVR, turn the recorder on. Depending on the NVR model and manufacturer, you will need to initialize the unit by creating a password. Some NVRs come with a password which you should get from the seller.

You also may check this article for the default password list. The NVR will auto-configure and you should just see the cameras on the screen after a few minutes.

So you can point a camera to off-street windows to keep those windows safe from thieves and vandals. Quick decisions: Place the camera above the front door and off-street windows at about 9 feet above the ground to cover the most vulnerable areas around your home and avoid potential vandalism. Also consider putting the camera at the back door, the garage, the basement, the driveway or the second floor for higher level security. But take a second thought if you want to place the camera inside your home behind a glass window, which may cause window glare and other problems.

To make your home even safer, there are also some other places you may consider in the security camera layout:. How many security cameras do I need to cover all these areas? This might be your next question with a clear idea of where to install home security cameras. Actually, no one can tell it accurately because it also depends on the security camera types and how you locate the exterior cameras.

Also check our videos to find out what are the suitable places to put your home security cameras:. Before you start installing a home surveillance system , make full preparation for your ideal home security camera placement.

You may start planning security camera placement for home with the following questions:. All of these questions matter and can be acted as home security camera placement guidelines, helping to determine the best locations for installing home security cameras.

In addition, security cameras run the risk of being tampered with if someone is determined enough to commit his crime anyway. Ask yourself whether you want thieves to know you have cameras or not. If you do, you may want to consider having cheap fake cameras dummies in easy-to-see places and your more valuable cameras hidden, so if a thief tampers with the visible cameras, you'll have them on tape using the hidden security camera while they commit the crime.

Both indoor and outdoor security camera placement decides if your camera will work at its best. Take a look at these common mistakes so you can avoid them when considering where to place home security cameras.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is not securing their security devices, which means surveillance cameras can be easily tampered with. So where to place outdoor home security cameras to avoid possible vandalism? Generally, put the camera 9 feet above the ground will be safe. Security camera placement inside and outside home may be a little different, since outdoor security cameras are easier to be damaged in harsh weather conditions, or stolen by thieves.

Cameras are not able to multitask. You need to decide what task you want your camera to perform when considering the placement. People often forget the camera cannot pick up someone's face, license plate, and the house across the street all at once, if they don't have a plan of where to place home security cameras ahead. Preparing a home security camera placement diagram is important so that every camera plays its biggest role. Many people place their cameras at the highest point of their property, thinking it is the best site to put CCTV camera to view full place.

While it will give you a larger view, you will not get a very detailed look at any criminal's features. You may catch just a figure on the camera instead of being able to identify a person, unless you install a PTZ security camera , which sees details as well as large view angles without damaging the video quality. Many of you may fail to take whether the camera is WDR enabled into account on how to locate exterior cameras especially those at doorways and windows , resulting in the hardly identifiable images.

When part of an image is extremely dark but another part is bright, you can't see any details in the dark area without WDR wide dynamic range in the camera, as the below image shows. So when you making decisions on where to place home security cameras, make sure the cameras for entrances have the WDR feature.

This article has been viewed 8, times. Learn more Outdoor security cameras are an important part of a complete security camera system for your home or business. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great.

By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Related Articles. Method 1. All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Aim the camera at a point of interest for maximum security. Front doors, back doors, garages, and first floor windows are all points of interest to aim the security camera at.

Pick a spot where your security camera will have a clear view of a point of interest. Above the front door is a good spot to place a surveillance camera if you want to be able to see who is at the door before you answer it. Install the camera where it will get the most range of view. Install cameras with a smaller field of view, from a to degree angle, facing a door or above a garage in a driveway facing outward.

Place cameras with a wider field of view, from 75 to degrees, in a location where you can take advantage of the whole range of view, such as the corner of a building.

Drilling a hole in the wall is much easier than drilling in the floor. All you need to do is to drill slowly and not press too hard. Stop when you feel the drill penetrates the wall. Step 6. Before you need to run wires for your security cameras, you need to bury the PVC conduit at least 18 inches, while 6 inches for metal conduit according to the National Electric Code NEC. Now holes are already done. Running wires comes next. Fishing the wires is quite easy when you attach them with a fish tape or a pull wire.

Wrap the bare wire through the fish tape eye and twist the end of the wire around itself. Place the electrical tape over the end of the fish tape eye and wire. Now you are ready for pulling wires.

Step 8. Pull security camera wires. With one person standing to feed the wires, pull evenly on all of the wires. Keep the wires untangled. As for the person pulling the wires on the other end, pull the wires slowly, such as in 2 to 3 foot intervals. Pulling too fast would nick the wires and catch your partner's fingers. You can also read this post to get more details on how to install security cameras written by Amanda, Reolink senior tech editor, who is really addicted to DIY projects.

Hope the above detailed guideline would be handy. If you just mount a security camera to the brick outside of your house, like running security camera wires to the hardboard, the setup process is quite simple. For outdoor wireless security cameras, you just need to drill the hole to run power cables for them.

As mentioned above, you can hide the security camera wires with the wire guards. Editor's Tip: After running wires for security cameras outside, don't forget to conceal the holes. Or else, the moisture may run along the surface of the CCTV cable and get right into the electrical connection points, leading to great trouble that requires a costly repair. Plan the wring route for running wires for your IP camera outdoors. Make the route as short as possible, which would make the burial job easier.

Get the pipes ready for the wiring, such as metal conduit pipe, PVC, etc. Bury the pipes. According to the National Electric Code, the PVC conduit needs to be buried at least 18 inches, for metal pipes, 6 inches. It's time to run the security camera cables.

Use fish tape to pull your wires. Now you are able to hide security camera wires outside and protect CCTV cables from harsh weather conditions and external damages like vandalism. Update: A Reolink user shares how he installs a dome security camera and hides security camera wires outside in a junction box.

And it looks nice! Update, June 11th: If you want to learn how to hide security camera cables outdoors in a junction box, check out this detailed guide now! A to protect the wires from nails and screws. When you need to bury your security camera wires, read the underground wire installation notes first to avoid any possible troubles in the future. Security camera wiring job is the key process of installing security cameras. There are still several minor steps to finish the whole installation job.

Wire-free security cameras are powered by batteries and transmit the data via WiFi, which makes this type of security camera completely wireless from the top to the bottom.

Here we take Reolink Argus 2 battery-powered security camera as a typical example. Install the battery to the camera, and then you are gonna hear the verbal instruction to help you set up the camera. When your smartphone and the camera are in the same network, simply say in LAN, the camera will be automatically added to your phone. When your mobile phone and the camera are in different network WAN , you can scan the QR code on the camera or enter the UID of the camera for remote live view.

Wireless security cameras depend on WiFi signal to transmit data, while requiring a cable to get power. You can check the below setup guide to get the complete installation procedure for wireless security cameras.

If the power outlet is a little bit far away, you can run the power cable for your wireless security cameras. You also need to connect the camera to the router with the network cable for the initial setup.

You can remove the network wire after that. Download and launch the Reolink App on your iPhone or Android mobile phones.