Equipment for home surveillance
Equipment for home surveillance
It goes beyond what you think. You're tapping into your electrical panel that feeds into a transformer, which powers the doorbell. Wyze suggests possible problems if the wiring and transformer are old. Fortunately, my dad has mechanical skills, so he could offer helpful advice.
It seems the current setup isn’t leveraging the built-in transformer in the doorbell chime. This might be specific to newer devices. Are you checking compatibility with your existing model?
I think the transformer is likely there, but I haven’t checked the system. My family purchased the house in the 1980s, and it was constructed in 1936, so the equipment inside is probably outdated compared to modern homes.
I've relied on Eufy security cameras for six years and find them a solid option worth considering. My setup varied, but all connected via WiFi or used solar power. I opted for local SD-card storage for free, though you can set up a NAS or pay a subscription for cloud backup. I set precise recording zones and triggers to minimize unnecessary captures. The Samsung cards are robust and have performed reliably over the years—no issues reported. For outdoor cameras, I had to get inventive with power solutions. Switching bulbs to smart models allowed wireless control while keeping the camera powered continuously.
After chatting with my mom, she seems unlikely to spend much. The cloud setup is probably not going to work. We have a few hidden cameras from when my uncle passed away that come with SD cards—maybe we can repurpose them. I’m just worried about using untested products that might be low quality or unsafe, since most IoT gadgets have weak security.
Fair point, I haven’t faced any security worries with the Eufy cameras I’ve tried. I set them up in their own VLAN, applied IoT firewall rules via UniFi, and routed DNS through AdGuard Home—handles DNS for multiple VLANs with a robust blocklist. No alerts ever came in, and the live/record app functions perfectly.
We found some discounted items from China that I’m not sure about. My router can technically handle VLANs, but I’m unclear on setting it up via WiFi. I’m avoiding UniFi products since all my networking gear is in my bedroom and I don’t have A) the space or B) it’s too warm because it’s on the second floor. I received a credit from my card because some medical bills weren’t charged correctly to my insurance, so I might buy a Wyze v4, some high-capacity SD cards, and maybe a power adapter for lighting to experiment with it. At least we should have something now. We can add more if needed.
Updated this subject. Decided to purchase a camera for my mom's birthday. Configured it and everything is running smoothly without an SD card until next week when it arrives. So far, it's functioning well. Ordered the Wyze v4. We won't switch services, but its features should suffice. Right now we're just positioning it near the window; it's adequate for our needs. Could think about adding a doorbell later.