You’ve probably done a lot to protect your home or apartment from the inside, but what about the outside? That’s where threats originate from, after all.
An outdoor home security camera is like a second set of eyes so you can always watch what’s going on around your property. Plus, we know that burglars tend to avoid homes with outdoor cameras.
So, how does a camera like this work, anyway?
A wireless outdoor home security camera relies on a radio transmitter, which sends the video feed to the camera to a device called a receiver. The receiver has cloud storage capabilities or a storage device within. Footage to your monitor comes from the receiver so you can watch all that transpires outside your door.
These days you can even purchase video doorbells which are basically a combination of a doorbell and a security camera.
There are many to choose from. So if you live in an apartment and your building manager will not allow a security camera – perhaps they will allow a doorbell camera to help you fend off potential intruders.
If you have yet more questions about outdoor security cameras, you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, we’ll discuss how many cameras you should consider buying depending on the size of your property as well as where to place the cameras and how long they may last.
Choosing The Best Outdoor Security Camera
The very reputable NYTimes.com published their top picks of 4 of the best security cameras for 2024. All of these work with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Here they are:
- Outdoor 4 is our fourth generation wireless smart security camera that helps you protect your home inside and out right from your smartphone.
- See and speak from the Blink app — Experience 1080p HD live view, infrared night vision, and crisp two-way audio.
- Two-year battery life — Set up yourself in minutes and get up to two years of power with the included AA lithium batteries.
- 【 2K 180° Pan View & Color Night Vision】Experience superior surveillance with our security cameras wireless outdoor featuring a 2K resolution and a 180° Pan View. These Cameras for home security deliver sharp, high-definition images and expansive coverage, ensuring that no detail goes unnoticed. Equipped with color night vision, these Security cameras wireless indoor provide clear and vivid footage even in low light conditions, enhancing your home security cameras’ effectiveness around the clock.
- 【 PIR Motion Detection & 2-Way Talk】This cameras for home security are designed with PIR Motion Detection to accurately identify and notify you of any movement. The 2-Way Talk feature allows you to communicate directly through the wireless cameras for home security, enabling real-time interaction with anyone near the camera. This capability of our security camera indoor ensures that you stay connected and informed, providing peace of mind whether you’re at home or on the go.
- 【 Multi-Alarm & User Sharing】Enhance your home protection with the Multi-Alarm and User Sharing features on our WiFi camera for home security indoor wireless. You will receive multiple types of alerts for any suspicious activities, and the User Sharing function lets you share access with family and friends to monitor your home together. This collaborative approach with our Security cameras helps strengthen your home security, making it more robust and reliable.
- See, hear and speak to people from your phone, tablet or select Echo device with Stick Up Cam Battery, a battery-powered camera that can be mounted indoor or out.
- With Live View, you can check in on your home any time through the Ring app.
- Save your recorded videos for up to 180 days to rewatch any time, get alerts for people and package, and so much more with a Ring Home subscription (sold separately).
All of these outdoor surveillance cameras can help to protect you and your property. Many also provide alerts sent to your phone and video clips as well. There are many lists of the “best home security cameras” that you can find online and I encourage you to review them before you make your final selection.
Solar Powered Outdoor Security Cameras
In addition to the wired and wireless cameras that you can install outside your home, another type of camera that you can consider are the solar powered cameras that use a solar panel to keep themselves charged.
You can see the solar panels that are available here.
If you decide to use a solar powered security camera, just make sure to purchase the solar panel that is compatible with it.
Do All Outdoor Security Cameras Have To Be Plugged In?
The older security cameras for outdoor use, the traditional ones do have to be plugged in to a power source in order to work.
But the newer models connect wirelessly through a base station and are powered by batteries or solar power which could make them an easy install for some homeowners. There is no need to hire a professional installer because outdoor surveillance equipment can usually just plug right into your existing Wi-Fi
This means they are easier and less costly to install. Many homeowners can install these wireless security cameras themselves.
And just in case you are wondering – the average lifespan of a battery in an outdoor security camera is one to three years.
Do You Need Wi-Fi For Outdoor Security Cameras?
In most cases, you’ll be fine with an outdoor camera that just runs on WiFi, such as the cost effective one I recommend from Mibao.
That said, Wi-Fi can be sort of spotty within the home or apartment. So, if you mount a security camera outside, will it be able to get Internet? Does an outdoor camera absolutely need Wi-Fi or is it okay if you go without it?
Today’s security cameras make it so Wi-Fi is optional. Some outdoor security cameras have the option of using a power cord in addition to Wi-Fi so they can be plugged in and connected.
Unlike Wi-Fi, in which availability is dependent on the connection, LTE is almost always available so a camera like the Arlo Go should never be without Internet access.
This gives you greater peace of mind, because even in a power outage or other periods of Internet disconnectivity, the Arlo Go still continues monitoring your property with uninterrupted footage.
More cool features of an outdoor camera like the Arlo Go are weather resistance (with IP65 certification), long battery life, cloud storage, local backup storage, and night vision.
How Long Do Outdoor Security Cameras Last?
Outdoor security cameras face several threats that you don’t have to think twice about if you install your camera indoors.
For example, as we proved with the Arlo Go, it’s best if your outdoor camera has some degree of weatherproofing, including waterproofing. Otherwise, in a bad storm, the camera could be damaged to the point of not working.
Even still, an outdoor camera with waterproofing faces additional risks.
A curious yet strong outdoor animal could find a way to dismount the camera and try to eat it like a snack. Savvy criminals who don’t trip the camera’s alarm could similarly rip the security camera off your siding or even a nearby tree.
The average life of a security camera is about 10 years according to Dixon Security Cameras. That stat is likely referring to indoor cameras, not outdoor ones, though.
If your outdoor security camera happens to last not even half that time, you can at least take solace in this fact: security camera technology evolves constantly. So by the time you have to buy another camera, its tech will be even more advanced than your old one.
How Do I Know If My Home Needs An Outdoor Security Camera?
While outdoor surveillance equipment may seem like something you would only need if you live on acres of land, there are some definite reasons why homeowners should consider outdoor security cameras.
- If your property has been targeted by burglars, it’s certainly a good idea to consider an outdoor surveillance system as a way of deterring future crimes against your home.
- Pets and other outdoor gear can be costly to replace if they’re stolen or damaged in some way; an outdoor security camera may help protect them from theft.
- Homeowners Insurance: If you have outdoor security cameras, your policy may be more affordable.
- Burglars are less likely to target a property that has an outdoor surveillance system in place and will often move on rather than attempt to break into the home.
- Outdoor security lights can help make your outdoor space more visible in the dark.
- These lights will be activated when movement is detected and typically have a low-level of light to illuminate outdoor spaces without blinding anyone who may not know they are there.
- An outdoor security camera system alerts owners to outdoor activity that they may not have otherwise seen.
- If there’s a burglary, fire, or vandalism, outdoor security cameras can help identify what happened and why so authorities can come to your rescue as quickly as possible.
- Outdoor security cameras can help you feel safe: Whether it’s providing outdoor lighting, detecting movement to alert owners of an intruder or simply making outdoor property more visible in the dark.
How Many Outdoor Cameras Do I Need?
If reading to this point has only strengthened your conviction that you need outdoor security cameras, the question now becomes, how many cameras are necessary?
The answer depends on a few factors.
Your Budget
First thing’s first, and that’s budgeting. Keep in mind that the more features you get (like whether the camera can be hacked, whether it needs wifi, etc), the more the camera will cost. If you only have $300 to put towards outdoor cameras, you’re not going to get very far.
The average cost of a security camera–indoor or outdoor–is $200. So with your budget, you could buy one and a half cameras (and half-cameras are not a thing, so it’s really just the one).
The lower your budget, the fewer cameras you have to work with. You’ll still get some protection, which is certainly better than none, but not as much as you probably would like.
The Amount of Space You Want Covered
Let’s say you own an average-sized home, which is 2,500 square feet. You shouldn’t want or need to survey all 2,500 square feet with security cameras. That’s excessive, even for single female home dwellers.
Instead, think of the areas where forceable entry would be most likely to occur, such as the front or side door, your windows, or even your garage.
You might want eyes on the driveway, so if someone gets too close, you’ll know. If any of the rooms of your home have valuables inside, it’s not a bad idea to install an outdoor security camera by that room, too.
We recommend drawing up a crude map of your property and marking Xs where you think the security cameras would make the most sense.
Where Area Overlaps Exist
With that map in front of you, closely study the possible placement of your outdoor security cameras.
Is there any way that some creative camera mounting can allow for security in two areas instead of just one? Maybe one camera is rather redundant since it’s too close to another.
These overlaps are what you want, as you can cut down on the number of cameras you need, which makes the project of securing your outdoor property less expensive.
As a rule of thumb, alarm system company Vivint says three to four cameras on a property is the average. You may find that fewer will suffice or that you need more, but we’d suggest at least that many cameras as well.
Where Should Outdoor Security Cameras Be Placed?
After considering the above and doing some number-crunching, you’ve hopefully decided how many outdoor security cameras would most benefit your home or condo.
Keep in mind that the number of cameras you have is less important than their placement, though. After all, if you install five outdoor cameras all in a row on the front of your house, that doesn’t really help the rest of your property, does it?
Bearing that in mind, here are some of the most important spots to mount your outdoor security cameras:
- blind spots
- the ground floor
- driveways
- the garage
- any detached buildings, like storage sheds
Some people think that they should “hide” these cameras but in my opinion I think that’s not correct.
Hiding outdoor cameras seems like it would be a great way to protect your property from would-be thieves. But, outdoor security camera systems that are hidden by landscaping or other natural features tend to make your home look less protected.
Blind Spots
When you’re driving, you’re prone to blind spots to the sides and behind your car. Your house has blind spots too. Any part of the home that you can’t really see when spending time in the most-used rooms should be considered a blind spot.
For example, the back of your house – especially around windows and doors – are huge blind spots. The side of your property likely has some of these spots as well.
Ground Floor
If your home is a multistory building, you’re better off installing your security cameras on the ground level of your property.
Sure, there’s always some risk that a burglar could climb up to your second or third floor, but they’d need a ladder or fire escape access to do this.
Much more likely is that they will try to break in through a door or window on the first floor level. Here are some stats to consider from ADT.com
- “Front door: 34% of burglars twist the doorknob and walk right in.“
- “First-floor windows:23% use a first-floor open window to break into your home.“
- “Back door:22% come in through the back door.“
- “Garage doors:9% gain entrance through the garage.“
- “Basement:4% choose the basement as a point of entry.“
A camera at your front door and back door is like a gatekeeper, monitoring who comes in and out of the home. The guard does not discriminate as it watches over family members, babysitters, maintenance workers and more to check if they are up to no good or not.
Driveway
As we said before, the driveway can be one of the first places where criminal activity starts. That’s not to say that a nefarious character will blatantly park in your driveway, but they may drive or walk past it when trying to reach your home.
The good thing about having an outdoor security camera mounted so it faces the driveway is that you probably have eyes on the road right in front of your house as well. That all depends on the layout of your driveway though, of course.
Garage
Garages are a common target of burglars because they’re at the top of their list for easy and quick access. I
f your garage is detached, having a camera installed helps you stay connected to what’s going on in there when it comes time to open your garage door and go in. And if your garage is attached, an extra layer of security monitors another possible entryway into your home while also providing evidence should anyone decide to break in through your garage door.
Whether or not your garage is attached to your home, don’t forget to place a security camera here. Especially if your garage leads into your home, you want a camera for both the inside and outside of the garage. You’ll feel so much safer.
Detached Building
Do you have a shed or even a guesthouse on your property? Any detached building most certainly needs its own outdoor security camera.
These buildings are the granddaddy of blind spots, and criminals know that. They could sneak into your detached building, watch your home, learn your schedule, and then select an ideal time to break in.
Are Outdoor Security Cameras Worth It?
In my personal opinion, as someone who is living alone, I would have to say that YES, an outdoor security camera is absolutely worth the expense and maintenance.
You never know when you might need a security camera, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry. That peace of mind is one thing that the cameras can provide for your home – and now with wireless technology they are more accessible! With an app on their smartphone or computer, you’ll get alerts from any unusual activity around your house in real time as well as seeing live footage of what’s happening at all times while away.
Conclusion
Outdoor home security cameras monitor what’s going on outside of your property before threats and danger can get in. Many of these cameras don’t use Wi-Fi, but use LTE instead, so they can watch your home’s exterior even during storms and other outage events.
Now that you know how many outdoor security cameras you should have as well as where they should go, you’re ready to take your home protection to the next level. Stay safe!
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