I’ve been thinking about how to set up four wireless cameras (like Arlo or Eufy) for the best coverage around a house. Most advice says to cover the driveway, the front door, and the backyard. But what about the fourth camera?
Some people suggest pointing it at a windowed wall on one side of the house. That might work if you live in a duplex or have one side of the house entirely covered in windows. But I think a better idea is to use the fourth camera inside, aimed at a common area like the living room or foyer.
If you pick just one side of the house to cover, you’ll miss anything happening on the other side. Putting that last camera inside can help you see if someone breaks in, no matter where they came from. Sure, by the time they’re inside, the break-in already happened, but I feel like most burglars don’t hang around long. At least this way, you’d know what’s going on.
Caroline said:
I think wired cameras are the way to go for real security.
True, wired cameras are better. But for this idea, the focus is on placement. Would you say it’s better to cover one side of the house and leave the other exposed, or put the last camera inside?
@Colby
If one side of the house has just a single window and the other side has none, then covering that windowed side makes sense.
With only four cameras, you still have options. There are 180-degree cameras that can cover a large area, like the whole front or back of the house depending on its size.
The goal of cameras is to spot things before they happen. That’s why many of them now have motion or person detection. If someone is already inside, you’ve lost the upper hand. Criminals often scout houses days before breaking in. If you leave one side uncovered, you might miss signs of someone preparing to break in.
Wireless cameras should be your last option. POE cameras are much more reliable.
Also, make sure your cameras have overlapping views. If there are blind spots, someone could sneak up and disable the camera before it captures anything useful.
@Riley
Agreed, full coverage with no blind spots is the ideal. But if you’ve only got four cameras, how would you use them? Most people agree on the driveway, front door, and backyard. But for that fourth one, would you cover a side of the house or go inside?
@Colby
You could try a 180-degree camera from Amazon. Just be careful and put it on a separate network so it doesn’t interfere with your other devices. If you’re on a tight budget, focus on covering likely entry points.