What you need to know about wireless CCTV cameras

Wireless CCTV systems have become increasingly popular in recent years.

The main reasons for this increased popularity are:
-technological advances in the field of WiFi
-significant decrease in prices for this equipment
-the convenience and ease of installing such a system

Below you will find a recommended guide for those thinking of a wireless system. The guide contains the information you must know before making a purchase with wireless equipment. In addition, we offer some recommendations for complete wireless surveillance kits that you can rely on, tested and used by our technicians.

1. Why are wireless cameras useful?

Wireless surveillance cameras and systems are useful for the following people:
• those who want to avoid unsightly wires and cables laid on the walls.
• those who do not have the physical ability to pull cables to the place where they want to mount surveillance cameras.
• those who have to install surveillance cameras over very long distances, in which case the cost of the necessary cables will be very high.
• those who want a modern and aesthetic surveillance system.

2. How does a wireless surveillance camera work?

Like wired cameras, wireless cameras are of two types: analog (cameras that connect to a DVR) and digital (IP cameras that connect to a local network).

Analog wireless cameras no longer exist on the market due to the multiple transmission and security issues they have shown. The signal from these cameras could be easily interrupted and intercepted. For this reason, the analog wireless solution was not reliable, and modern security standards have forced this option to be removed from the market.

The safe and efficient solution is that of wireless IP surveillance cameras.
An wireless IP surveillance camera uses communication through wireless network protocols (protocols that are very well encoded and digitally secured) to transmit the video and audio signal to a router or access point in that location. This communication is done without loss and in a very secure way (as long as we are careful to have solid passwords on WiFi and not to disclose them to strangers).

A wireless camera works like any other wireless device you’ve ever encountered (laptop, cell phone, tablet) and you can connect to the wireless network by searching for the network available at the location and entering the wireless password.

3. The advantages of wireless IP cameras

• The long distance that the video signal can transmit. The wireless signal can travel distances of up to 150 meters in the open field or 30 meters indoors, through walls 2-3 walls.
• HD, FullHD, even UltraHD image quality. Due to the principle of operation, IP cameras offer the best resolutions and images among all surveillance cameras on the market. A wireless IP camera is primarily an IP camera, so it has the same advantages. The high resolutions, the depth of detail, the contrast, the colors, the quality of the images at night, are all superior to the analog cameras (without upsetting the HDTVI, AHD, HDCVI fans, but that’s the way it is).
• Multiple configuration options. Due to the stand-alone mode, an IP camera can be configured in the smallest detail to obtain the ideal image, both during the day and at night. In addition to the quality of the day / night images, we can program directly in the camera: IR illuminator operation, motion detection, email warning, and much more. Basically, there aren’t many things you can’t do with a quality IP camera.
• They are available both indoors and outdoors. This aspect gives us versatility. So we can build end-to-end solutions using only wireless cameras.
• Audio and video simultaneously. WiFi IP cameras with a microphone included (not all IP cameras have a microphone) transmit the sound together with the video signal, all through the same wireless connection, without other accessories, RCA jacks or other complications.
• Some models allow audio communication in both directions by using a built-in speaker in the camera. With a simple push of the phone button you will talk on the phone and you will be heard in the room where the surveillance camera is, from anywhere in the world.
• Monitoring from phone, tablet, PC. This feature could not be missed. Any wireless IP camera can be accessed using a mobile phone. Besides live images, you have access to recordings, motion detection warning, instant zoom snapshot pictures in the image, and more.

Useful advice

Pay attention to the power of the wireless signal at the points where you want to mount the cameras. The number of walls, their thickness, the number of doors, the distances, the material from which the building is built, all these aspects influence the power of the wireless signal. It is very important to have a solid WiFi connection between the cameras and the router to have smooth and quality video images. It is a waste to buy a fullHD wireless camera and not be able to use it at maximum performance due to the weak wireless signal. Do a quick check with your mobile phone. Go with the phone to the points where you would like to mount the cameras and check which WiFi signal “catches” the phone. If it is above average, then it is ok to install a camera at that point.

Wireless cameras are not completely wireless. Any electronic device consumes electricity. For this reason, surveillance cameras also need a power supply. Keep this in mind when thinking about such a system. Think of the position of the rooms so that you have a 220V power source somewhere at hand. There are also wireless cameras on batteries, but they have other purposes and have a range of only a few hours, thus limiting their usefulness.

Use all possible power supplies from the location. Wireless IP cameras do not have to receive all power from a common point. We can power one room from the socket behind the TV, another room from the air conditioning socket, another room from the socket behind the cabinet.

Keep in mind that any wireless connection is vulnerable if the password is weak or if the password is known to others. Properly talk to the router, all cameras and the storage unit. Use passwords with the highest possible complexity, consisting of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special characters.

The price of wireless cameras is higher than the price of wired IP cameras, but don’t forget that you will save money by removing the cable from the equation and by much lower labor.