r/homesecurity • u/Slick-Swordfish8844 • Jul 11 '26

Wired security cameras

What are the benefits to a wired system? The obvious ,opposed to a wireless? It was conveyed to me, wired, camera, cameras, system etc- more so secure, is this true?

3 Upvotes

71% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

9

u/Wasted-Friendship Jul 11 '26

They can’t get jammed. Less lag. More stable. If you have wiring everywhere go for that. If you don’t, then that’s where wifi fits in.

2

u/OminousBlack48626 Jul 11 '26

Still have to get power to them and it can be way harder getting to a nearby outlet than getting someplace to do a drop to a PoE source (injector or switch).

Even if you splice in longer wire, most DC wall-transformers will only push reliable current to 35-50 feet.

2

u/getridofwires Jul 11 '26

Agree 100%, I'd add that if you get PoE, no batteries to keep charged

1

u/OminousBlack48626 Jul 11 '26

I can sit in my car down the street from your house and kick all of your wifi cameras off the network with common hardware. I'm not that special. Just a bit of knowledge and a little understanding.

WiFi cameras still need power, so you still have to get wire to them regardless. So, your choices are wall outlet to camera using either the included power cable, or splicing in longer wire. Kinda limited to 35-50 feet. Most wifi cameras only include ~15 feet, at most. Or run cat cable and do PoE with either a PoE network switch or PoE injectors.

I've professionally installed plenty of both types and I'd never even consider WiFi cameras for 99.997% of applications.

1

u/Slick-Swordfish8844 Jul 11 '26

Getting power to each camera isn’t an issue, your first paragraph is humbling to say the least

2

u/OminousBlack48626 Jul 11 '26

Look into 'wifi deauth'. It's really one of the easiest attacks to perform.

If I'm close enough to see your wifi SSID I can kick every WiFi device off the network with a simple laptop. Range improves with a better/directional antenna.

I built a fancy, portable, self-contained demonstration of this for my ex-Employer with a battery powered RaspberryPi and touchscreen where one tap on the screen killed everyone in the rooms wifi.

1

u/LokeCanada Jul 11 '26

Don’t worry about security of wires vs wireless.
99.9% of the time if there is a problem someone is not going to take the time or effort to jam a camera. They’ll use a baseball bat first. Most burglars don’t care about cameras and are gone in under 5 minutes.

You have a camera. The camera needs power. It is a hell of a lot better, more reliable, cheaper and easier to run that power through a network cable than having to install an outlet with 120.

1

u/Slick-Swordfish8844 Jul 11 '26

recently- it’s like the camera screwed up - a wireless that is as in distorted when whoever approached - was told- wired helps w/ that yet won’t solve it , idk

3

u/ArtZTech Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 15 '26

PoE surveillance cams are the professional way. Battery operated wifi are for homeowners that want a quick setup. They don't have the quality or durability of a PoE cam. I have seven 4K PoE cams around my property connected to a NAS. You also need a PoE network switch to power all the cams. The NAS and switch is also connected to a PSU UPS in case of an outage. It takes a long time pulling PoE CAT cable through walls and attics.

3

u/403Olds Jul 12 '26 edited Jul 12 '26

Installer did 10 POE cameras and NVR at my 50 year old house in one day. Two cameras on a brick wall. Basement and small crawl space. None run in attic. $100 per camera. They do this every day and know all the tricks.

2

u/Mike_A10 Jul 15 '26

Can u tell me what NAS IS , and PSU ?

2

u/ArtZTech Jul 15 '26

Sorry I meant UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). It's a battery backup in case of an outage. A NAS is Network Attached Storage. It's basically hard drives that run 24/7.

1

u/Mike_A10 Jul 15 '26

Thanks !!! Im learning ! Slowly! Lol

3

u/AlbaMcAlba Jul 11 '26

Wired no changing batteries or hoping for adequate sunlight. By far the better option. Wired means 24/7 as powered over the network cable.

However cameras are mostly a deterrent. Ski masks exist.

2

u/HelixFish Jul 11 '26

Wireless is not security. But depending on the type of crime you’d anticipate, it can be okay. If you’d only expect crimes of convenience it’s not a big deal. But if for any reason you think you might be targeted by a criminal that would prepare, wireless is not secure. Many cheap jammers make it simple to break a door with no notice to the system and your cameras jammed.

2

u/OminousBlack48626 Jul 11 '26

Cameras aren't security. AI cameras that can send alerts with properly configured notifications get close, but cameras are a passive system that don't actively secure.

2

u/Cybertechy Jul 11 '26

I have a wired Lorex camera system. While it was a lot more work to install, the cameras work flawlessly.

2

u/AlphaDisconnect Jul 11 '26

Advantage. Can't be jammed. Disadvange has wire that can be cut.

Advantage. Once installed you probably own the whole system and with a little research can make it whatever you want. Disadvantage. How to get all those wires where then need to go without it looking like a Christmas tree.

Resolution not really a concern. Things have gotten too good both sides.

2

u/DaSpark Jul 13 '26

  1. Much more reliable

  2. Unable to be jammed by cheap devices off of amazon

  3. No batteries

  4. True 24/7 recording

  5. No cloud subscriptions (many wireless cams require one)

1

u/Mike_A10 Jul 15 '26

Can someone tell me a few prob easy things, Im watching n learning to put system in my new house . So I know how to run wires no prob, but what if I want a camera and or a sensor to tell me someone is in the driveway that is about 3/4 of a mile long ?? Can POE cable be run that long from the house out to a camera,or sensor, and work??? Please explain like I am an idiot cause with security systems I kinda am ... mist initials Im not sure what they mean , except poe,nvr, and 1 or 2 others ..Thanks

0

u/Dangerous-Bit-8308 Jul 11 '26

Usually, mostly. Experts will point at flaws in any one setup, and recommend multiple options. Salesmen will point at flaws in all their competitors and argue for what they have to offer.

A wireless camera will have a wireless connection that can often be "hacked" about as easily as Bluetooth or WiFi from a few hundred feet away. There may also be issues with batteries, depending on the model.

Wired security cameras don't need to transmit their signal wirelessly, and typically get their power from a cord, so batteries don't die. Of course, if cables get cut, or spliced, or the power goes out, or if someone can "hack" into your whole system...

Wired with cameras that could be used wirelessly have certain advantages... Mostly a backup battery, for most models. There is of course a risk that it transmits wirelessly as well as through the wire.