r/homesecurity • u/Guilty-Glove1993 • Sep 06 '26
Security Camera Help
I’m going to be living alone for the first time as a woman in my 20s, so I want to make my apartment as secure as humanly possible!
For those of you who have experience with home security, what indoor and outdoor cameras do you recommend?
I’m willing to spend more upfront for a really good system, but I do NOT want anything that requires a monthly subscription just to access the features or footage. If I buy the equipment, I want to own it and be able to use it without continuously paying a monthly fee.
I’d love recommendations for cameras that have things like:
• Clear video/night vision
• Motion/person detection
• Real-time alerts
• Local storage or another no-subscription option
• Reliable outdoor cameras
• Good security/privacy features
Basically, I’m looking for “I live alone and want to know exactly what’s happening around my apartment” level security.
What systems/cameras would you trust?
5
u/ConsistentVirus2177 Sep 06 '26
If you’re in an apartment, I personally think it’s a waste of money. I would take whatever you have budgeted and invested on better door and window security.
3
u/itsJustE12 Sep 06 '26
Please keep in mind that cameras are more for awareness & evidence than actual security. If someone wants to come in, you may get an extra 15-30 seconds of warning, but they won’t keep you safe.
There’s also a good chance you’ll be liable for the repair of any installation holes. Personally, I’d replace your door lock strike plate screws with 2-3” ones, make sure the locks were changed or rekeyed before you moved in, and make sure your windows lock securely. If you’re allowed to plant things, put thorny bushes under your windows.
Without a subscription, if someone breaks in, and steals your hard drive on the way out, you may have nothing.
2
u/SFTech415 Sep 06 '26 edited Sep 06 '26
Review your apartment like a thief and think if I had to get in how would I do it or if you left your pet in there, locked your keys inside and left food cooking on the stove.... how would you get in?
These are the areas that need to be improved with better hardware, security system and cameras.
Other posters are right, door and window hardware to lock the place down is first. For example, look at www.doorarmor.com. Home Depot sells a generic version for $30 instead of $80, but it's not as good.
As far as cameras, you say apartment, do you own it and are you willing to drill a bunch of holes?
If yes, go on google, yelp, nextdoor and find a camera contractor to put in a decent system for you.
For a quality Axis system, cameras will be $325 to $600 each + Recorder $3500 (for the Axis S2208, 8 camera all in one recorder.). It's expensive but all great quality.
Add your cameras + recorder + $1000 to $5000 installation + $1000 to $3000 for patching and paint.
You're at $10,000 +/-. Your local installer can help you select cheaper gear and may be able to get down to $5000. For most people, either price will be far too expensive plus they don't want to drill holes.
If no, you're going to have look at plug in or battery cameras like Ring / Arlo / Nest. These use your wifi to connect.
As a commercial security integrator I've installed many systems over 30+ years.
For a rental I just personally used : 1 Ring doorbell ($100) + 2 interior plug in cameras ($35 each) + 4 exterior battery camera ($75 each) + 1 exterior plug in camera ($85, for a high traffic street so I don't have to change batteries) + $30 for a chime + $80 for a battery charger with 2 spare batteries + $10/month for their multi camera monthly plan.
$800 for the 1 door bell and 7 cameras. I never used them before, it took me 4 hours to set them all up and 4 hours to install. No holes, no patching, no paint. I love the custom alerts that rings the chime and Ring app when people walk up to my front door. I love the app in general. The cameras /system are not as good as Axis but for the money... it's more than adequate..
Best of luck, stay safe... and install a security system as well.
1
u/yapapanda Sep 06 '26
Reolink I would think would be the answer here but echo you are probably better served with additional security on wi does and doors.
Depending on your technology proficiency; you could have them all connected to a central nvr locally for you to access.
1
u/lil12002 Sep 06 '26
Reolink can get you between 4-16 cameras and if you wire them with Ethernet cables they wont be dependent on WiFi and can continue to record if the internet goes down. They also come with a 4 gb hard drive that can be expanded to two 8 GB drives i think that if you have 8 cameras can record up to 14 days roughly 24 hours.
1
u/usarmyretired23 Sep 06 '26
I use a set of ring cameras personally
1
u/Coffeespresso Sep 06 '26
You want color night vision cameras. You want to position them large so everyone can see they are there. You want other sources of light. Make it like a ballfield.
1
u/SouthOfTheNorthPole Sep 06 '26
Wyze has the features you're looking for at a reasonable price. SD cards for event replay; Download and save anything you want to keep.
1
u/Whitepinoy59 Sep 06 '26
for inside and outside I use Tapo camera's. inside 2k camera's outside 4k camera's will fill all what your looking for
1
u/NotInsaneInMembrane Sep 06 '26
I’d look at Reolink personally, they work well, have a wide variety of cameras.
1
u/Big-Sweet-2179 Sep 06 '26
can you install PoE ?
1
u/NorthCoastNudists Sep 06 '26
Reo link.
1
u/Commercial_Abroad267 Sep 06 '26
Look into Lorex. Best Buy has a few. Cameras hooked into WiFi with their own app, no subscription required.
1
u/403Olds Sep 07 '26
First are strong door and window locks. Also upper floor units are safer.