Conclusion:
Integrating security cameras into your business is a strategic investment that goes far beyond surveillance. It contributes to a safer working environment, protects against potential threats, and provides valuable insights for operational improvements. Security cameras are an indispensable tool for any forward-thinking business owner.
When you're ready to begin your home renovation, it's critical that you research the contractors you intend to hire. Especially, if you or your family will be living in the house at the time. Consider the quality of their craftsmanship, as well as their reputation.
Before signing any contracts, it's a good idea to make sure the contractor/subcontractors are fully licensed and insured.
Ask friends and family for referrals. Personal recommendations from the people you trust is a great way to find the best contractor for the job.
Be sure to look online for positive reviews and photos of previous work. Ask the contractor if you can speak with any previous clients about their experience. These are all important considerations.
Installing a home security camera is one of the most effective ways to improve your home's security. We recommend installing cameras both inside and outside your home, particularly during a remodel or renovation. Do you have a system ready to be installed? Check out our Ultimate Security System Setup Guide here.
Depending on your security needs, Defender offers a variety of security cameras. We recommend our Guard Pro camera for an easy-to-use camera that can be accessed whether you are home or not. The Guard Pro has all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a DIY camera, including smart human detection, siren deterrence, two-way talk, and a spotlight. If you want to learn more about the Guard Pro, you can do so by visiting the product listing.
Say goodbye to the traditional key and say hello to a Smart Lock. With this technology, you can create a unique code for yourself and others to enter your home. In addition to avoiding the stress of lost keys or a key under the mat being discovered, you can give workers a unique code, letting you know who’s working on your house and when. Best of all, these codes can be turned off once the job is done.
It's always a good idea to keep your valuables in a secure location. Keeping your valuables locked away while renovating ensures they are not damaged, misplaced, or stolen. A lockable safe is all you need for smaller items such as jewelry, documents, or money. Keep larger items such as paintings, art, or furniture, in a storage unit or with a trustworthy friend.
If you can’t store all your belongings, we recommend taking photos of your home and property before work begins. These photos will provide you with a visual record in the event of damage or lost goods. This will also serve as a great reference for a perfect before and after shot of your finished project!
When the day is done, take the time to clean up your property and work area. When hiring contractors, discuss your expectations for how the team will clean up at the end of each day. Whether they’re bringing their tools daily or leaving them on site, make sure tools and materials are not left outside or accessible once their workday is done.
Avoiding unnecessary attention to your property is the best way to ensure that these items are not stolen or damaged, and that you are not inviting unwanted guests onto your property.
We recommend that you light up your property whenever possible.
Motion sensing lights are an excellent addition to your property for security and convenience. A sudden bright light highlighting their presence will deter unwelcome visitors from causing mischief.
Fortunately, many surveillance cameras, including our Guard Pro, have spotlights. The Guard Pro is equipped with a flashing light to deter someone off your property or a steady light to help you unlock your doors.
While renovations may increase your home’s vulnerability, there are actions you can take to keep your home and family safe and secure. Be sure to research any outside help you plan to hire, install a security camera system, and keep your valuables in a safe location. While your home improvement is underway, maintain a clean and appropriately lit property – and best of luck with your future projects!
]]>While we’ve developed our systems to be as easy and DIY friendly as possible, setting up a wired security system can still seem like a daunting task. To save you some time and potentially unnecessary frustrations that come with setting up a security system for the first time, we’ve put together these five essential tips for you to read before you start!
TIP: Test all cameras before running any wires to ensure you are satisfied with everything. Remember if there is anything you need or are not happy with, contact us right away and we will fix that for you. |
Walk around your home or business and find all the entry, exit or high traffic areas that you’d like to monitor. Remember that you will need to run the power and video cables back to the DVR from wherever you mount your cameras. This can be done through walls or, depending how handy you are, underground!
TIP: Place the cameras high out of reach to avoid tampering and keep them out in the open to deter suspicious activity. |
Once you’ve identified the areas you’d like to monitor, measure the distance the video cables will have to travel back to the DVR. Your 4K system comes with a 60ft cable for each camera.
TIP: If you need to cover more distance, we have 60ft extension cables Available here! |
TIP: Avoid pointing the camera directly towards the sun, streetlights or reflective materials to reduce lens flare. |
Be sure to use the drill templates provided to lightly mark with pencil where you will need to drill the holes for each camera. This will keep the area where the cameras are mounted as clean as possible.
TIP: Use Fish Tape to easily weave your video cables through tight spaces, and follow-up with zip ties or cable covers to keep your set-up professional looking. |
Check out our YouTube channel @DefenderDIY for all of the videos related to your 4K security system!
]]>Wireless security is a great solution for many homes and businesses; however, a strong wireless signal is critical to getting smooth, uninterrupted footage. We are dedicated to ensuring you have a seamless experience with our products, so our engineers put together their tips for avoiding interference, getting smooth footage, and boosting your wireless range.
TIP: If you are using a multiple camera system, we recommend adding one camera at a time. By doing this you can see immediate feedback on the bandwidth usage and which areas of your home or business you should focus on. |
Since a wireless signal can only travel so far, the distance to the location of your router in your home or business is a crucial factor to the performance of your wireless range, and therefore your security camera. First things first, try placing your router in a centralized location in your home or business, limiting obstructions by keeping it off the floor and above furniture.
TIP: There are two key offenders that are likely to cause interference or dead zones in the average home or business: Building Materials and Other Devices. |
Barrier | Level of Potential Interference |
---|---|
Metal | Very High |
Concrete | High |
Plaster | High |
Marble | Medium |
Bricks | Medium |
Water | Medium |
Wood | Low |
Synthetic | Low |
Some of the primary devices or appliances in your home or business that may be causing interference are:
Just like humans, sometimes your router just needs a good reboot. Before moving on to steps three, four and five, try unplugging the router, waiting 15 seconds, and turning it back on. This will often considerably improve your Wi-Fi speed as it resets the routers working memory and allows any pending updates to install.
If you’re still finding speed and connectivity issues, start the next round of optimizations by measuring your Wi-Fi speed to set a benchmark for improvements.
TIP: We recommend using Speedtest (available at the App Store and Google Play), which allows you to measure your internet’s upload and download speeds |
Then use a heatmapping tool to understand where your Wi-Fi signal strength is low or where you may have complete dead zones. This will help you with step four! The more points in your home or business that you scan, the more exact your heatmap will be.
TIP: Two great tools for this are NetSpot for Mac and Heatmapper for Windows. |
While doing a renovation to remove all the building material obstructions from your home or business is an option, we have some simpler solutions to try first. When looking at your heat map, you may identify dead zones or areas with very weak signal which affects the performance of not only your Wi-Fi security camera, but all of your wireless devices. This could be a hallway, specific room, or an entire level of your home.
We recommend investing in a Wi-Fi extender. An extender is a small, portable hub that plugs into the wall and amplifies your existing signal before rebroadcasting it to create a second network. This device is not to be confused with a Wi-Fi repeater. While similar, a repeater has a smaller range and therefore would not be ideal where a signal is very weak.
TIP: We recommend these Wi-Fi extenders: TP Link AC750, TP Link 1750, D-Link AC1200, NETGEAR AC1200 |
Do you remember when you purchased your router? At the speed technology is advancing, you may consider upgrading to a newer, faster and stronger router. We recommend routers supporting 802.11g or 802.11n with upload rates of 300mbps or higher. Routers with external antennas, especially two or more, will perform best in a home with many of the interference causing materials discussed earlier.
TIP: If you have a large home, multiple stories or an unusual layout with interior brick or cement walls, we recommend investing in a Mesh Wi-Fi System, eliminating the need for a Wi-Fi extender. We’ve used and love the Eero Pro & Beacon. |
A Mesh System connects directly to your modem, while a series of nodes are placed around your home or business, offering multiple access points rather than broadcasting a signal from a single point. While this is an ideal solution, we should note it is a pricier alternative. Google’s Whole Home System comes with 2 Wi-Fi points, covering 3,800 square feet and starts at $350 USD.
Unfortunately, some homeowners never invest in a system because they still believe common myths regarding home security. Often, those myths are based on outdated technology or downright untruths. If you have doubts about home security systems, this article will debunk some of the most common myths facing the residential security industry.
An outdoor security camera system is too expensive
High quality HD wireless security cameras have never been more affordable than they are today. While there may be some initial purchase and installment costs, most homeowners spend a low amount each month to keep their outdoor security camera system running. However, the cost of your system also depends on the company you choose. It’s important to remember that you get what you pay for. So if you want a high-quality security camera system with great customer service, you may have to pay a little more. However, this will pay off in the long run when you experience the benefits your security system can offer you and your family.
If you live in a safe area, you don’t need a security system
Unfortunately, this is not true. Even if you live in the safest neighborhood in the world, anything can happen. In fact, burglars may even target safe neighborhoods because they know homeowners will not be expecting someone to try to break into their home. Plus, safe neighborhoods are often wealthy neighborhoods, which can be a magnet for nighttime burglaries, daytime home invasions, and porch pirates. Additionally, homeowners shouldn’t rely on the family dog for security purposes either. The bottom line is that you can never be too safe.
In addition, the mere existence of these cameras can act as a strong deterrent. If a burglar is faced with choosing a home with a security system and one without, they’re most likely going to go for the one without a security system. In fact, houses without a security system are up to 300% more likely to be chosen by burglars.
Home security camera systems are complicated to operate and manage
Today’s security systems are actually quite simple to install and operate. Especially if you choose a plug and play, or wireless outdoor security camera system, you can ensure there will be minimal disruption to your home and property. Additionally, your home security camera can connect to your smartphone for easy access and 24/7 monitoring. While your new system may take some getting used to, it will be a breeze once you get the hang of it.
A security system won’t actually help catch a burglar
We’ve already mentioned that home security systems can ward off criminal activity; however, they can also be useful if a crime does occur. This enduring myth is based on the grainy CCTV footage of the past, where faces and license plates were often too blurry to help police identify suspects. But besides deterring burglary in the first place, modern security cameras can help identify a burglar, vehicle, suspect, or anyone who else who is on or near your property without your permission. HD security cameras can clearly capture faces and identifying features, which can help lead the police to the suspect.
Overall, an outdoor security camera system is a great investment for your home. A high-quality security system can give you peace of mind that your family and property is safe when you’re away from home.
]]>Rather than spending your Saturdays watching your garden, you can set up outdoor wireless cameras to catch the critter in the act. Here’s what you need to do.
]]>Rather than spending your Saturdays watching your garden, you can set up outdoor wireless cameras to catch the critter in the act. Here’s what you need to do.
The first thing you’ll want to do is find an outdoor wireless camera system that is compatible with your needs. Depending on the area you wish to set up surveillance, you’ll either want a camera or multiple cameras. If your garden is relatively small you could get away with a single camera placed at a distance that lets you see the entire garden. You’ll also want to consider the strength of the mounting surface. If you opt for a camera with a stand or tripod, then you’ll have to factor in wind strength and other components. If your camera will be mounted to a surface, you’ll need to consider the ability of the surface to support the weight of the camera. Most cameras are typically lightweight, but a surface such as a brick wall will provide a stronger hold and better support against possible detachment.
A camera with night vision is also beneficial for low-light settings, and you won’t have to keep a light on (which could deter the animal)
Once you’ve found a system that works for you and you’ve mounted it, the next step is to wait. If your infestation is severe enough you’ll probably catch your culprit shortly after setting up your outdoor security camera system. Now that you know what (or who) is making unwanted appearances in your garden, you can take steps to get rid of them. For instance, if a deer is the one snooping in your garden, you can use a deer repellent spray.
Once you’ve caught your four-legged culprit and have taken steps to stop them in their tracks, you can watch your garden flourish in peace. Not only that, but you’ll have a security system in place for the next time an unwanted critter threatens your hard work.
Outdoor wireless camera systems are not just beneficial to keeping your garden pest free, but keeping your property burglar-free as well. Sheds and other areas where you keep expensive tools and equipment are often targeted by thieves. A burglary occurs every 15 seconds across the United States, but a home security camera system can help keep your home protected.
]]>One easy way to do this is to install a reliable security system. Having surveillance cameras in an office can actually reduce theft and losses up to 80% while promoting increased productivity among employees. For those employers considering implementing a security camera system on their premises, this article is going to look at a few ways security cameras can help reduce employee theft.
First, it’s important to understand why employees resort to theft in the first place. Unfortunately, there’s no one reason why employees steal from their employers. However, some common reasons employers steal from their place of employment may include:
So while not all employees are going to attempt to steal, it can happen to any company. So how can a digital camera security system help reduce the risk of theft in the workplace?
For starters, having a security system in place will deter employees from stealing in the first place. If employees see security cameras around important areas of the office, they’ll know they are being watched. This automatically makes them realize that getting away with theft will be more difficult. In knowing this, employees will be less likely to attempt to steal. However, it’s important that security cameras are installed in the right locations. Places like warehouses, loading docks, break rooms, wherever cash is handled, and parking lots should all have security cameras in place.
And if the wireless security camera system doesn’t make employees think twice about stealing, it will at least help catch them in the act. If an employee tries to get away with theft, their actions will be caught on camera. With real-time surveillance, most thieves can be caught before they even leave the building.
Considering that in 28.7% of cases, employee theft from a single culprit can span over five years, the sooner it’s caught, the better. Fortunately, catching the theft on camera will provide employers with evidence of the act. This can be beneficial for official records, to show police, or if an employer decides to press charges. Furthermore, having the theft on camera will help identify the thief if they do get away.
With the many benefits of a wireless security system, all employers should have them in place throughout the office. Whether it’s to deter employee theft in the first place or to catch them in the act, a security camera system can reduce the risk of theft and make the office a safer place to work.
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