Outdoor Cameras

If you want to know exactly what occurs outside your home or business, then you will definitely want to add some outdoor cameras. Getting started with your own security camera setup is actually quite easy. Many DIYers install their own cameras. Mounting a camera is actually quite easy, and running the necessary wires might not be so bad depending on where they are located. There are even some outdoor cameras that support Power over Ethernet (PoE) to make the wiring process significantly easier. This allows the camera to receive connectivity and power from the same wire.

There is one very important to understand about using security cameras with an alarm system. Most panels do not allow you to stream cameras directly from the system itself. There are some exceptions to this rule. Perhaps the most notable is the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus, which allows you to stream certain Alarm.com Security Cameras directly from the IQ2+ Panel. This can be very convenient if you ever want to quickly check what is going on outside while you are in front of your panel.

However, most security cameras tie-in with your security system in a different way. Cameras don't actually pair with the security system itself. Instead, they pair with the interactive service platform that is used with the security system. For Alarm Grid customers, this is almost always Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com. There are outdoor security cameras specifically built for one of these platforms. If you have Total Connect 2.0, then you will need to get TC2 Cameras. A great outdoor camera to use with TC2 is the Honeywell IPCAM-WOC1. If you have Alarm.com, then you will need to get ADC Cameras. Alarm.com offers many outdoor cameras, all of which work great with their service.

If you ever want to view the live feed for your outdoor security camera, then you can check it using the respective mobile app for Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com. Both services offer free-to-download mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. By logging into your account, you can view the live feed for your camera from pretty much anywhere. You can even receive alerts regarding any camera activity. Your camera will start recording clips whenever it detects movement, and you will get an alert when this happens. This is perfect for knowing if there is anything going on at your home or business.

Keep in mind that Alarm Grid customers will need a monitoring plan that includes video surveillance if they want to use outdoor cameras, or any security cameras for that matter. Alarm Grid includes video surveillance in its Platinum and Self-Platinum Plans. We also a Video-Only Plan that is great if you want to use security cameras without alarm monitoring service. The Video-Only Plan can be used with either ADC or TC2 Cameras. The user will gain access to the respective app for checking their cameras and receiving updates.