Smart home outdoor security guide

Protecting your garden and exterior of your home is the first step in protecting what’s yours. If you can detect and deter before someone enters your home you can avoid all those negative ramifications that might follow. That’s good enough reason to invest in smart home outdoor security.

The principal element of outdoor security is the camera. They act as a visible deterrent to intruders as well as a first layer of defense for your home. If connected to a smart home hub, they can then alert you or the authorities.

Smart home cameras
Smart home exterior cameras are available in both wired and wireless form. They can be placed at key points on your property and integrated into your smart home or run as a standalone setup.
Exterior cameras differ from internal ones as they are weatherproof and have a wider viewing angle to cover more area. Some cameras have night vision, some infrared, some will have motion sensors while others will be completely passive. Each will be connected to a central hub that controls and records goings on.

Different types of exterior cameras
There are several different types of exterior camera that can be used with a smart home security system. They include wired, wireless, bullet, dome, hidden, night vision and infrared. Each comes with its own pros and cons and price point. Much depends on what you want to achieve and how much you have to spend.

A wired camera uses mains power for extra reliability but will often have to be professionally installed. Wireless cameras are simple to set up but run on batteries. Bullet cameras are subtle while domes are designed to be a visible deterrent.

Smart locks
Any smart home outdoor security guide would be remiss if it didn’t mention smart locks. This new breed of device can utilize video calling, remote entry, smartphone entry, keypad or proximity. They all use different technologies to allow entry and can either be installed over an existing lock or be professionally installed in place of a traditional lock.

Furthermore, smart locks can integrate into smart home hubs so you can monitor who comes, who goes and when. Callers can use a real-time video link to talk to you wherever you are, which can be ideal for never missing a delivery.

Smart home outdoor security requirements
The exact requirements of your smart home outdoor security system depends on your property and on your needs. You can build a base system and add to it as your experience and budget grows. Or you can specify a complete system from the outset, it is completely up to you. Ideally, you would place cameras at likely ingress points covering your property and connect them to a smart home hub. From there you could add motion sensors and an audible alarm or smartphone alert.

Manufacturers such as Swann, Defender, Logitech, Lorex. Bushnell and others make specialist exterior security systems and/or cameras. Just make sure to select products that use the same communications protocol as your existing or planned smart home hub.

Start your journey to a smarter home with Two smart home projects that won’t break the bank and Five top tips for planning your smart home set up.