It doesn’t matter whether you live in the suburbs or in the middle of a city — danger lurks behind every corner. You should always be wary of people who may take advantage of a vulnerable house, left alone without any protection. The only way you can stop them is to invest in a home security system so that your house will be protected when you’re not there.

Yet finding the right security system for you can seem impossible. Home security cameras, for example, have too many different factors for the average person to consider. It can seem like you need to be a security expert to know what to look for when buying a home security camera system.

And that’s unfortunate because your camera system is a fundamental part of your home’s entire security. Your camera system is your eyes for when you’re not around to watch the house. It’s vital to get the right home security cameras to fully protect your home.

Luckily, you don’t actually need to be an expert to pick the right one. You just need to do a little bit of research. So, keep reading below to learn more about home security cameras and what you need to consider before buying one!

First, Research What to Look for When Buying a Home Security Camera System

The first step you should take before making any home security purchase is to research it. If you don’t research your purchases beforehand, how can be sure that they’ll actually protect you?

Without researching your purchases, you also won’t be able to tell if you can use them as part of a larger security strategy. The best way to protect your home is to have multiple different systems communicating with each other. You should be able to control your security cameras from the same place as your alarm system, for example.

Check How it Connects to Your Home

One of the first things you should check is how the camera connects to the rest of your security. Older cameras used to connect to a computer through a wire, which meant your camera could never be placed too far from a desktop. Now, wifi integration has given people the freedom to place cameras anywhere they want.

Cameras can also connect through Bluetooth. They may even connect to third-party servers before connecting to your home security system. Most of the time, you’ll be able to tell how the camera connects to your system on the back of the box. But if it doesn’t say how it connects, you can also simply check online!

Is it Smart Home Ready?

Smart homes have become one of the most advanced pieces of technology anyone can have. With a smart home, you can control your lights, heating systems, and your security from one central place. Yet, the devices you use in your home need to be smart-home enabled for you to take advantage of these features.

Most modern, brand-name cameras are built smart-home ready. They usually operate through an app on your phone, which you can usually use to connect it to your home’s systems. Stick with the major brand-names to ensure you can integrate your camera into your smart home.

Does it Store Footage Locally, or on a Cloud?

One of the most important things to consider when deciding on a camera is how it saves its footage. If your camera only saves its footage on a local micro-SD card, then you risk losing it. A criminal can simply knock down the camera and break it, which will destroy the footage.

However, if the camera connects to the internet there’s a chance that the footage may be saved on a server. If the camera saves its footage online, then it won’t ever be lost. You also won’t ever need to worry about running out of storage!

Can You View a Live Feed?

Not all cameras allow you to view a live feed of your home. Although the feature has become standard in most camera systems, cheaper brands often don’t include it. Yet, it’s not enough to just check if the camera supports broadcasting a live feed to your smartphone.

The camera will require sufficient bandwidth and upload speeds to connect you to your home. Live streams demand lots of bandwidth to broadcast smoothly, and you should make sure your internet connection will be able to handle it. Most modern internet plans can handle it, but some homes may not have a strong enough connection.

Check your upload speeds and your internet plan before buying a security camera to make sure you can view a live stream of your home!

Know Your Home, and What You Want to Protect

Before you buy a security camera, you should also walk through your home to identify specific spots that you want to protect. While it may not be possible to watch every corner of your house, there will always be spots you want to watch closer than others. Think like a criminal as you walk around the house — where would someone try to break in?

Obviously, you should keep your front door secure and plant a security camera facing it. Yet, you should also consider placing one that watches your home’s windows, and the patio area if you have one. Your front door isn’t the only point of entry in your home, and if you try to think like a criminal, you will find more!

Your Home is Your Castle — Protect it

A house is just a house, but a home is something that you’re committed to protecting. It’s where your loved ones are, and it’s where you keep all the things valuable to you. Why wouldn’t you want to protect all of that?

Yet, knowing how can be a complex and difficult challenge. Everyone knows that a home security camera will help boost your home’s security. Yet, it can seem impossible to know what to look for when buying a home security camera system.

Luckily, there are guides online to help you make the right purchase and protect your home! Just keep reading here, and we will make sure you don’t just protect your house, but that you also turn it into a home!