Home alarm system

[redbird]

My home was recently burglarized and now seeking a good home alarm system I can install. Planning to install a couple of wireless camaras in addition also. Any suggestions?

[onegtalon]

Any company with a monthly service to monitor your alarms would be a good start. Just make sure you don't get one of those "all in one easy to install ones".

In those cases the 'brains' and the keypad are one unit. I don't trust those. Get the 'brains' or control box hidden and locked up and the keypad in another area.

Some companies like ADT will resell (I forgot the term) out the units to these low cost guys and they end up selling you a unit that would be easier to defeat. But really cheap so it's tempting.




Sent from my iPhone...

[five.five-six]

Your basic system, if you sign a monitoring contract, should be installed for free.

[the86d]

Many wireless cameras can be programmed to drop images and video to an FTP server.

Easy FTP connection to a small hidden Linux box maybe in the garage? I have the computers in the computer room rack-mounted, so it would be a task for someone to take them out of the house through a window, as it would take some time to unscrew the case, unplug the cables, and know which ones are the faster boxes if they are all rack-mount, all before the alarm goes off in 30 seconds, and the computer room is upstairs...

A good backup would be a Linux box in the garage, but this would also be a good place to drop backups on, as if there were a fire or something, I could grab this "garage-box" and scoot.

Most place want at least $35/month for monitoring, however you can get a system (many are wireless [not 802.11*] so you don't have to run cables), with instructions, set it up yourself, and pay $15/month monitoring.
Also in talking to a former installer, he stated that you can negotiate the monitoring down if you were to get a "contract system" once the contract is up too... (Maybe not with the big guys such as ADT and such.)

If anyone comes to your door, DO NOT tell them you do not have monitoring, and if they ask what you have, do not tell them. If they ask if you have back-up cellular monitoring, just say yes, or they might be phishing for info, and could cut your phone-lines/fiber from outside your home (box in the front yard) and know it couldn't call out via cell signal...

[GUNNTZ]

Go visit norco alarms. They have simple to complex systems to install. If you are sharp with programming and electrical, look at the GE systems.

[Rivers]

As a FORMER ADT customer, note that ADT's equipment is largely proprietary. That means it ONLY works with ADT. Once you figure out that they habitually charge $150 to do pretty much anything onsite, you'll soon look at other options.

[SecurityDan]

Adding on to The86D, many monitoring companies will monitor your equipment meaning that you don't have to be locking into a contract in order to have your home protected and you can install your own equipment.

You are always better off installing your own equipment because proprietary systems from a company makes it difficult to take the equipment with you if you decide to move. You can go with a company for equipment and monitoring if it's easier and many will install a basic system free as five.five-six mentioned.

A wireless system can be installed for a fraction of the price you'd pay for wired and you can easily take it with you. Wired is an option but not easy to take with you since you have to drill and run wires through your home.

What size is your home? Also, how old is it? That will help determine the best equipment for you. It will also depend on your budget. As I mentioned, wireless systems are a fraction of the price of a wired system.

Hope this helps!

Dan

[FamilyofShooters]

I've had ADT for a couple of years with no complaints to speak of. Logitech also has a nice
little indoor camera system that you can monitor on your phone while your away. With the alarm and camera systems I feel pretty secure, but nothing deters a bad guy like my 100 lb. Labrador.

[stilly]

Being burged sucks. I hate that feeling of total violation. Hopefully nothing REALLY important was jacked...

With that said, when some jackass tried to break into my back yard patio door (using the protection one sign!) I realized that I needed to step things up. I got a dog. Now I have two because the first one was defective. Now the second barks and encourages the first to bark too...

Dogs bring attention to things and many folks will keep on looking instead of trying to figure out how to shut the dog up.

As for alarms, they are really only a feeling of security. Please keep that in mind. ADT and Honeywell and Protection one are decent. I would say to have a closer look at ADT and if you are a USAA member ADT gives you a discount and so does USAA for pricing on something. Expect to pay between 200-800 for an alarm to be installed. USually they do a basic kit for around 200 or so but once you start adding in pressure pads and glass detectors and all that crap onto every window and door things go up.

Just keep that in mind. AND, Do NOT talk to those fools walking around trying to sell you **** from the number one rated alarm company yadda yadda yadda... Yeah WTF ever is what I say. Tell them to keep walking.

OH, and finally, As a Code officer I told folks that came to me with these kinds of concerns, It REALLY helps to make friends with your neighbors. If you are a good guy in the neighborhood and folks see something funny, they WILL call the police and they will look out for you. (this is where being the neighborhood ******* hurts you).

Good luck with that and hopefully it won't happen again.

[eville]

Really happy with bay alarm.

[warbunker]

May I suggest a large dog as well. As far as security costco has some nice setups for a decent price if you have one in your area.

[stonith3901]

no on wireless cameras. Wired CAT5e or RG59

My home was recently burglarized and now seeking a good home alarm system I can install. Planning to install a couple of wireless camaras in addition also. Any suggestions?

I've had some wireless cameras TrendNet IP-422w that I used for some time. I wasn't happy with the quality that $120 dollar wireless cameras have. They were fun to toy around with, but personally wireless is just flaky in general.

Now my current set up are two Axis P3343 fixed dome cameras, and one Axis P5534 that are hard wired. The fixed dome cameras are using POE, and the P5534 is using POE+. All feeding into Zoneminder (zoneminder.com).

If not going with IP cameras, I would suggest getting RG59 wired through the home and getting one of those costco bundles. I would imagine its cheaper to run, easier to maintain. Get the recording device plugged into a safe.

I'm just not a fan of wireless. Someone else mentioned having it writing directly to USB or a flash drive, that might be easier for you.

Just keep in mind, what kind of communication layer you are going to run and how are you going to feed power.

Also keep in mind, how to feed back up power, just in case if someone decides to cut your power entirely (through breakers) or other means.

[rjpsb1]

Try http://info.nextalarm.com/ - California (Ojai) company, good people, month to month plans. If you do their broadband-based monitoring, you'll get alerts when your power's cut off also. Full disclosure, I used to work for them.

Cheers,
R

[Montu]

http://www.homesecuritystore.com/

just don't get the camera's from them.

as for cheap wifi cams check out amazon you can get cheapie cams for as little as 50-100 dollars
and you can buy blue iris software to control and monitor the camera's including ftp back up and alerts to your mobile phone / e-mail with snap shots


*edit
if you DIY it you can sign up for cheaper monitoring companies like alarm relay and next alarm which start at around $10 a month.

[odysseus]

A couple of thoughts too:

- Since it seems you like most people are not home all the time, consider getting it monitored. This may take a license (fee) from the city, but it is well worth it. Also, to lower your home insurance premiums, get a fire alarm sensor up that is included in the monitoring (check with you insurance company). Display a sign letting people know you are monitored so you become a more challenging target to thieves.

-Now if you get it monitored, keep in mind you need to install this correctly. False alarms are a big problem, and can cost you if LE is called in. Many cities harbor a fee per year per false alarm that are beyond one or two, YMMV. But again - proper installation (and proper gear) is key to prevent false alarms.

- Wireless sensors have good and a bit more of bad to them IMO.

- As mentioned, secure the brain (controller) of your alarm system. Hide it and lock it down. This way it cannot be easily manipulated before the time a call out goes.

- If you really are concerned too - keep in mind criminals are sometimes getting more sophisticated in cutting connections for the call out, and there are ways to secure and also redundantly have that call made out.