Protect Your Home with Small Wireless Cameras

While motion sensors and glass break sensors notify you of attempted intrusion, you won’t see what’s happening. 

But with security cameras, you get live footage in and around your home, so you can quickly identify potential threats and react properly.

Small wireless cameras connect to a Wi-Fi network and store video footage in local or cloud storage. The fact that you can place these cameras anywhere in your home without making any permanent changes to your home makes them popular among homeowners.

With their easy installation, remote access, and affordability, small wireless cameras are a must-have if you want to keep your home secure and enjoy peace of mind

In this guide, we’ll examine these crucial security devices, and you’ll discover:

• Benefits of installing them in your home
• The types you can install
• Factors to consider before choosing one
• Features to look out for in these devices
• Valuable tips for choosing or using them

Benefits of Using Small Wireless Cameras in Your Home

With small wireless cameras, you’ll enjoy easy installation, flexibility, discreetness, and remote monitoring. 

Easy installation and setup: You don’t need to run wires or drill holes into your apartment walls to install small wireless cameras. 

Installing these cameras is a simple DIY project. Following the instruction guide, you can set them up in less than 15 minutes. 

Just mount the camera on a wall or plug it in, download the app, add it to your home’s Wi-Fi network, and there you go—your small wireless camera is ready for use. 

There are some small wireless cameras you can place on flat surfaces. You only need to set them down and plug them in, and they’re up and running.

Discreetness and convenience: Small wireless cameras, such as spy cameras, are usually too small for anyone to notice. So, they are ideal for monitoring your home without drawing attention. A good example is the Monkaim HD 1080P Wi-Fi Spy Clock.

Remote monitoring and live streaming: Because small wireless cameras connect wirelessly and use a mobile app, you can control and monitor them from anywhere. 

You can easily access a timeline view of recorded or live events triggered by motion or sound. You can also download footage that you may use as a reference point or evidence for security agencies. 

A wireless camera with these features is the Wyze Wireless Video Doorbell Pro.

Flexibility: Small wireless cameras are not only easy to install but also easy to uninstall. You can place the cameras anywhere you like and change their locations without having to rewire the system or use complex tools.

Features to Look for Before Buying a Small Wireless Camera

There are hundreds of small wireless cameras on the market. These cameras range in price, quality, and functionality. Consider these features if you’re looking for a suitable small wireless camera.

• Field of view: How much coverage you want will determine the kind of camera you should purchase. Generally, cameras with narrow lenses will have small viewing angles. But those with wider-angle lenses can monitor large spaces in your home.
• View range: Similar to the field of view, small wireless cameras are designed in multiple sizes and shapes for convenience and enhanced functionality. The three major design variations are dome, bullet, and PTZ (Pan, Tilt, and Zoom). The PTZ feature in the Wyze Cam V2 camera helps it deliver 360-degree coverage of the surroundings.
• Motion detection: The motion detection feature means that the cameras only start recording when they detect motion or sound. This feature helps to save battery life and optimize storage. You can also receive smartphone notifications when the motion detector picks up movement.
• Night vision: It is not enough to see what’s happening in your home during the day. You also need clear footage at night. Cameras achieve night vision using infrared via LED sensors or color from a spotlight. Night vision via infrared produces black-and-white footage. Check out Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera if you need full-color night vision.
• Smartphone integration: Check if the cameras allow you to connect to your phone via an app. Some cameras allow you to set an alarm notification on your phone so that the camera can send images to your email.
• Video storage: Small wireless cameras store footage differently, depending on your preference. There’s cloud storage, which sends footage to a remote server, and local storage, which relies on a separate piece of hardware, usually a microSD card, to hold footage. The capacity of local storage is limited compared to cloud storage. But cloud storage attracts a subscription fee.
• Smart home integration: The smarter the small wireless camera is, the easier you can integrate it into your smart home. In this case, you may have to consider cameras compatible with voice assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. That way, you can control your wireless cameras using voice commands.

Remember: While color night vision is great, bright spotlights make cameras conspicuous. Conspicuous cameras can deter thieves but are more likely to be stolen.

Types of Small Wireless Cameras for Your Home

Depending on where you want to install them in your home, there are different kinds of small wireless cameras. Each has its uses and benefits.

Indoor cameras: Wireless indoor cameras are installed inside your home. Usually, these cameras are used to monitor kids or pets. They also have a two-way mic communication feature. An example is the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera.

Outdoor cameras: You install them outside your home, where people can see them. They allow you to see people or objects moving around your surroundings and are larger than their indoor counterparts.

Since they are designed for outdoor use, they are weatherproof, making them reliable for consistent security surveillance. 

Hidden cameras: Hidden cameras, also known as spy cameras, are tiny, portable cameras that you can hide or disguise as objects other than cameras. Because they’re too small to be noticed, you can easily hide them in everyday objects, such as wall clocks, teddy bears, or even charging docks.

Choosing a Small Wireless Camera for Your Home

Before buying a small wireless camera for your home, you need to consider the following factors:

Budget: Camera prices differ based on their features, cost of production, and manufacturer. To avoid sacrificing quality for affordability, determine your security needs and prioritize your most important security features.

If you’re on a low budget, choose a camera with only the features you need so you don’t overspend on features you don’t need.

Brand reputation: You can’t afford to entrust your home security to just any brand. So, do your due diligence. Read customer reviews and testimonials to see what users say about the brands you’re interested in. Some reputable brands include Ring, Brinks, and Vivint.

Also, since most small wireless cameras store transmitted footage on cloud-based servers, only choose cameras from recognized and certified brands to minimize the risk of hacks.

Check out these additional tips when choosing and installing a small wireless camera for your home:

• Decide where you want to place your small wireless cameras: indoor or outdoor
• Consider a power outlet for charging 
• Consider cameras with DVR (Digital Video Recording) features to enable you to access and view footage from anywhere
• Install cameras within the range of your Wi-Fi to retain connection with your app
• Choose small wireless cameras with high video resolution
• Use professional installation when installing in hard-to-reach areas
• Test out the camera’s Wi-Fi connection and motion detection after installation
• Create strong passwords for your camera
• Keep your Wi-Fi network secure
• Clean outdoor camera lenses frequently to maintain clear pictures
• Cut off tree branches around outdoor cameras

Scale Up Your Home Security With a Small Wireless Camera

Small wireless cameras allow you to monitor activities inside and outside your home. Plus, they are easy to install, more renter-friendly, and less invasive than wired cameras.

The best part is that you’ll always find one that suits your budget—so, no excuses this time.

Get a wireless camera from a trusted brand today and rest easy, knowing you can now properly monitor the vulnerable areas in your home.

If you need a reliable home security provider close to your area, call us today, and we’ll recommend one that suits your needs and budget.