Is a Wired Security Camera Better?

When considering security camera models for your home, deciding how it will be powered is probably the most critical aspect as it will impact every other decision you make, and significantly reduce the number of camera models you’ll need to evaluate.

The choice of wired or wireless models isn’t just about power, though. It’s also a question of how the camera will record video and communicate with you. There are also some important reliability implications that come with that.

A wired security camera will always give you a better user experience in terms of both available features and reliability.

Wired And Wireless Options

In consumer security cameras there are three common combinations when it comes to power and data connectivity.

Option	Flexibility	Reliability	Cost	24/7?
Full Wireless	✓✓✓	✓	$	No
Wired Power	✓✓	✓✓	$$	Possible
Full Wired	✓	✓✓✓	$$$	Possible

Fully Wireless

These cameras are wireless in both data and power, relying on batteries as a power source. The batteries will usually be rechargeable for ease of use and a long operating time. There are three variations with battery powered models:

1. A built-in battery. Cheaper models tend to do this and must be taken down from the mount in order to charge.

2. A removable battery pack. These models provide easier maintenance as you can take out the battery without messing up your camera placement, and it provides the option to have charged spares ready to swap in as required.

3. Solar charging. Many consumer models offer solar accessories that can keep the battery charged indefinitely for low-maintenance operation.

Battery powered cameras have the undeniable advantage of being able to be installed anywhere around your property with ease. You’re not restricted to attaching them to the house, either, as you can just as easily mount them on a fence, post, in the garden, or even up a tree. The biggest limitation is the Wi-Fi signal itself.

Wired Power only

This option sources power for the camera from a permanent supply and uses Wi-Fi communications. There are two common wiring methods used in consumer cameras:

1. USB - Most indoor cameras, and some outdoor ones, use a simple USB charger for power. This makes for easy installation and flexibility in moving the camera to different locations but can lead to unsightly cabling.

2. Hard wiring - Typically required for floodlight cameras, these need to be wired into the household electrical supply using a junction box. This type needs careful planning given the extra work needed to install them at a new location.

Having a permanent power supply opens up the possibility of additional features like pre-roll recording and 24/7 recording, depending on the camera model and recording system used. The reliance on Wi-Fi for communication still presents some reliability limitations.

Fully Wired

This option uses wired power and a data cable for communications. While it’s possible to use USB or electrical wiring and a common ethernet cable, it’s far more likely that this type will use the ethernet cable for both.

Using standard data cables in this way involves technology called Power over Ethernet (PoE) and provides the most reliable solution for security cameras as there is no risk of interference or jamming of the data signal.

A Battery powered Ring camera

A Solar powered Eufy camera

A hard-wired Eve outdoor cam

Pros And Cons Of Wired Power

Wired Power

Having a permanent power supply removes a number of limitations on camera features and ensures you never have to think about changing batteries. You are dependent on your electrical supply, however, and black outs can take down your whole camera system.

This can be mitigated by the use of an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). A Power over Ethernet setup is the easiest to support with this kind of system as you have a central place where all your cameras are powered from and can be provided with backup power.

Pros

✔ No battery changes
✔ Camera can record or stream without limits
✔ Lower cost (due to no battery)

Cons

✗ Susceptible to blackouts
✗ Higher install effort to run cables

Battery Power

Aside from being easier to install, battery powered cameras may offer additional resilience during blackouts. This depends on the recording method used by the cameras.

Some cameras have the ability to record locally on a microSD card inserted in the camera itself. This is more common with indoor cameras.

Without this the camera will either record to a local hub, NVR, or the cloud. For any of these they will need the Wi-Fi to be online. Cloud-based cameras will also need the internet to be available. This can be achieved by supporting your router with an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). Some brands offer a hub that has its own battery backup, like the Ring Alarm base station.

Pros

✔ Easy installation
✔ May work during blackouts
✔ Immune to wire cutting

Cons

✗ Needs recharging (or solar)
✗ Most need Wi-Fi/internet to work
✗ Batteries cost extra

What Are The Risks Of Wi-Fi?

Regardless of the power supply a camera uses, Wi-Fi based cameras necessitate some additional thought around reliability.

Not only are you at the mercy of interference from everyday radio noise, but there is the potential for an attacker to jam your Wi-Fi on purpose, effectively disabling your cameras and any other security devices that may be using it. While illegal, these jammers can be sourced relatively cheaply and will be effective within a limited radius sufficient to cover a house.

That sounds like a deal breaker, but there are a couple of important reality checks to consider.

Firstly, many Wi-Fi based security systems, along with other devices like your home router, can alert you if they lose contact with your devices or the internet. It’s certainly the case that if I have an internet outage or power failure my phone will be barraged by alerts from various apps including cameras, smart home hubs, my router, and weather station. You’ll know something is up.

Second is to consider whether a burglar is going to bother doing this at all. CNET took a look at this question a couple of years back and the reality is that the vast majority of crimes are unsophisticated.

Most are opportunistic thefts due to an unsecured door or window, followed by simple break and enters. The security wisdom that a thief would prefer to find another target than deal with a security system holds true.

Fully wired cameras do have the advantage to being more robust and reliable, but have the disadvantages of the extra installation burden, limitations on cable runs, and often limited smart home integration capabilities. The latter is not a technological issue, but more a result of smart home focused brands going for wireless models since they are more appealing to the mass market.

Smart Home Integration

While the lack of support from many camera brands is frustrating for the smart home enthusiast, there is an excellent tool to overcome this and get just about any home security camera working with your platform of choice. Learn more here.

Power Over Ethernet

The PoE switch I use for my cameras

If you’re going to go for wired power, your best option is to use PoE. This uses a regular Ethernet cable to the camera which connects to either a PoE switch, NVR (Network Video Recorder), or power injector to supply power to the camera as well as its data connection. This ensures reliability not only from a power perspective, but also for network connectivity.

Benefits of PoE

• Only a single cable to the camera.

• Permanent power supply.

• Cannot be jammed.

• Immune to interference.

• Can handle continuous recording (if camera supports it).

Extra requirements

PoE can use a standard Cat 5E or higher ethernet cable, but you will need special hardware to provide the power. This can be one of three options:

1. A PoE Network Video Recorder - This device acts as both a video recorder for your cameras and provides them with power through integrated network ports.

2. A PoE Switch - Like a regular network switch, these simply plug into your router and provides a number of ethernet ports. Unlike a regular switch they will also provide power to those ports. These can be inexpensive, but different switches have different power supply capacities, so check what your cameras draw before selecting one.

3. A power injector - These small devices plug into a power socket and take two ethernet cables. One in from the switch or router, and one out to the camera which has power added to it. Good for ad-hoc installations, they can quickly get messy if used with multiple cameras. One of the options above is a better choice in that case.