Security camera & surveillance systems · Avon Lake, Ohio (440) 210-9900Tom@AllWireless.us
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Placement guide

Where to put security cameras

A good system is more about where the cameras go than how many you buy. Use this guide to plan, then have All Wireless Security check it at your property.

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From All Wireless Security

Planned for your property

All Wireless Security helps you work out which video security technology and camera system suit your location and your budget. The guide below is general background to help you think about what you want to see.

General guidance
Example camera placement on a house and driveway Top-down plan of a house with an attached garage and driveway. Camera 1 covers the front door from the porch corner. Camera 2 looks down the driveway toward the street. Camera 3 covers the back door and yard. Camera 4 covers the side gate. Each camera's field of view is drawn as a yellow wedge, and the wedges overlap at entry points. STREET DRIVEWAY HOUSE GARAGE FRONT DOOR BACK DOOR SIDE GATE 1 2 3 4
Example only: four cameras covering the front door, driveway, back door and side gate. Each wedge is one camera's view.

Start with the ways in

  1. Front door. This is where visitors, deliveries and most problems arrive. A doorbell camera or a camera on the porch corner works well here.
  2. Back and side doors. These are less visible from the street, so a camera matters more.
  3. Driveway and garage. Show vehicles coming and going, and the side door into the garage.
  4. Gates and paths. Cover the route someone would take to reach the back of the building.

Height and angle

  • Mount high enough to be hard to reach. Around 8 to 10 feet is common. Very high cameras only show the tops of heads.
  • Point slightly down, and frame where a face will be, not only the ground.
  • Use one camera for the wide view and another, tighter one where people stop, such as at the door.

Light and night

  • Avoid aiming straight at the rising or setting sun or at a bright porch light. Wide dynamic range (WDR) helps, but placement helps more.
  • Infrared light reflects off nearby walls, soffits and glass. Keep the lens clear of them, and don't mount cameras behind windows.
  • A motion light near a camera gives better colour video at night.

Businesses

  • Entrances and exits, with a tight view of faces at the door.
  • Registers and counters.
  • Parking lots and loading areas. PTZ cameras or several fixed views help cover large spaces.
  • Stock rooms and areas with valuable equipment.
  • Outbuildings and remote areas, which a point-to-point wireless bridge can connect back to the main recorder.

Respect privacy

  • Aim at your own property, and use privacy masks in the camera settings to block out neighbours' windows.
  • Many places restrict recording audio without consent, so check the rules before turning on microphones.
  • At a business, posted signs and a written camera policy are common good practice. Ask your own advisor about the rules that apply to you.

Want a second opinion on your plan? Call (440) 210-9900 or email Tom@AllWireless.us.

Get your camera plan checked

Tell All Wireless Security what you want to see and where. Call (440) 210-9900, reach Tom Cooney directly at (440) 476-8215, or send an email.

Call (440) 210-9900Email Tom