Revisiting outdoor security cameras

[SmartDonkey]

Read through the other thread but lots of info to process and it's a few years old- and this stuff changes fast-

Had a neighbor (a few miles away in very rural area) have thousands of dollars of tools stolen from his place- so decided I needed to do something on some property that is remote and often unattended. It has power and cell coverage but doesn't have internet unless going through a smartphone. It only has one way in- so that would be fairly easy to at least see who has been there. I have game cameras but they don't send pics so if they were found then the card could just be removed- and I doubt they would give much of a pic on a moving vehicle. Any recommendations on something fairly easy to set up and not a lot of maintenance. Without wifi I'm not sure what kind of system to even look at for storing the data? Any help is appreciated.

 

[Jrb572]

Reolink makes a few different cellular cameras that have a solar panel. I think you can get a service plan for around roughly $100 a year. I’m sure there is better options but for the money they do a job.

 

[Californio]

Read through the other thread but lots of info to process and it's a few years old- and this stuff changes fast-

Had a neighbor (a few miles away in very rural area) have thousands of dollars of tools stolen from his place- so decided I needed to do something on some property that is remote and often unattended. It has power and cell coverage but doesn't have internet unless going through a smartphone. It only has one way in- so that would be fairly easy to at least see who has been there. I have game cameras but they don't send pics so if they were found then the card could just be removed- and I doubt they would give much of a pic on a moving vehicle. Any recommendations on something fairly easy to set up and not a lot of maintenance. Without wifi I'm not sure what kind of system to even look at for storing the data? Any help is appreciated.

Starlink will provide the internet, Apple Home Kit to router, add some Logitech Circle View Cameras, they use the apple cloud, I can see my cameras anywhere in the world, both outside and inside, they show motion, have voice and sound, many settings available for each camera. I can lookin from WiFi and Cellular.

 

[Tempest 455]

Reolink makes a few different cellular cameras that have a solar panel. I think you can get a service plan for around roughly $100 a year. I’m sure there is better options but for the money they do a job.

I have 7 Reolink's on my property (2 solar powered) and very happy for the price point.

You need Wifi, however.

 

[Jrb572]

I have 7 Reolink's on my property (2 solar powered) and very happy for the price point.

You need Wifi, however.

No you do no need Wi-Fi. I have several cellular Rolink cameras on my property. Each camera needs its own SIM card and plan. We have no internet access at the property

for some reason it won’t let me link the Amazon page.
Go to Amazon and type in Reolink cellular cameras and it will bring up several

 

[packratt]

I use moultrie's cellular cameras. Currently have 4 aimed at critical areas. After the first camera there is a discount for additional cameras and a discount if you pay for tge year

You can set the cameras to transmit every time triggered or preset intervals.

 

[Ronin_64]

Also, distinction is that you can put in local area network (LAN) without actually having “internet service “, thus having wired 4k+ resolution cameras that feed back to a local dvr storage device. Then hide/secure the dvr for later reference. You wouldn’t get notifications that someone was on the property, but you would possibly get evidence of the crime. Or you could add a cellular device to alert you that someone was accessing the single entry point to the property.

 

[07SGT4623]

Reconyx with solar panel and SIM card, have had it for ywars and it does the trick.

 

[Tempest 455]

No you do no need Wi-Fi. I have several cellular Rolink cameras on my property. Each camera needs its own SIM card and plan. We have no internet access at the property

for some reason it won’t let me link the Amazon page.
Go to Amazon and type in Reolink cellular cameras and it will bring up several

I don't do "plans" of any kind, so that's the difference.

 

[Rocky308]

I have a dozen Spy Point game cameras hidden through out my farm. It spans roughly 20 miles. They send an image roughly 30 sec after they are tripped. They are pretty inexpensive and send 100 images per month for free, no plan. They are not perfect, we are pretty rural, so we are about the only law there is. We have caught several intruders on our property and confront them with several pickups rolling in on them. We get their names, lisc plates, etc and let them know we have them on camera. They usually try to explain they are lost or some bs. We simply let them know we’ve alerted the authorities and if there’s another issue they will have a real problem. So far it’s worked ok. Word must have spread, we’ve had a lot less traffic.
We are not in a highly populated area nor is it a high crime area so it may not work well for all.

 

[Jrb572]

I don't do "plans" of any kind, so that's the difference.

The difference with these are you can do by moth or yearly and cancel or stop paying whenever you want to. So there is no ”plan” to really speak of and all I’m trying to do is give the OP what options are out there. I’m not worried about pleasing you.

 

[n2ishun]

I’m not worried about pleasing you.

Sounds like something a guy might say on his wedding night....

It would definitely get some energy into the sex.

 

[eprom]

Reolink are pretty good for the price. They have models with LTE/4G connectivity, and combined with a plan you can get something decent out of it. I would go that route if you are looking for a cost effective solution, especially for a few cameras. The ring door bell could be a nice alternative if you only want to monitor the front of a door/entrance.

However, if you want to manage several cameras, store videos for later evidence/forensic stuff, the cost can easily climb and it would also require more hardware/appliance and thus space.

I'm monitoring a few locations remotely with different surveillance solutions. They all have their pros and cons, but with what I am still struggling with, is the 'reaction' time sort to speak. I got several instances of people looking looking/checking windows, doors, cameras; it always took me a while to react to these events. Seconds becomes minutes. I would also look at a way of triggering an alarm or some big lights outside to serves as a deterrent of some kind.

 

[Californio]

Logitech Circle View used with Apple HomeKit and apple cloud, allows when tripped, do this etc. When the front door camera is tripped, I can turn the lights on, using the Lutron RA smart switch, sound an alarm or what ever. The camera on the East Desk is set to trip and setoff a Bat sonic unit, they like to sleep up in the ceiling and crap on my deck. I can individually set each camera to alert or alert and record for x time. I assume Google has the same.

I was skeptical at first but it really works. I already have Apple One for TV etc., so having my own cloud space and controlling my own video works, I have other family members on the same account so I can have them getting the push notifications when I am on vacation.

 

[Slash0311]

At my house, I used a Wyze camera (about $30 at Best Buy) and used a jet pack cell service as a wifi connection. It was about $45/mo thru Verizon) this system isn't the greatest but I could open it up in real time, get movement alerts, and saves about 15 seconds of video every time it activated.

I'll attach a screen shot from right now. It does okay but fine details can be difficult to read. Like the license plate on the car. But it would certainly be enough to start looking for suspects.

 

[padom]

Reolink makes a few different cellular cameras that have a solar panel. I think you can get a service plan for around roughly $100 a year. I’m sure there is better options but for the money they do a job.

They are HORRIBLE cameras.

 

[padom]

Turing new Edge+ cameras with a POE Switch and Inseego FX3100 with SIM CARD. Cameras hold about 30 days recorded video with the Included WD Purple 256GB security grade MicroSD card. No NVR needed.. edge+ cams include 1yr advanced AI licensing for people and vehicle detection, facial recognition, instant , push, text or email alerts.

Depending on what cell service you have, not only will the Inseego FX3100 give your cameras full internet access from anywhere and instant alerting, but even puts out WiFi6 for you to connect to the internet when onsite...

 

[Major Wader]

+1 for the Wyze cameras, but they do need internet. Ours run on Starlink.

 

[Ironman1959]

I have 7 Reolink's on my property (2 solar powered) and very happy for the price point.

You need Wifi, however.

I too have several reo links, 3 at ranch and 2 at corners of home outside of town. WiFi drives and uploads to cloud and mini SIM cards internal storage as well. For a few years now we are happy with, cellular out in fields then to farm house, then view online WiFi from anywhere. wife loves to watch hogs and deer at night and cows and goats during daytime. Pretty good so far. All are Solar powered. 3 are cellular.

 

[n2ishun]

Yesterday I happened across a "Blink" brand self contained camera/solar charger unit in the middle of a dirt road...in pieces.
I stopped just to clear it from getting run over and causing flats.
Turns out it was brand new and just snapped apart where the camera goes on one side and the little solar panel on the other.
The tape you're supposed to pull off from one end of the battery was still on it from the factory.
No way it ever could have been used.
It takes free software and no nothing for a subscription or the likes to run it.

I'll let you know.

Seems it only works with your cellphone thru LAN type network.....no internet connection only so far as a cell to wifi will allow (maybe 200-400 foot radius?).
I see no way to record from it unless you're within that radius and have some sort of recording software on your phone.
Seems kinda useless.....maybe that's why someone chunked it ?

 

[Ronin_64]

Yesterday I happened across a "Blink" brand self contained camera/solar charger unit in the middle of a dirt road...in pieces.
I stopped just to clear it from getting run over and causing flats.
Turns out it was brand new and just snapped apart where the camera goes on one side and the little solar panel on the other.
The tape you're supposed to pull off from one end of the battery was still on it from the factory.
No way it ever could have been used.
It takes free software and no nothing for a subscription or the likes to run it.

I'll let you know.

Seems it only works with your cellphone thru LAN type network.....no internet connection only so far as a cell to wifi will allow (maybe 200-400 foot radius?).
I see no way to record from it unless you're within that radius and have some sort of recording software on your phone.
Seems kinda useless.....maybe that's why someone chunked it ?

So I don't know about the exact camera you found, but I have tried out the Blink brand of battery operated cameras in the past. Yes, the camera needs WiFi to operate its LAN. You can use network extenders to extend the areas covered. You could view/save snap shot clips of video or live video feed on a cellular from anywhere as long as your WiFi was connected to the internet. No subscription. You could also get alerts when motion was detected.

Ronin