Wired vs. Wireless CCTV: Which is Better?

Whether you’re using a wired or wireless CCTV camera, they essentially serve the same purpose: to protect your homes and office spaces. Installing a CCTV surveillance system lets you monitor your premises while you’re away. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider the type of security system you would like to integrate into your premises.

While wired CCTV cameras are more time-consuming to set up, they offer great reliability. Wireless CCTV cameras, on the other hand, are inexpensive and easy to install. Read on as we explore the contrast between wired and wireless CCTV surveillance systems in Singapore to help you decide what will work best for you.

Wired CCTV Surveillance

A wired CCTV camera receives its electrical power from a central hub through a cable. This central hub is typically located around the premise, and sometimes, it can come in the form of a digital video recorder (DVR) that is attached to the cameras with coaxial cables. A networked video recorder (NVR) system, which is usually utilised with the latest Internet Protocol (IP) cameras, is another option. Footages captured by wired CCTV cameras can either remain local on the hub for later viewing or they can be sent outside of the premises to a network.

With wireless CCTV cameras becoming increasingly pervasive today, it’s not surprising for most people to view wired security cameras as a thing of the past, but this is far from the truth. Wired CCTV cameras are still a strong option for most home security systems as they offer benefits a wireless system does not. The biggest advantage of wired CCTV cameras is that the chances of signals dropping are little to none. As long as the wires are in place, the hub should always be receiving an uninterrupted signal at maximum accuracy. Furthermore, because the walls will not interfere with the signals, wired security cameras perform well for multiple CCTV installations. Here’s a brief rundown of the advantages of installing a wired CCTV camera:

• Reliable signals
• Clear audio and video signals
• Constant power to cameras

With that being said, there are downsides to installing wired CCTV surveillance systems with the main problem being the installation itself. Wired security cameras typically require you to set up between four to 16 cameras. This means that casting a wide view across your property is not possible without having lengthy wiring running across numerous locations. The long wires can be a sight for sore eyes, resulting in having to fish electrical wires through walls, ceilings and crawl spaces. Some of the other cons of wired CCTV cameras include:

• Vulnerable to power outages
• Not portable
• Lengthy wiring must be hidden

Wireless CCTV Surveillance

Wireless CCTV cameras are wire-free surveillance systems that capture footage from the camera and transmit it over Wi-Fi. These security cameras generally store their footage on a cloud server, so you can easily access them from anywhere in real-time or archive them for later viewing. Some of the standard features you can expect in a wireless CCTV camera include night vision, two-way audio, and voice control through virtual assistants like Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. Because wireless CCTV cameras have limited power, they preserve it by recording only when they detect a signal.

There’s a distinction between wireless and wire-free surveillance systems. Wireless cameras send video signals to the central hub through Wi-Fi, while wire-free cameras are battery-powered. Due to its limited power, wire-free cameras conserve their energy by recording only when they detect a signal. In contrast to wireless CCTV cameras, they receive constant power and are capable of recording continuously. With wireless cameras, you can choose to set it to record only when motion is detected too.

In comparison with wired CCTV cameras, wireless surveillance systems are more convenient to install as no drilling through walls or ceilings is required. They are more flexible too, as they are not tied down by wires, making them easy to rearrange and relocate – the perfect option for renters. Furthermore, intruders are less likely to cut wires when there are fewer of them. The pros of wireless CCTV cameras include:

• Portable system
• Trouble-free CCTV installation
• Easy to add more cameras

However, wireless CCTV cameras work well only if the cameras’ signal to the central hub is clear. Unlike wired cameras, wireless systems are not able to go through denser building materials like brick or concrete as it blocks the signal. With wireless surveillance systems, you are more inclined to be exposed to digital snooping. In addition to that, power can be an issue too as some wireless cameras are battery-powered. Thus, it’s important to ensure that all batteries on each camera are fresh. Here’s an overview of the downsides of installing wireless CCTV cameras:

• Limited signal range
• Building elements can impede signal
• Prone to digital snooping threats

CCTV Installation In Singapore

With CCTV surveillance systems, protecting your homes and businesses has never been easier. Most major security companies provide both wired and wireless options, so choosing the right provider who understands what kind of system is best for your needs is important.

To have a better overview of what type of security system works best for you, reach out to experts from One Stop Office Solution (OSOS), a trusted CCTV Surveillance Company in Singapore, for a consultation today!