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Should You Choose Wired Or Wireless Security Cameras For Your Business?

5 May 2021

Riley Garrett

You can't be too careful about your business security. That's why having a security system that includes video can really bring peace of mind. But how do you choose the right security camera for you?

Understand Your Needs

Security cameras come in many different flavors. The most basic choice you have to make is whether you want a wired camera or a wireless camera. What is the difference? Well, a wired camera requires an ethernet cable to connect back to a wired edge switch. A wireless camera uses a wireless signal, such as 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Wi-Fi, to connect to your local area network. There are pros and cons to both.

Wired Cameras

With a wired camera, you have the opportunity for the highest resolution and throughput by connecting directly to a port in a switch. Also, you can power the camera from the actual switch using PoE (Power over Ethernet) or some variant of that, such as PoE+ or HPoE, depending upon what your wired switch supports. Also, with a wired camera, the cable to and from the switch would have to be physically severed to lose the feed from the camera, making it one of the most secure security camera options.

The downside of a wired camera is that it takes longer to install since you have to run an ethernet cable to each place you want to mount a camera. The cost can be higher, too — each placement requires the wire, the labor to run the wire, and the camera. Finally, you are limited by the distance you can run a cable from the switch.

Wireless Cameras

A wireless camera allows you to place a camera wherever you have access to the wireless network. Wireless cameras can be plugged into a power source or run off of a battery, allowing for great flexibility in placement — if you can figure out how to mount it, you can place a camera.

Wireless camera resolution is approaching that of wired cameras as the wireless spectrum options expand to support higher bandwidth. With Wi-Fi6, you can handle a high density of devices across available channels (and sub-channels), leading to more efficient spectrum usage and higher capacity to send high-resolution video signals.

Since the cameras aren't directly tied into the LAN with a cable, signals are subject to interference, both background and intentional, making it easier to block the signal. Also, many of the cameras require a power source so you have to make sure power is available. The power source is another point of failure if it is not hidden, as someone could just unplug the camera.

Professional Installation

For business uses, it is a good idea to let a professional install your security camera system. Professionals can map out the best locations to provide maximum coverage and recommend monitoring services that match up with your on-site staff and business needs, including integration into existing video management systems. Installers can also help you decide between local storage, cloud storage, or a hybrid approach for the video captured on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

Security cameras are available in all shapes and sizes, for both indoor and outdoor use. Understanding your requirements is key to making the right camera choice.

Contact a local security company to learn more about security cameras.

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