Home security is a priority for everyone, and with advancements in automated technology homeowners just got a lot more control over their homes whether they are near or far. Smart surveillance, door locks, doorbells, lighting and sensors all help to deliver greater protection from human and natural threats. Check out our rundown of the smart security space and all the tech you can use to build a safer home.
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Video Transcript
There’s a ton of cool stuff you can do with a Smart Home setup, but one of the most important functions is keeping your house secure, even when you’re gone.
Welcome to Newegg’s Smart Home security, where we will discuss how you can use everything from smart doorbells and locks to cameras and sensors, to keep your home protected.
Smarty security is smart because it can tell you what is going on in your house, whether you are there or not. This means you’ll be able to check in at any time from virtually anywhere, unlike old security camera or alarm systems.
For smart cameras, most stream in 1080p resolution which is sufficient. Some are made just for outdoors or indoors.
How your camera communicates with your smartphone and smart hubs is also important to consider. Smart security cameras mainly use Wi-Fi, while some smart sensors use Zigbee or Z-Wave to connect to smart home hubs.
Most smart devices these days work with Alexa or Google home and can give voice alerts if motion is detected.
For more on these smart ecosystems, check out the Newegg Smart Home Portal.
The next big area of security is motion sensors. These motion sensors, like this one from Fibaro, can tell you if something is moving in your home when it shouldn’t be.
You can even program them to turn lights on or off when you enter or leave a room.
You can use a motion sensor to activate a camera when someone is at your door, even send your phone a text so you can always know when someone (or something you have been waiting for) has arrived.
Finally, the invisible threats. Smoke, Carbon Monoxide, and flooding. Smart sensors and alarms let you know when something is wrong, even when you can’t see it.
Imagine if a pipe bursts while you are away from home. This $20 Samsung SmartThings water leak sensor can notify you immediately, and if you have it connected to other smart devices can shut off your water, potentially saving you thousands of dollars.
The advantage of all of these devices is simple: peace of mind.
But it’s not just what is happening inside your home that matters, you also need to know who is trying to come into your home and when. That’s why Smart Home doorbells and door locks are quickly becoming some of the most popular Smart Home items. We’re going to give you a quick walk-through of the popular options and what you need to know.
There are a lot of products in this exciting category, like the Remo, Ring Doorbell, and the iseeBell. These smart doorbells replace your dumb doorbell with a fancy video camera and smart features like sending notifications to your phone.
Someone at the door? You get an alert. More importantly, most smart doorbells also have two-way built-in communication. This lets you give instructions to delivery people, tell guests you will be there shortly or shoo away uninvited visitors.
Smart doorbells are pretty simple, but it’s important to know that if you don’t already have wiring from a previous doorbell, you might want to consider wireless models. These use battery power instead of a hard wire and are great for those who don’t want to, or can’t, drill holes into their house. If you want to get creative, products like August, Ring, Skybell and other can be connected to Google Home, Alexa, as well as IFTTT ecosystems.
For example, you can set the doorbell to turn on a smart doorbell on your porch when someone rings the door.
As for smart locks, the days of leaving a key under the mat for visitors are long gone. Smart locks give you the ability to unlock your door from miles away with an app, set up temporary or permanent pin codes, and get an access log of when and how your door was unlocked.
You can also secure internal doors with access for only certain users with an account. This is great because it puts you in control of your security at all times.
There are so many new products hitting the market, it’s not hard to find the perfect lock for every door. Overall, smart door locks and doorbells are a great addition to any home.
Check out more of our in-depth coverage of everything Smart Home here.
