Which wireless home alarm?

[windsortg]

I currently have a hard wired home alarm system that is 20+ years old. I am looking to replace it with a new wireless alarm system. Can anyone recommend which one I should look to install?

My requirements are to have a video door bell, 2 door chimes within the house to hear if anyone has rung the door bell, key pad (mains or battery operated) installed near the entrance door, 2-3 key fobs to easily arm/disarm the alarm, 5 motion detectors, one external mains powered camera to be fitted at rear of house and connected wirelessly to base unit, an external siren (ideally connected wirelessly to base unit) and notifications on iPhone if any detection is experienced.

From the bit of research I have done, a base unit needs to be fitted that connects to home router and this base unit wirelessly connects to all the devices of the alarm system. I have a cupboard on the ground floor that is centrally located within the house which is where my router is located. I can easily fit the base unit in this cupboard and connect the base unit to the router via an ethernet cable.

I have read about the ‘Ring’ alarm and Yale but was wondering if anyone has any recommendations based upon my needs.

 

[Handymanjo]

Wired system is the best way to go. Upgrade your existing system using a Hybrid system like Pyronix or Texecom,that way you will have the option of hardwired keypads and bell boxes.
Didn't think Ring or Yale would be the right way to go. We in the trade steer well clear of these products.

 

[sparkymarka]

I would get a hybrid system and re use most of the existing wiring ….eg pyronix euro 46 , texecom , ect ….forget the cheap diy tat as they will here today ….gone tomorrow ..

 

[secureiam]

As above.

Always hardwire first, wireless if no other way.

I am miffed at the numbers of people that want the change hardwired for wireless with no other real changes.

 

[windsortg]

thanks @Handymanjo . Stupid question but what do you exactly mean by 'upgrade your existing system using a Hybrid system.... have the option of hardwired keypads and bell boxes? Any particular reason why Ring and Yale would not be the right way to go? Even if I do not go ahead with a Ring alarm system, I may just go with their Ring Video door bell that can be monitored on the phone.

thanks @sparkymarka . You also mention about getting a hybrid system. Sorry but what do you exactly mean by that? A couple of reasons on why I am thinking about going wireless is that:

1. even though the hardwires within the house are fine, I have a wire running outside the house from the alarm base unit (located in the garage) to the siren box located outside on the top of the house. This wire has really corroded over the years due to the weather. The white sheathing of the cable has come off in places and I can see the coloured wires. I am suprised the alarm has not triggered due to the wires splitting but I guess it must be a matter of time before the alarm permanently triggers. I guess I could replace this damaged wire with a new one but my current alarm system (Accenta) is 20+ years old so would like to replace it with a modern alarm system that will not cost the earth! I read about various wireless alarm systems and they appear to get good reviews so interested to hear why some of you are telling me to stay clear of them
2. we are having an orangery/conservatory built at the back of our house, so to run a hard wire for the motion detector from the new orangery to the alarm's base unit (located in the garage) and/or keypad (located at the front of the house near the entrance door) is going to be really challenging. This is why I thought about a wireless system. I am also contemplated having a camera installed inside or just outside the orangery so again, trying to run a wire for this from the camera to the base unit is going to be tough as it will be difficult to run wires internally from the back of the house to the garage

 

[bernardgreen]

Any particular reason why Ring and Yale would not be the right way to go?

Some Yale DIY alarms can be easily rendered useless by criminals using easily available equipment.

 

[JohnD]

Some Yale DIY alarms can be easily rendered useless by criminals using easily available equipment.

Although you will search in vain for examples of this happening to an ordinary domestic house with an ordinary suburban burglar.

As I've mentioned before, in my district it's mostly ignorant teens, crack-heads, and semi-literate spoonies who hop over a fence when they see a shed or an accessible point of entry.

Opportunists who would sell equipment, or lose it.

Bernard postulates a higher calibre of career criminal in his village.

 

[bernardgreen]

Bernard postulates a higher calibre of career criminal in his village.

and Yale postulate that interference and jamming can be a problem.

If "false alarms" occur too often then Yale advised ( and maybe still do advise ) turning off the tamper detect at the siren. They were so concerned about false alarms from jamming that they supply the siren with the default of tamper detect OFF

If the receiver in the siren is being jammed when the panel detects a break in then the siren's receiver will not be able to receive the command to switch the alarm on.

https://www.pentestpartners.com/security-blog/alarm-systems-alarmingly-insecure-oh-the-irony/

 

[JohnD]

What's "conceivable" and what common toe-rags actually do, are not the same.

Observe the key word "if."

 

[Bodgedbuild]

I know the Pros won't agree but I have a Eufy system and I have 2 door sensors, 5 cameras (including one that is mains powered and one is the doorbell) and an entry keypad. I find it excellent to be honest. It is not recording 24/7 but I can adjust what the camera reacts to so I can pick "Human" and it will not record cats going in and out. It will recognize a human and take a screenshot of their face and I am notified immediately if anything is picked up. I can then view the clip or simply watch in real time and I can speak out of any camera or doorbell by hitting the "Mic" symbol on the camera screen.
There are others such as Arlo or Simplysafe which do a similar system but I can't fault Eufy. For high traffic areas such as my front camera I get about 4 months on one charge if set to sensitive (it picks up people out on the street, 50 feet away). I get about 7-10 months for the other cameras.
This system does not use PIR detection, it uses the camera intelligently so you can even draw an outline on the screen of which area you want "detected".
I'd certainly punch the names into Youtube and check the reviews

 

[Bodgedbuild]

Here is a screenshot from my front garden, taken from a live camera (so moving image), it is excellent quality even at night time

 

[secureiam]

I have seen some eufy wireless cameras and they aren't bad to be fair.

charging them up and wifi interference can be an issue.
You get a low battery warning ? so you know when you have to charge it up.

See so many where the batteries are dead.

 

[Bodgedbuild]

I have seen some eufy wireless cameras and they aren't bad to be fair.

charging them up and wifi interference can be an issue.
You get a low battery warning ? so you know when you have to charge it up.

See so many where the batteries are dead.

When you view a camera or item, it has a little battery icon, the same as on a mobile phone, it has little bars that drop and then go yellow and finally red when it is very low. They use a USB Type C charge socket so either an extension cable with a phone charger or just pop the camera off (being sure to switch of anti-theft or it screams at you!). You can get little solar panels that can charge the cameras too.

 

[secureiam]

I believe its dependant on model, solar not much use in winter / shaded areas or when its cloudy, so you may be okay this last week or so in Manchester.

You need to be notified if its going low, as many wont be looking at their cameras regular enough to track it.

 

[bernardgreen]

and what common toe-rags actually do

is it conceivable that some "common toe-rags" do the bidding of others who do have the necessary knowledge ?